LeBron James finished with 34 points and became the first player to score 50,000 combined points in the regular season and playoffs, and the Los Angeles Lakers extended their longest winning streak in four years to seven games with a 136-115 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday night.
Luka Doncic had 30 points, 15 assists and eight rebounds for the Lakers, who have won 17 of 20 to move into second place in the Western Conference at 39-21. Jaxson Hayes had a season-high 19 points and 10 rebounds as Los Angeles won their second straight without injured starters Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura.
Zion Williamson scored 37 points for the 14th-place Pelicans, who went 2-2 on an encouraging road trip. Trey Murphy III added 19 points.
James surpassed his latest milestone with a 3-pointer early in the first quarter. Lakers fans gave a standing ovation moments later to James, who acknowledged it with a wave of his hand.
Bronny James played the final 4:01, scoring two points in his first NBA action since Feb. 12.
Doncic’s 17 points in the first were his most in a quarter this season. The barrage was highlighted by 3-pointers on three consecutive possessions.
James is the only player in NBA history to top 45,000 combined points, let alone 50,000. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is second with 44,149.
Cavs surge past Bulls for 11th straight victory
Donovan Mitchell scored 28 points, Jarrett Allen added 25 points and 17 rebounds, and the NBA-best Cleveland Cavaliers won their 11th straight game, 139-117 over the Chicago Bulls.
Darius Garland added 19 points for the Cavs (51-10), who rested forward Evan Mobley and fell behind by 15 points in the first half but still found a way to extend their third double-digit winning streak of the season. Cleveland began the season 15-0 and had a 12-game run in December and January.
Coby White led the Bulls with 25 points. Talen Horton-Tucker scored a season-high 22 and Zach Collins had 20.
Cleveland closed within 58-57 at halftime and the game was close throughout the third quarter. It was 107-all midway through the fourth when the Cavs began a decisive 14-0 run. Allen scored six points during the burst, and Garland’s 3-pointer made it 121-107 with 4:54 left.
Chicago (24-38) have lost nine of 11 and fell to 11-22 at home but are still clinging to the final play-in spot in the Eastern Conference.
Allen’s dunk put the Cavs ahead 109-107. He then blocked a layup attempt by Tre Jones on the other end, and Max Strus found a trailing Allen for a transition layup.
The Cavs outscored the Bulls 43-23 in the fourth quarter.
Suns stun Clippers with rally
Kevin Durant scored 34 points, Devin Booker added 17 and the Phoenix Suns rallied from a 23-point deficit late in the third quarter to beat the Los Angeles Clippers 119-117.
The Suns trailed by 19 entering the fourth but came all the way back thanks to big buckets from Durant and backup guard Collin Gillespie. Phoenix had a 43-22 advantage in the fourth, reviving its playoff hopes.
Gillespie scored 10 points on 4-of-6 shooting, including 2 for 3 from 3-point range, to give the Suns a much-needed spark in the second half. Nick Richards added 16 points on 8-of-10 shooting.
The Clippers lost despite Ivica Zubac’s career-high 35 points. He added 10 rebounds and shot 15 of 19 from the field. Kawhi Leonard and James Harden both scored 21.
Harden made a 3-pointer with 4:12 left in the third quarter to give the Clippers an 89-66 lead. But then Booker answered with a 3 and the Suns slowly clawed their way back.
Gillespie, who has spent a big chunk of this season in the G League, hit a 3 with 36 seconds left to give the Suns a 119-114 lead.
Durant and Gillespie combined for 29 points in the fourth quarter.
Tuesday’s scores
Indiana Pacers 115, Houston Rockets 102
Orlando Magic 113, Toronto Raptors 114
Atlanta Hawks 121, Milwaukee Bucks 127
New York Knicks 102, Golden State Warriors 114
Chicago Bulls 117, Cleveland Cavaliers 139
Minnesota Timberwolves 126, Philadelphia 76ers 112
San Antonio Spurs 127, Brooklyn Nets 113
Phoenix Suns 119, Los Angeles Clippers 117
Los Angeles Lakers 136, New Orleans Pelicans 115