ATLANTA—Paul Millsap scored 20 points and Al Horford added 19, as Eastern Conference-leading Atlanta topped the Minnesota Timberwolves, 112-100, on Sunday, extending the Hawks’ club record with their 16th straight win.
Jeff Teague finished with 15 points and seven of Atlanta’s 30 assists as the Hawks won for the 30th time in 32 games.
Thaddeus Young had 26 points and Mo Williams added 20 for Minnesota. The Timberwolves, who are last in the Western Conference, have lost four straight and 20 of 22.
In Cleveland LeBron James scored 34 points, including the first eight in the fourth quarter, as the Cavaliers beat the Oklahoma City Thunder, 108-98, for their sixth straight win.
James made a pair of three-pointers and a nasty fadeaway jumper to give the Cavs a 91-80 lead. Later, the four-time Most Valuable Player fed Kevin Love for a three-pointer with 3:38 left that put the Thunder away. The Cavs are 6-1 since James returned after missing eight games with a strained back and knee.
Kevin Durant scored 32 and Russell Westbrook had 22 for the Thunder, who went 3-2 on their longest road trip this season.
Miami’s Hassan Whiteside had an unconventional triple-double with a team-record and career-high 12 blocks to go with 14 points and 13 rebounds to help the Heat beat the Chicago Bulls, 96-84.
Dwyane Wade scored 26 points, Chris Bosh finished with 20 and Luol Deng scored 15 in his return to Chicago.
Pau Gasol had 13 points and 17 rebounds for Chicago, giving him 50 over the past three games. Derrick Rose scored 19 for Chicago, but missed all six three-pointers.
The Indiana Pacers defeated the Orlando Magic, 106-99, to end a seven-game losing streak after David West scored 20 points and reserve Damjan Rudez added a career-high 18, while Blake Griffin and Chris Paul scored 23 points each to lead the Los Angeles Clippers past the Phoenix Suns, 120-100.
In other games, the New Orleans Pelicans beat the Dallas Mavericks, 109-106; the Golden State Warriors downed the Boston Celtics, 114-111; the Washington Wizards edged the Denver Nuggets, 117-115 in overtime; and the Houston Rockets were 99-87 winners over the Los Angeles Lakers.
Image credits: AP