LeBron James scored 33 points in his return from a two-week layoff but it wasn’t enough to prevent the Cleveland Cavaliers from going down to their sixth straight loss, 107-100 to the host Phoenix Suns on Tuesday night.
Markieff Morris scored a career-high 35 points on 15-of-21 shooting for the Suns, who outscored the Cavs 11-3 over the last 3:31.
The Cavaliers rallied from a 19-point, third-quarter deficit to go ahead in the fourth, the first of eight lead changes down the stretch.
J.R. Smith, who joined the Cavaliers during James’ absence, scored 29, going 8 of 14 on 3-pointers.
James, who took time off to rest his sore left foot and lower back, made 11 of 18 shots, 6 of 8 in the second half.
Wall gets one vs. Spurs • John Wall broke yet another personal 0-for-forever streak, this one against an entire team, scoring 25 points with eight assists Tuesday night in host Washington’s 101-93 win over San Antonio that gave him his first taste of success against the reigning NBA champs. Wall had been 0-7 against the Spurs since he was drafted No. 1 overall in 2010, and the Wizards as a whole had not beaten San Antonio since Nov. 12, 2005 — a streak of 17 games.
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Williams has 52 • Mo Williams scored a career-high 52 points, most in the NBA this season, as the host Minnesota Timberwolves beat the Indiana Pacers 110-101 to snap a 15-game losing streak.
NOTEBOOK
Garnett suspended, Howard fined • Kevin Garnett has been suspended one game by the NBA and Dwight Howard fined $15,000 for their altercation Monday in Houston’s victory over Brooklyn.
The league said that Garnett initiated the altercation and head-butted Howard. The league adds in its statement that Howard pushed Garnett in the neck area, agreeing with the referees that the Rockets center did not throw a punch.
The altercation began with 7:53 left in the first quarter after Garnett fouled Howard. The two exchanged light shoves before Garnett threw the ball into Howard’s back. After they came face to face, Garnett slammed his head into the area near Howard’s mouth, and Howard responded by throwing his right hand into Garnett’s neck.
Former Spur Robertson arrested • Authorities say former San Antonio Spurs player Alvin Robertson has been arrested after cutting off a GPS monitor while out on bond in a 2009 case. The 52-year-old Robertson was arrested Monday afternoon at a San Antonio apartment complex. Officials say he’d been on the run since Jan. 5 after cutting off the monitor.
Sheriff’s officials say Robertson, a former NBA All-Star whose career ended in 1996, was out on bond in a 2009 case in which he was charged with trafficking of a person less than 18 for prostitution. He’d been released from jail Dec. 12 and was required to wear the monitor.
Robertson’s attorney, Brent de la Paz, says his client, who proclaims his innocence, is frustrated by delays in the case.
