Hood's late basket sends Cavs past Knicks 113-106

Jordan Clarkson scored 28 points and a basket by Rodney Hood in the fourth quarter gave Cleveland a late lead as the Cavaliers defeated the New York Knicks 113-106 on Wednesday after squandering a 22-point lead.

Hood put the Cavaliers in front 107-106 with 23 seconds remaining after New York took a one-point lead on rookie Kevin Knox's fast-break dunk with 32 seconds left.

Hood added 23 points, rookie Collin Sexton scored 19 and Matthew Dellavedova, playing his first him game for Cleveland since being re-acquired from Milwaukee, had 15 points.

New York Knicks' Kevin Knox (20) drives past Cleveland Cavaliers' Alec Burks (10) in the second half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, Dec. 12, 2018, in Cleveland. The Cavaliers won 113-106. (AP PhotoTony Dejak)

Enes Kanter and Tim Hardaway each scored 20 points for New York, which lost its fifth straight. Knox, moved into the starting lineup before the game, finished with 19.

Emmanuel Mudiay missed in the lane following Hood's basket and Cedi Osman made two free throws, putting Cleveland up by three points. Larry Nance Jr. stole Mudiay's inbounds pass and Dellavedova's two free throws pushed the Cavaliers lead to 111-106.

Cleveland led 53-31 midway through the second quarter, but New York began a flurry that carried through the third period and tied the game at 86.

New York Knicks' Emmanuel Mudiay (1), from Congo, drives to the basket against Cleveland Cavaliers' Jordan Clarkson (8) in the second half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, Dec. 12, 2018, in Cleveland. The Cavaliers won 113-106. (AP PhotoTony Dejak)

Cleveland played its first game without center Tristan Thompson, who could miss a month with a sprained left foot.

The matchup of teams near the bottom of the Eastern Conference began as a blowout, but turned into a tight contest.

Cleveland hit 15 of 28 shots in the first quarter and built a 53-31 lead midway through the second. Kanter helped move the Knicks closer with nine points in the quarter.

Cleveland Cavaliers' Rodney Hood, center, drives to the basket against New York Knicks' Tim Hardaway Jr., left, and Frank Ntilikina, from Belgium, in the first half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, Dec. 12, 2018, in Cleveland. (AP PhotoTony Dejak)

New York's run continued in the third quarter and Cleveland coach Larry Drew called two timeouts in the first four minutes of the period.

Hardaway hit a pair of 3-pointers and Kanter scored on a tip-in before Noah Vonleh's layup tied the game for the first time since the score was 8-8, three minutes into the game.

Dellavedova received a standing ovation when he entered in the first quarter. Dellavedova hit his first 3-pointers in the half, leading to a bigger ovation with each shot.

New York Knicks' Tim Hardaway Jr. (3) shoots over Cleveland Cavaliers' Jordan Clarkson (8) in the second half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, Dec. 12, 2018, in Cleveland. The Cavaliers won 113-106. (AP PhotoTony Dejak)

Thompson is averaging 12 points and 11.6 rebounds in 27 games. The eighth-year veteran was injured when he twisted his foot while landing on the foot of Milwaukee guard Malcolm Brogdon on Monday.

TIP-INS

Knicks: Mudiay and Frank Ntilikina each scored 16 points. ... New York took a 6-4 lead, but was outscored 33-17 the rest of the first quarter. ... New York is 5-11 on the road.

New York Knicks' Enes Kanter, center, from Turkey, loses control of the ball under pressure from Cleveland Cavaliers' Larry Nance Jr., left, and Matthew Dellavedova in the second half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, Dec. 12, 2018, in Cleveland. (AP PhotoTony Dejak)

Cavaliers: Drew missed the team's shootaround because of an illness, but did his pregame meeting with the media and was on the bench during the game. ... Channing Frye started at center. ... F David Nwaba returned after missing eight games because of a sore right knee.

UP NEXT

Knicks: Visit Charlotte on Friday.

Cleveland Cavaliers' Jordan Clarkson (8) drives to the basket against New York Knicks' Tim Hardaway Jr. (3) in the first half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, Dec. 12, 2018, in Cleveland. (AP PhotoTony Dejak)

Cavaliers: Host Milwaukee on Friday.

More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Cleveland Cavaliers' Channing Frye (9) shoots over New York Knicks' Enes Kanter (00), from Turkey, in the first half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, Dec. 12, 2018, in Cleveland. (AP PhotoTony Dejak)

Cleveland Cavaliers' Larry Nance Jr., right, and New York Knicks' Luke Kornet battle for a rebound in the first half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, Dec. 12, 2018, in Cleveland. (AP PhotoTony Dejak)

Cleveland Cavaliers' Collin Sexton, right, drives past New York Knicks' Enes Kanter (00), from Turkey, in the first half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, Dec. 12, 2018, in Cleveland. (AP PhotoTony Dejak)

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Paolo Banchero had 31 points and 14 rebounds, Jalen Suggs added 24 points and the Orlando Magic handed Cleveland the worst playoff loss in franchise history, winning 121-83 on Thursday night to cut the Cavaliers’ lead to 2-1 in their Eastern Conference first-round series.

Franz Wagner finished with 16 points and eight assists for the Magic, who led by 43 points in the fourth quarter on the way to the third-largest margin of victory in a playoff game. They earned their first playoff victory since 2019 and the first on their home floor since April 26, 2011.

They can even the series with a victory at home Sunday.

Jarrett Allen had 15 points and eight rebounds for the Cavaliers, who shot 39% from the field and 23.5% from 3-point range. Caris LeVert added 15 points and Donovan Mitchell had 13 points and seven assists.

76ERS 125, KNICKS 114

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Joel Embiid scored 50 points, making all four 3-point attempts and scoring 18 in a potential series-shifting third quarter to lead Philadelphia to a win over New York in Game 3 of their Eastern Conference first-round series.

Embiid boldly stated “we’re going to win this series” after the 76ers dropped Game 2.

With one of the finest postseason efforts of his career, Embiid became the third player to ever score 50 points against the Knicks in the postseason and kept the hope of a Philadelphia series comeback very much alive.

The Knicks lead the series 2-1. Game 4 is Sunday in Philadelphia.

Embiid was 13 of 19 from the floor overall, made 19 of 21 free throws and hit five 3-pointers.

NUGGETS 112, LAKERS 105

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Aaron Gordon had 29 points and 15 rebounds, Nikola Jokic added 24 points, 15 rebounds and nine assists, and Denver moved to the brink of the second round with a victory over the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 3 of their first-round series..

Jamal Murray scored 22 points as the defending NBA champion Nuggets won their 11th consecutive meeting with LeBron James and the Lakers in dominating style.

Michael Porter Jr. added 20 points for Denver, which took control in the third quarter and cruised through the final minutes to its fifth straight road win over Los Angeles, starting with its sweep of last season’s Western Conference finals.

Game 4 is Saturday night in Los Angeles. No NBA team has ever rallied from an 0-3 playoff deficit.

Orlando Magic guard Cole Anthony (50) makes a shot as he gets past Cleveland Cavaliers guard Sam Merrill (5) during the second half of Game 3 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series Thursday, April 25, 2024, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)