Varejao red-hot vs. Pacers
The wigs were fake. Everything else about the Cavaliers was very real.
With thousands of Cleveland fans wearing curly, red-headed hairpieces in his honor, Anderson Varejao didn't miss a shot and scored 17 points in the first half as the host Cavaliers, despite getting a season-low 11 points from LeBron James, won their seventh straight, a 97-73 victory over the Indiana Pacers last night.
Unbeaten after 11 home games, Cleveland has won 15 of 16 since starting the season 1-2. The Cavaliers, who have won by an average of 22 points during their streak, have beaten Indiana nine times in a row.
James was just 4 of 12 from the field and didn't hit double digits in points until 3:45 remained. He added 11 assists and eight rebounds in 38 minutes.
Varejao scored 13 points on 6-of-6 shooting in the second quarter when Cleveland outscored the Pacers, 31-18, to open a 14-point halftime lead.
Lakers 106, Wizards 104 - Kobe Bryant banked in a running 12-foot jumper over Caron Butler with 25 seconds left, then went 1 for 2 on foul shots 10 seconds later, and best-in-the-West Los Angeles (16-2) eked out a victory over worst-in-the-East Washington (3-14).
After Bryant's miss at the line - he made all 13 other free throws he took - Butler (26 points) had a chance to win it for host Washington, but he missed a 3-point attempt shortly before the buzzer.
Bryant was 5 for 17 and finished with 23 points, 7 rebounds, and 7 assists.
Jazz 114, Raptors 87 - Paul Millsap had 17 points and 11 rebounds for his seventh straight double-double and added a career-high seven assists in host Utah's victory over Toronto in interim coach Jay Triano's Raptors debut.
76ers 96, Pistons 91 - Donyell Marshall's 3-pointer with 35 seconds left gave shorthanded Philadelphia (missing Elton Brand, hamstring) the win over visiting Detroit.
Hawks 98, Knicks 95 - Marvin Williams scored 18 points, and host Atlanta beat New York, avoiding overtime when the Knicks' Al Harrington (27 points) missed a last-second 3-pointer.
Magic 98, Thunder 89 - Dwight Howard had 21 points and 23 rebounds to lead host Orlando past Oklahoma City (2-18).
Nets 113, Timberwolves 84 - Vince Carter scored 18 points, and Yi Jianlian and Devin Harris each had 16 to help New Jersey rout visiting Minnesota.
Grizzlies 93, Clippers 81 - Rudy Gay scored 16 of his 25 points in the second half and O.J. Mayo added 20 to help host Memphis snap a seven-game losing streak.
Rockets 131, Warriors 112 - Yao Ming (14 rebounds) scored 19 of his season-high 33 points in the fourth quarter, and Ron Artest added 28 points as host Houston handed Golden State its eighth straight loss.
Bucks 101, Bobcats 96 - Richard Jefferson (22 points) made two free throws with nine seconds left to lift host Milwaukee. 