CLEVELAND (AP) — Dennis Schroder scored a season-high 28 points in replacing injured star Russell Westbrook and the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 95-86 on Wednesday night.
Westbrook sprained his left ankle Monday, but the Thunder withstood Cleveland's fourth-quarter run without the two-time MVP to win its sixth straight game after starting the season 0-4.
Cleveland (1-10) rallied from an 11-point deficit early in the fourth quarter to go ahead. Oklahoma City led 78-67 before the Cavaliers went on a 13-0 run. J.R. Smith and Kyle Korver each hit two 3-pointers and the Cavaliers led 80-78 with 7:02 remaining. Alex Abrines' 3-pointer from the corner gave the Thunder the lead for good with 4:31 to play.
Paul George added 18 points for Oklahoma City. Cleveland rookie point guard Collin Sexton made his first career start, with George Hill out with a sore right shoulder. Sexton had 15 points in a career-high 42 minutes.
HEAT 95, SPURS 88
MIAMI (AP) — Hassan Whiteside had 29 points, 20 rebounds and an NBA season-high nine blocked shots, and Miami snapped a four-year drought against San Antonio.
Wayne Ellington scored 20 points, and Justise Winslow added 16. Miami was down to an eight-man rotation for the second half because of injuries and Dwyane Wade missing the game for personal reasons.
The Heat had dropped their last nine regular-season games to the Spurs — and 11 consecutive games overall in the series, when factoring in the 2014 NBA Finals. Patty Mills had 20 points for San Antonio.
PISTONS 103, MAGIC 96
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Andre Drummond had 23 points and 19 rebounds and Detroit beat Orlando to snap a five-game losing streak.
Blake Griffin added 20 points, Reggie Jackson had 15, and Stanley Johnson 13. Evan Fournier led Orlando with 27 points, and D.J. Augustin had 16.
Fournier hit three straight shots and Aaron Gordon added a dunk to pull Orlando to 94-93 with 2:58 left. Griffin made two free throws to start a 9-0 run that Jackson finished with a 3-pointer and a layup.
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