Wizards Top Raptors; Another NBA Action

(AP) — The Boston Celtics knocked off the top team in the NBA's Eastern Conference and expanded their lead in the Atlantic Division to three games over Toronto.

Isaiah Thomas poured in 31 points and hit a pair of free throws to break a 99-all tie in the Celtics' 103-99 triumph over Cleveland. Jae Crowder had 17 points and 10 rebounds for the Celts, who are the first home team to beat the Cavaliers this season after trailing in the fourth quarter. Crowder also drained a pair of game-clinching foul shots to secure Boston's first win in three games versus the Cavs this season.

LeBron James notched his seventh triple-double of the season by providing 28 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists. Kyrie Irving also had 28 points for the Cavaliers, who top the East by three games over the Celtics.

Also in the NBA:

— The Spurs pulled out a 100-99 win over Indiana on Kawhi Leonard's 16-footer with 2.4 seconds left. Leonard had 31 points and 10 boards for the Spurs, who returned from an eight-game road trip and won their fifth in a row. The Spurs still lead the Southwest Division by 4 ½ games over Houston.

— The Rockets stretched their league record for most consecutive games with at least 20 3-pointers by going 20-for-52 from downtown in a 122-103 rout of the Clippers in Los Angeles. James Harden scored 26 points and Ryan Anderson nailed a game-high six treys in sending the Rockets to their seventh win in nine games.

— The Wizards had dropped eight straight to the Raptors before Bojan Bogdanovic had 27 points off the bench and Bradley Beal added 23 in Washington's 105-96 victory in Toronto. John Wall had 12 points and 13 rebounds for the Southeast Division-leading Wizards, who kept their 2 ½-game lead over Atlanta.

— Paul Millsap contributed 18 points, 10 assists and eight boards in Atlanta's 100-95 win over Dallas. The Mavericks led 95-94 until Millsap scored on a drive with 30.5 seconds to play.

— Minnesota embarrassed the Jazz in Salt Lake City as Karl Anthony-Towns dropped 21 points and had 15 rebounds in the Timberwolves' 107-80 blowout win. Andrew Wiggins scored 20 points and Shabazz Muhammad added 18 as the Wolves won for the fourth time in five games.

— Miami's Tyler Johnson scored 24 points off the bench in a 125-98 pounding of Philadelphia. Wayne Ellington made six 3-pointers for 18 points, while teammate Hassan Whiteside added 15 points and a game-high 11 boards in the Heat's 10th win in their last 11 home games.

— Danilo Gallinari scored 22 points and Nikola Jokic had his second triple-double in two nights to lead Denver's 110-98 decision over the Bucks in Milwaukee. Jokic finished with 13 points, 14 rebounds and 10 assists for his fourth career triple-double, all in his last 13 games.

— Anthony Davis poured in 33 points and grabbed 14 boards as New Orleans ripped Detroit, 109-86 to end a three-game skid. Jrue Holiday had 22 points for the Pelicans, who were without newly acquired All-Star DeMarcus Cousins because of an automatic one-game suspension following his 18th technical foul.

— Kristaps Porzingis delivered 20 points and nine rebounds as New York beat the Magic, 101-90 at Orlando. Derrick Rose chipped in 19 points in the Knicks' third win in their last 10 games.

— Brooklyn's 16-game losing streak is over after Brook Lopez delivered 24 points and eight rebounds to a 109-100 verdict over the Kings at Sacramento. Jeremy Lin added 17 points for the Nets, who never trailed in dealing the Kings their third consecutive loss.