SCOREBOARD
Thursday, Dec. 27
Phoenix at L.A. Clippers (10:30 p.m. EST). The Suns have lost five of eight, while the Clippers have dropped four straight.
STARS
Tuesday
-LeBron James, Cavaliers, had 25 points, 12 rebounds and six assists as Cleveland routed Miami 96-82.
-Andrew Bynum, Lakers, scored a career-high 28 points with 12 rebounds and a season-high four assists, and Los Angeles beat Phoenix 122-115 for its ninth win in 11 games.
STREAKING
Portland extended the longest current winning streak in the NBA to 11 games with an 89-79 victory over Seattle on Tuesday night. It’s the best run for the Trail Blazers since they won 12 in a row during the 2001-02 season. Portland has won 12 straight on Christmas Day.
SURGING
Kobe Bryant scored 38 points as the Lakers defeated Phoenix 122-115 Tuesday night for their ninth win in 11 games. Los Angeles moved to a season-best eight games over .500 (18-10) and within one game of the Pacific Division-leading Suns.
TURNING AROUND
Cleveland’s 96-82 victory over Miami on Tuesday was just the Cavaliers’ fourth in 14 games.
HEALTHY
Phoenix forward Grant Hill, hampered by injuries his entire career, started his 27th straight game to open the season Tuesday night in a 122-115 loss to the Lakers. It’s his longest streak to open a season since he started the first 39 games for Detroit eight years ago.
BOARDS
Cleveland center Zydrunas Ilgauskas had eight rebounds in Tuesday’s 96-82 victory over Miami, moving him into second place (4,673) on the Cavs’ career rebounding list, passing John “Hot Rod” Williams, who had 4,669. Brad Daugherty is first with 5,227.
SPEAKING
“I feel like I could play another game right now. I put in all the hard work just for this. It’s paying off. This definitely was one of my better games. Made a pretty big impact, teammates looking for me, wide open a lot of the times and they found me today. So far, perfect Christmas.” – Lakers center Andrew Bynum after scoring a career-high 28 points and matching his career high by playing 42 minutes in Tuesday night’s 122-115 victory over Phoenix.