76ers turn tables on LeBron’s Cavs, Lakers rout Heat

The Philadelphia 76ers led wire-to-wire in a 108-97 victory over theCavaliers in Cleveland on Thursday, perhaps the perfect sales pitch ifthey want to lure LeBron James to Pennsylvania next season.The 76ers, who had lost 11 straight games to the Cavs, were fuelled by22 points from shooting guard JJ Redick, who connected on seven of 11shots from the floor, including four three-pointers.It was a rare road win for the Sixers, who notched just their second win in their last eight away games.Joel Embiid added 17 points, 14 rebounds and six assists forPhiladelphia. Ben Simmons finished with 16 points, nine rebounds, andeight assists.James, who said he was flattered by three billboards rented by aPennsylvania company in the Cleveland area urging him to consider a moveto the Sixers as a free agent next season, led all scorers with 30points.That included a short jump shot in the first quarter which came afterJames escaped a double-team by dribbling behind his back and through thelegs of teammate Tristan Thompson.He added nine rebounds and eight assists but Cleveland, who closedwithin one point with 2:25 remaining after trailing by as many as 13 inthe fourth quarter, were never able to get in front.“Looked like we had some heavy legs tonight,” James said. “We foughtback but it’s been a tough stretch for us playing every other day thelast four weeks.“But we’ve got to figure it out,” he added. “We still had a chance towin. Couple breakdowns down the stretch didn’t allow that to happen.Give credit where credit is due. I thought Philly played well.” Things got testy in the waning seconds, when Philadelphia forward DarioSaric dunked and Cleveland’s Jordan Clarkson, irked that he didn’t justlet the clock run out, bounced the ball off Saric’s back to earn anejection.“If anybody say different, that they wouldn’t have did that, that they’dhave did something different, or anything else, they lying,” anunrepentant Clarkson said.Lakers beat Heat in MiamiIn Miami, Los Angeles point guard Isaiah Thomas scored a season-high 29points in the Lakers’ convincing 131-113 victory over the Heat.“It was beautiful to watch Isaiah in the fourth quarter again,” saidLakers coach Luke Walton. “It was flashback to what he did to everybodylast season. It was a lot of fun to watch that, see him do his thing.”The Lakers won in Miami for the first time in a decade, halting whatevermomentum the Heat had built with wins over the Memphis Grizzlies andthe 76ers.Veteran Dwyane Wade, who drained the game-winner against the 76ers onTuesday, delivered another vintage performance in his seventh game backwith the Heat since he was traded from Cleveland.But his 25 points weren’t close to enough against a Lakers teamuntroubled by any defensive effort Miami, who gave up the most pointsthey have allowed this season.Julius Randle scored 25 points for the Lakers and Brandon Ingram added19 before a premature departure with a left hip flexor strain — the onlydownside for the Lakers on the night.“We’ll know more tomorrow,” Walton said.The Lakers are now 4-0 since the All-Star break.In Portland, the Trail Blazers rallied in the fourth quarter to beat theMinnesota Timberwolves 108-99, moving within half a game of theT’Wolves for third place in the Western Conference.Portland struggled from three-point range for most of the game. Buttrailing by six in the fourth quarter they reversed the trend to producea 20-4 scoring run.All-Star guard Damian Lillard scored 35 points and the Trail Blazerswithstood a 34-point performance from Timberwolves center Karl-AnthonyTowns to record their seventh win in eight games.