George has 31 as Thunder roll by Jazz in playoff reprise

Paul George went 5 of 6 from 3-point range and scored 31 points, Dennis Schroder added 23 and the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Utah Jazz 122-113 on Monday night.

Steven Adams had 22 points in the first meeting between the Western Conference foes since the Jazz downed the Thunder in six games in the first round of last season's playoffs. Oklahoma City overcame a 4-of-18 shooting performance by Russell Westbrook, who nonetheless managed a triple-double with 12 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists.

Oklahoma City has won 15 straight regular-season games at home against Utah, although the Jazz did beat the Thunder in Oklahoma City in Game 2 during their playoff series. The Thunder have gone 17-4 since starting this season 0-4.

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook shoots in the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Utah Jazz in Oklahoma City, Monday, Dec. 10, 2018. (AP PhotoKyle Phillips)

Donovan Mitchell battled foul trouble much of the game but led the Jazz with 19 points, while Rudy Gobert recorded his 23rd double-double of the season with 13 points and 14 rebounds. It was the second straight lopsided road loss in two days for Utah, which fell 110-97 on Sunday at San Antonio.

The Thunder jumped to a 6-0 lead, causing Jazz coach Quin Snyder to call a timeout just 68 seconds into the game. Oklahoma City gradually built its lead to 17 points before settling for a 57-46 halftime advantage.

George, who scored 25 fourth-quarter points during a 47-point outburst in a win at Brooklyn on Wednesday, nearly reprised that performance in the third quarter.

Utah Jazz guard Ricky Rubio (3) goes up to shoot past Thunder center Steven Adams (12) in the second half of an NBA basketball game in Oklahoma City, Monday, Dec. 10, 2018. (AP PhotoKyle Phillips)

George hit his first 3-point attempt 50 seconds before halftime, then hit his next four shots from behind the arc en route to a 17-point third quarter. That helped the Thunder build their lead to 26 points near the end of the quarter and the Jazz never seriously threatened after that, although they did cut a 29-point deficit to nine in the final minute. Reserve Epke Udoh scored 10 points in nine minutes for Utah.

Jae Crowder had 13 points and Derrick Favors had 12 for the Jazz.

TIP-INS:

Utah Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell (45) tries to get past Oklahoma City Thunder center Steven Adams (12) in the second half of an NBA basketball game in Oklahoma City, Monday, Dec. 10, 2018. (AP PhotoKyle Phillips)

Jazz: Mitchell hit a halfcourt shot at the first-quarter buzzer for his first points of the game, allowing him to avoid a second straight scoreless first quarter . Gobert was called for a technical foul with 52 seconds left in the third quarter after complaining about a foul call while trying to guard Adams . Ricky Rubio, who had averaged 18.8 points during Utah's previous eight road games, had 10 against the Thunder.

Thunder: The Thunder are 14-1 this season against sub-.500 opponents, including the Jazz, who entered the game at 13-14 . Schroder received a technical foul with 6:20 left . The triple-double was the 110th of Westbrook's career.

UP NEXT:

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Dennis Schroder goes in to shoot in the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Utah Jazz in Oklahoma City, Monday, Dec. 10, 2018. (AP PhotoKyle Phillips)

Jazz: Host Miami on Wednesday.

Thunder: Visit New Orleans on Wednesday.

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)