Donovan Mitchell scored 14 of his 40 points in the fourth quarter and Evan Mobley added 22 on 9-of-10 shooting as the Cleveland Cavaliers won their seventh straight game Wednesday, 114-106 over the Washington Wizards.
Mitchell, who had eight rebounds and five assists, scored at least 40 for the fifth time this season. He is averaging 34 points on 56 percent shooting over his last five games.
Cleveland survived a game with nine ties and 17 lead changes to win for the 15th time in 16 tries. The Cavs moved a game ahead of Milwaukee and New York in second place in the Eastern Conference.
Mitchell scored five points during a 9-0 run in the fourth quarter that gave Cleveland the lead for good and his fifth and final 3-pointer of the night made it 104-97 with 2:19 to play.
Kyle Kuzma scored 28 points and Corey Kispert had 23 on 9-of-15 shooting with seven rebounds for the Wizards, who have lost four in a row overall and 12 straight at home.
Pelicans cool Clippers for fourth straight win
CJ McCollum scored 13 of his 25 points in the fourth quarter and Zion Williamson had 21 with a career-high 11 assists as the New Orleans Pelicans slowed the Los Angeles Clippers, 117-106.
Brandon Ingram had 15 points and eight rebounds and Herb Jones and Trey Murphy III each added 13 points to help the Pelicans open a four-game road trip with their fourth straight win.
James Harden scored 19 points and Norman Powell had 18 for the Clippers, who had a four-game winning streak snapped in their first game back from a 6-1 road trip.
Los Angeles was playing its eighth game in 13 days and lost for only the sixth time in 32 games since the start of December.
Porzingis propels Celtics past Hawks
Kristaps Porzingis had 31 points and Derrick White scored 12 of his 21 in the fourth quarter to power the Boston Celtics to a 125-117 victory over the Atlanta Hawks.
Jayson Tatum tallied 20 points, nine rebounds and seven assists and Jaylen Brown scored 15 for the Celtics, who made 9 of their 17 3-pointers in the fourth quarter to make it seven consecutive wins over the Hawks.
Saddiq Bey scored 25 points and Trae Young added 20 with 10 assists as Atlanta dropped its second straight following a four-game winning streak.
Clippers forward Leonard out indefinitely
Los Angeles Clippers star forward Kawhi Leonard is out indefinitely, president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank said before Game 4 of the team’s first-round playoff series against the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday.
Leonard missed Los Angeles’ final eight regular-season games due to inflammation in his right knee and then sat out the series opener before returning to action.
However, he's clearly not at full strength after combining for 24 points in Games 2 and 3.
A three-time First-Team All-NBA selection, Leonard played in 68 games during the regular season – his most since 2016-17 - and averaged a team-high 23.7 points to go along with 6.1 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.63 steals per contest.
Dallas leads the series 2-1, with Game 5 scheduled for Wednesday in Los Angeles.
GK One gives Community Basketball League a financial boost
The GraceKennedy Financial Group (GKFG) has announced that GK One is the official title sponsor of the GK One Howard McCatty Community Basketball League for the 2024 season. The partnership builds upon GKFG's ongoing commitment to supporting local communities and promoting youth development through sports, following another successful staging of the ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys’ and Girls’ Track & Field Championships (Champs) last month.
"GK recognizes the importance of investing in initiatives that empower and inspire our youth," said Rickardo Ebanks, Chief Digital Officer, GKFG. "GK One is thrilled to be a part of the Community Basketball League 2024 Season and contribute to the continued success of the competition."
The Howard McCatty Community Basketball League has been a cornerstone for young Jamaican athletes providing opportunities for growth, mentorship, and teamwork. With a rich history of nurturing talent and fostering a love for the game, the league serves as a vital platform for aspiring players to showcase and develop their skills on a path to the National Basketball league.
GK One is GraceKennedy’s all-in-one app which offers a suite of GKFG services, allowing users to receive Western Union remittances to their mobile wallet, make bill payments, apply for a First Global Bank Visa Credit Card, and purchase insurance, anytime and anywhere. The app’s companion prepaid Visa debit card also allows customers to pay for goods and services wherever Visa is accepted.
Through the sponsorship, GK One will support the league's mission of promoting sportsmanship, leadership, and academic achievement among participants. The partnership will enable the league to deliver over 100 games throughout the season, provide resources for coaching and player development, and expand its reach within the community.
"We are grateful for the generous support of GK One," expressed Calvin Martin, Vice President and League organizer. "Their commitment to our league will make a meaningful difference in the lives of our players, helping us to further our impact and grow the game of basketball in Kingston and St Catherine. I encourage other corporate entities to follow the lead of GK One and invest in our communities – especially through sports.”
Beyond financial support, GK One will also engage with participating communities by hosting youth basketball clinics, fan engagement events, and supporting mentorship programmes led by the league. Players and fans will also benefit from access to financial services offered by GKFG.
GK One and the Howard McCatty Community Basketball League look forward to a successful 2024 season and partnership focused on empowering young athletes, fostering community connections, and inspiring the next generation of basketball stars.
Bucks star Lillard to miss Game 4 against the Pacers with Achilles injury
Already without two-time NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Milwaukee Bucks won’t have Damian Lillard in the lineup for Game 4 of the team’s first-round playoff series against the Indiana Pacers on Sunday.
Lillard played nearly 45 minutes in Milwaukee's 121-118 overtime loss in Game 3 on Friday but was ineffective down the stretch after aggravating a lingering Achilles issue.
The defeat was the second straight in the series for the third-seeded Bucks after defeating No. 6 seed Indiana in Game 1.
Antetokounmpo has not played since straining his left calf on April 9 and remains out Sunday, meaning Milwaukee will be without its two leading scorers as it tries to avoid a 3-1 deficit in the series.
Antetokounmpo averaged 30.4 points this season with Lillard adding 24.3 per game. But with Antetokounmpo sidelined, Lillard averaged 32.3 points in the first three contests against the Pacers to pace Milwaukee.
Game 5 is scheduled for Tuesday.
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