MINNEAPOLIS – LeBron James had 25 points, 14 assists and eight rebounds to turn back a charge from Andrew Wiggins and help the Cleveland Cavaliers to a 116-108 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday night.
Channing Frye had 21 points and 10 rebounds while starting for All-Star Kevin Love, who will miss at least the next six weeks after having surgery on his left knee. Kyre Irving scored 25 points for the Cavs and James sealed the victory with a stepback 3-pointer with two minutes to play.
Wiggins scored 41 points against the team that drafted him and Karl-Anthony Towns scored 26 for the Wolves, who finished a six-game homestand at 2-4. The Wolves allowed Cleveland to shoot 51 percent and hit 13 3s.
James tried to calm the Cavs on Tuesday morning when they found out they would be without Love for the stretch run in an Eastern Conference race that is suddenly tight with the Boston Celtics and Washington Wizards right on their heels.
He said that as long as he’s on the floor, the Cavs will always have a chance to win, and no one doubts him.
He took his time to get going, choosing to get others involved, including with a no-look pass through Wiggins’ legs to a diving Derrick Williams for a layup in the second quarter. He threw down two soaring dunks later in the third and added a Jordan-like reverse layup as part of a highlight-filled night.
BULLS 105, RAPTORS 94: In Chicago, Doug McDermott scored 20 points, All-Star Jimmy Butler had 19 points and 12 assists in his return to the lineup, and Chicago continued its mastery over Toronto.
Taj Gibson had 14 points and Rajon Rondo added 12 to help the Bulls beat the Raptors for the 11th straight time.
Toronto’s last win in the series was Dec. 31, 2013.
Oakley allowed back in MSG
Charles Oakley is allowed back in Madison Square Garden, though the former New York Knicks star says he wants an apology before he would return.
MSG chairman James Dolan banned Oakley last week, two days after the former power forward had an altercation with security guards while attending a game and was arrested.
But the sides reconciled, helped by a meeting Monday at NBA headquarters with Commissioner Adam Silver and Hall of Famer Michael Jordan. Jordan and Oakley were teammates in Chicago before Oakley was traded to New York, where he became a fan favorite with the Knicks from 1988-98.
Raptors trade for Magic’s Ibaka
Kyle Lowry said something had to change in Toronto. Serge Ibaka is on his way to try to make that happen.
The Raptors acquired the veteran power forward from Orlando on Tuesday for Terrence Ross and a 2017 first round draft pick.
Orlando general manager Rob Hennigan said Tuesday evening the trade of Ibaka for Ross was necessary for the Magic to have a chance of salvaging a season that has gone drastically off course.