NBA Wrap: Cavaliers win fifth straight, star Trail Blazers guard doesn’t play due to ‘clerical error’

THE Cleveland Cavaliers won their fifth straight game, while the Trail Blazers’ star guard didn’t play due to a ‘clerical error’. It’s all in the NBA Wrap.

WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 06: Kyrie Irving #2 of the Cleveland Cavaliers celebrates a basket against the Washington Wizards during a timeout with teammate LeBron James #23 in the second half at Verizon Center on January 6, 2016 in Washington, DC. The Cleveland Cavaliers won, 121-115. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Patrick Smith/Getty Images/AFP == FOR NEWSPAPERS, INTERNET, TELCOS & TELEVISION USE ONLY ==

THE Cleveland Cavaliers won their fifth straight game, while the Trail Blazers’ star guard didn’t play due to a ‘clerical error’.

It’s all in the NBA Wrap.

AUSSIES IN ACTION

Matthew Dellavedova played 28 minutes off the bench in the Cleveland Cavaliers’ 121-115 win over the Washington Wizard. He finished with three points, four rebounds and four assists.

Aron Baynes posted an impressive six points, six rebounds and four assists in the Detroit Pistons’ 99-94 win over the Boston Celtics.

In the San Antonio Spurs’ 123-98 win over the Utah Jazz, there were two Australians in action. Patty Mills started for the Spurs, and finished with just two assists, while Joe Ingles posted eight points, four rebounds and two assists off the bench for the Jazz.

New York Knicks' Carmelo Anthony smiles during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Miami Heat.

MIAMI HEAT 90 — NEW YORK KNICKS 98

Carmelo Anthony scored 25 points and New York shot 56 percent to snap a streak of eight consecutive losses to Miami.

Anthony made 9 for 12. In his first two games against the Heat, Anthony shot 10 for 29 and totaled 32 points.

Robin Lopez added a season-high 19 points for the Knicks, who won their third game in a row.

Chris Bosh scored 28 points for the Heat.

ORLANDO MAGIC 86 — INDIANA PACERS 95

Paul George had 20 points and Monta Ellis scored nine of his 19 in the fourth quarter, leading Indiana over Orlando.

George, who scored at least 31 points in his previous three games, shot 5 of 13 but led a second-quarter rally that put the Pacers ahead for good.

It was the Pacers’ sixth straight victory (two this season) against the Magic, who have lost four in a row overall.

WASHINGTON WIZARDS 115 — CLEVELAND CAVALIERS 121

LeBron James scored 34 points, Kyrie Irving took over in the fourth quarter and the Cleveland Cavaliers beat the injury-ravaged Washington Wizards 121-115 on Wednesday night for their fifth straight victory.

Irving scored 21 of his 32 points in the fourth quarter, including a run of 10 straight that put the game away.

James had 10 rebounds, and J.R. Smith added 25 points for Cleveland.

Garrett Temple led the Wizards with 21 points and John Wall had 20. Playing without Kris Humphries, DeJuan Blair and Drew Gooden, Washington lost its second straight game.

Cleveland Cavaliers guard Kyrie Irving drives around Washington Wizards guard Gary Neal and forward Otto Porter Jr. during the second half.

BOSTON CELTICS 94 — DETROIT PISTONS 99

Reggie Jackson 24 points, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope finished with 20 and Detroit beat Boston.

Isaiah Thomas led the Celtics with 22 points, scoring their final 15 over the last 7:24 after missing 14 of his first 15 shots.

SUNS 111, HORNETS 102

PHOENIX (AP) - Mirza Teletovic made five of the Suns’ season-high 19 3-pointers as Phoenix ended a nine-game skid by beating Charlotte.

Brandon Knight added 18 points and seven assists for the Suns.

Kemba Walker had 25 points to lead the Hornets, who lost their fifth straight.

Reggie Jackson of the Detroit Pistons, Anthony Tolliver and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope walk towards the bench during a time out during the fourth quarter against the Boston Celtics.

BROOKLYN NETS 74 — TORONTO RAPTORS 74

Jonas Valanciunas had 22 points and 11 rebounds, and Toronto handed Brooklyn its eighth straight home loss.

Kyle Lowry had 17 points, eight rebounds and six assists. He made all seven shots inside the arc but was 0 for 7 from 3-point range as the Raptors bounced back after giving up nearly 120 points per game in consecutive losses to Chicago and Cleveland.

The Nets haven’t won at Barclays Center since beating Philadelphia on Dec. 10. Brook Lopez had 24 points and 13 rebounds for Brooklyn.

MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES 74 — DENVER NUGGETS 78

Danilo Gallinari had 20 points, seven rebounds and four assists to help Denver snap a six-game losing streak with a victory over Minnesota.

Jusuf Nurkic had 15 points and 10 rebounds, and the Nuggets overcame 35.8 percent shooting by hitting eight of 20 3-pointers. Denver had lost nine of its previous 10 games.

Karl-Anthony Towns had 14 points and 14 rebounds, and Nikola Pekovic scored 12 points in his season debut for the reeling Timberwolves. Minnesota has lost four straight games and eight of nine.

NEW ORLEANS PELICANS 91 — DALLAS MAVERICKS 100

Raymond Felton scored 22 points in a game Dallas chose to rest four starters, and the Mavericks defeated New Orleans.

Dallas coach Rick Carlisle sat out Dirk Nowitzki, Deron Williams, Zaza Pachulia and Wesley Matthews after they each played 40-plus minutes in a double-overtime victory over Sacramento on Tuesday night.

Chandler Parsons, the only usual starter in uniform, scored 19 of his 21 in the first half.

Anthony Davis had 26 points and 12 rebounds for the Pelicans.

SAN ANTONIO SPURS 123 — UTAH JAZZ 98

Tim Duncan scored a season-high 18 points and San Antonio had eight other players in double figures to beat Utah and remain unbeaten at home.

The Spurs matched the best start in franchise history by winning their 21st straight home game to open the season.

Trey Burke had 21 points for the Jazz and Gordon Hayward had 18.

PHOENIX SUNS 111 — CHARLOTTE HORNETS 102

Mirza Teletovic made five of the Suns’ season-high 19 3-pointers as Phoenix ended a nine-game skid by beating Charlotte.

Brandon Knight added 18 points and seven assists for the Suns.

Kemba Walker had 25 points to lead the Hornets, who lost their fifth straight.

Charlotte Hornets' Brian Roberts, left, strips the ball from Phoenix Suns' Devin Booker during the second half.

OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER 112 — MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES 94

Kevin Durant had 26 points and a season-high 17 rebounds after missing the previous game with a sprained right big toe, and Oklahoma beat Memphis.

Durant, who began the day as the NBA’s No. 3 scorer, broke loose for 17 points in the second half on 7-for-8 shooting. He played 33 minutes and appeared to have no problems with mobility.

Russell Westbrook added 20 points, seven rebounds and seven assists for the Thunder.

Mario Chalmers led the Grizzlies with 23 points.

PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS 98 — LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS 109

Chris Paul had 21 points and 19 assists to lead Los Angeles past Portland.

The Clippers won their seventh straight game despite the absence of Blake Griffin, who has missed six games because of a partially torn left quadreiceps tendon. DeAndre Jordan had 14 points and 14 rebounds.

Damian Lillard had 20 points and nine assists for Portland. The Trail Blazers were without guard CJ McCollum because of a ‘’clerical error.’’ McCollum was mistakenly left off the team’s active roster that is turned in before the game. Although the Blazers initially said that McCollum was active, he did not start. The team announced he was inactive shortly before halftime.

Los Angeles Clippers centre DeAndre Jordan blocks the shot of Portland Trail Blazers forward Maurice Harkless during the first half.

Originally published as NBA Wrap: Cavaliers win fifth straight, star Trail Blazers guard doesn’t play due to ‘clerical error’