The Splash Brothers found their range as Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson combined for 64 points including 10 three-pointers in the Golden State Warriors' 129-117 win over the Toronto Raptors on Friday.

Curry top scored with 35 points on 13-of-21 shooting from the field, making four-of-eight from beyond the arc, with seven rebounds, 11 assists and two steals at Chase Center.

Thompson finished with 29 points but nailed six-of-14 three-point attempts, along with eight rebounds.

Donte DiVincenzo made another strong impression off the bench, playing 33 minutes for 12 points with two-of-five three-pointers and 11 assists.

As a team, Golden State shot at 55.6 per cent from the field (50-of-90), while they had 40 assists compared to Toronto's 24.

The win improves the Warriors' home record to 19-6, while they nudge over .500 with a 25-24 overall record to move up seventh in the Western Conference.

Raptors guard Fred VanVleet scored a team-high 28 points on five-of-10 three-point shooting with 10 assists, while Scottie Barnes chipped in with 24 points.

Giannis dominates as Middleton comeback continues

Giannis Antetokounmpo held off another Indiana Pacers' late charge as the Milwaukee Bucks won 141-131 fuelled by the Greek's 41 points, 12 rebounds and six assists.

Antetokounmpo made five-of-eight free-throws in the final four minutes as the Bucks held on. Jrue Holiday contributed 20 points with nine rebounds and nine assists.

Khris Middleton continued his gradual return to full fitness, scoring 17 points in 15 minutes off the bench, while Myles Turner top scored for Indiana with 24 points.

SGA racks them up again for OKC

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander recorded his fourth straight 30-point game as the Oklahoma City Thunder down the Cleveland Cavaliers 112-100 after scores were locked at three-quarter time.

Gilgeous-Alexander finished with 35 points, with eight assists and five rebounds for OKC, who won for the sixth time in eight games to improve to 24-25.

The Cavs were without Donovan Mitchell due to a groin injury, with Darius Garland starring for them with 31 points and 13 assists.

Meanwhile, Ja Morant recorded his fourth triple-double of the season with 27 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists in the Memphis Grizzlies' 111-100 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves.

The New York Knicks rode terrific performances from the dynamic duo of Julius Randle and Jalen Brunson to a 120-117 overtime victory on the road against the Boston Celtics on Thursday.

Randle, who is on track to make his second All-Star team, scored a game-high 37 points on 13-of-25 shooting while grabbing nine rebounds. His partner-in-crime, Brunson, led both teams with seven assists to go with 29 points on 12-of-25 shooting.

For the Celtics, Jayson Tatum had a team-high 35 points on 12-of-26 shooting, including the game-tying basket with 48 seconds remaining to force overtime at 110-110.

Randle and team-mate R.J. Barrett scored five points each in the extra session to pull away for the win, improving to 27-23 overall, which includes the league's second-best road record (15-10). The only team with a better record away from home this season is the Celtics (17-9).

In his fifth start of the season, second-year Knicks center Jericho Sims grabbed a career-high 14 rebounds as he continues to fill-in for the injured Mitchell Robinson, while Immanuel Quickley chipped in 17 points (seven-of-12 shooting) off the bench.

Pistons ruin Kyrie's big night

Kyrie Irving's 40 points were not enough to prevent his Brooklyn Nets from going down 130-122 at home against the Detroit Pistons.

After being named an All-Star starter earlier in the day, Irving shot 14-of-27 from the field while adding six assists, five rebounds, two steals and two blocks.

But the Pistons had eight of their nine players reach double-figures in a well-rounded display, led by Saddiq Bey with a team-high 25 points (10-of-19 shooting), while highly rated rookie point guard Jaden Ivey had a game-high eight assists with his 16 points and two steals.

The Nets have now lost six of their past eight fixtures to slip to 29-19 as they desperately await the return of Kevin Durant from injury.

Cavs pile on the punishment

The Houston Rockets were relegated to their 20th loss from their past 22 outings as the Cleveland Cavaliers came into town and left 113-95 victors.

Darius Garland scored a game-high 26 points (nine-of-16 shooting) with nine assists and four steals to lead the Cavs, while their star defensive duo of Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley both collected double-doubles.

On the bright side for the Rockets – who own the NBA's worst record at 11-38 – it was the ninth game in a row exciting young center Alperen Sengun has tallied at least six assists. Over that span, the only centers averaging more than his 6.8 assists are Draymond Green (7.0), Domantas Sabonis (10.0) and Nikola Jokic (11.2).

Donovan Mitchell is concerned he may have re-aggravated the groin injury that kept him out recently in the final play of the Cleveland Cavaliers' 105-103 loss to the New York Knicks.

Mitchell had missed the Cavs' past three games with groin tightness and said he felt the issue tighten as he drove to the bucket trying to score a game-tying bucket.

The All-Star's shot was blocked by Isaiah Hartenstein, flooring Mitchell who somehow got the rebound and dished a pass to Evan Mobley, whose also missed, ending the game.

Mitchell remained on the ground after the buzzer, initially clutching his right leg in apparent pain and frustration, before being helped to his feet by training staff and gingerly walking to the locker room.

"I went up to try dunk it, both my legs cramped and my groin just tightened up and locked up on me," Mitchell told reporters.

"Three things happened at the same time. As soon as I jumped, then I tried to get the rebound and that was that."

Mitchell, who finished the game with 24 points on nine-of-24 shooting, said the injury felt similar to his previous groin issue, although he was yet to be assessed.

"It felt the same as before," he said. "I don't know what comes next.

"I felt good enough to come back, and for that to be the last five seconds of the game really pisses me off."

When asked why he stayed on the ground for so long after the game, he added: "It's definitely both [frustration about the injury and his play], but more so [the injury]. I'm praying that I'm all right.

"I screwed that [the play] up. The last few possessions, I can cry about the foul calls all I want. I've just got to be more poised for our group. I had one turnover on a layup, even though I feel like I got fouled, pull it out, run a play, get something.

"Then the second one where I air-balled the layup, that's on me. I let the team down at the end of the game. We played a really good game up until that point, all of us, and I didn't do my job. And that's on me."

The win snapped the Knicks' five-game losing run as Julius Randle led the way with 36 points and 13 rebounds.

Evan Mobley scored a career-high 38 points as the Cleveland Cavaliers secured a big win in the Eastern Conference, downing the Milwaukee Bucks 114-102.

The 2021 NBA Draft third overall pick shot 19-of-27 from the field with nine rebounds and three assists for the Cavs, who improved to a 29-19 record to sit fifth in the east, with the Bucks third at 29-17.

Cavs point guard Darius Garland added 21 points, including 10 in the third, with 10 assists.

The Bucks were without Giannis Antetokounmpo who missed his fifth straight game due to knee soreness. Milwaukee are 6-5 on the season when playing without the MVP contender.

Jrue Holiday led the way for Milwaukee with 28 points, four rebounds and 10 assists, while Bobby Portis added 23 points including five three-pointers with 11 rebounds.

In Antetokounmpo's absence, Milwaukee turned to three-point shooting with regularity, but shot 14-of-39 from beyond the arc.

On Antetokounmpo's continued absence, Bucks head coach Mike Budenholzer said: "There's still just things he's working on, I think body-wise, to get to that point where; there's a big difference between practicing and playing a game.

"I know I've said it pretty much every day – we continue to be confident and feel like this is kind of the things we've managed and dealt with for most of his career. So we'll just continue to take it day-by-day. He's getting good work in, good lifts."

Celtics win but pick up injuries

The Boston Celtics won 106-104 over the Toronto Raptors but lost guard Marcus Smart and center Robert Williams to ankle and knee injuries respectively.

Jaylen Brown top scored with 27 points, eight rebounds and six assists for Boston, for whom Jayson Tatum sat out the game with a sore left wrist.

Grant Williams and Malcolm Brogdon played increased minutes, scoring 25 and 23 points respectively off the bench, while Pascal Siakam had 29 points and 10 rebounds for the Raptors.

Edwards stars as Rockets sink to new low

Former NBA Draft top overall pick Anthony Edwards scored a season-high 44 points to lead the Minnesota Timberwolves past the struggling Houston Rockets 113-104.

Edwards shot 17-of-29 from the field with eight three-pointers for the Wolves, who improved to a 24-24 record. Edwards also had six rebounds, four assists, three steals and three blocks, while D'Angelo Russell contributed 23 points.

The defeat condemned the Rockets to their 13th straight loss, which is the longest streak this season. Houston gave up 23 turnovers that led to 30 Wolves points.

The Los Angeles Lakers produced a late comeback to defeat the Memphis Grizzlies 122-121, denying the visitors what would have been a franchise-record 12th consecutive victory.

Memphis looked well on their way to breaking their record, jumping out to a 13-point lead late in the third quarter, but a 41-point final period from the Lakers turned the game on its head.

Los Angeles trailed by five points with under a minute on the clock, and after Dennis Schroder cut the margin to one with 19 seconds left, he then stole the ball and laid it in – with a foul – to put the Lakers in front for good.

Brandon Clarke had a chance to tie the game with two free throws in the final seconds, but after hitting the first, he missed the second. He was arguably the Grizzlies' best player, shooting a perfect seven-of-seven from the field for 20 points and 10 rebounds in his 22 minutes.

Russell Westbrook led all scorers with 29 points on 10-of-18 shooting, adding six assists and five rebounds, while LeBron James had 23 points (eight-of-21), nine rebounds, six assists, two steals and two blocks.

The win improves the Lakers' record to 21-25, leaving them 13th in the Western Conference, but only two games behind the Los Angeles Clippers (24-24) in the race for the six seed.

Kawhi back to his best for the Clippers

Two-time NBA Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard looked back to his All-NBA self as he scored a season-high 36 points in the Los Angeles Clippers' 131-126 road win against the San Antonio Spurs.

Leonard shot 13-of-18 from the field while adding seven assists and two steals, marking his sixth consecutive game with at least 24 points and a steal. 

During that stretch, his 30.0 points per game is the seventh-highest figure in the league, all while shooting 57.4 per cent from the field, 50 per cent from deep and 93.8 per cent from the free throw line.

He was supported well by fellow All-Star Paul George, who dished a season-high 12 assists to go with his 16 points.

Undermanned Warriors shoot the lights out

The Golden State Warriors came into their road fixture against the Cleveland Cavaliers without Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green and Andrew Wiggins – but still came away with a 120-114 victory.

In the absence of their top stars, the Warriors received a 32-point outburst from Jordan Poole on 10-of-23 shooting, while Ty Jerome posted season-highs in points (22) and assists (eight).

As a team, the Warriors shot 23-of-43 (53.5 per cent) from three-point range, opening a 20-point lead in the third quarter that was too much for the Cavaliers to overcome.

The Memphis Grizzlies' achieved a franchise record 11th straight win with Desmond Bane and Ja Morant starring in a thrilling 115-114 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday.

Darius Garland had a three-point shot on the buzzer blocked by Dillon Brooks, after Steven Adams tipped in with 16 seconds left after Morant's miss.

Bane top scored for the Grizzlies with 25 points, including five-of-eight three-point shooting. Morant added 24 points with eight assists for Memphis, who improved to 31-13, along with 20-3 at home.

Morant had spent time in the locker room in the first quarter after copping a knee to his neck, but re-entered the game in the second quarter.

Game-winner Adams scored 13 points with 10 rebounds and four assists, while Jaren Jackson Jr had an excellent all-round game with 15 points, seven rebounds, two steals and four blocks.

Memphis also managed an 11th consecutive game with 115 or more points.

The Cavs were missing Donovan Mitchell due to a groin strain, with Garland top scoring with 24 points on five-of-11 three-point shooting along with 14 assists.

Caris LeVert added 23 points with four rebounds and six assists, with power forward Evan Mobley scoring 18 points and bringing down 15 rebounds with two blocks. The Cavs are now 28-18.

Trae downs Doncic as Hawks win fourth straight

The Atlanta Hawks continued their run of momentum with their fourth straight win in a 130-122 victory over Luka Doncic's Dallas Mavericks.

Dejounte Murray scored 30 points, making four-of-six three-pointers, while John Collins added 19 along with 18 from Trae Young plus 12 assists, as the Hawks secured a season-best four-game winning streak to move above .500 at 23-22.

Doncic, who was traded as a top-five pick for Young at the 2018 NBA Draft, scored 30 points for the Mavs, but only 11 after quarter-time, while he gave up seven turnovers.

Jokic adds another franchise record in Nuggets win

Nikola Jokic recorded his 14th triple-double of the season as he surpassed Alex English for the most assists in franchise history in the Denver Nuggets' 122-118 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves.

The MVP candidate finished with 31 points, 11 rebounds and 13 assists, going past English's 3,680-assist franchise record with a dime for Kentavious Caldwell-Pope.

Jamal Murray added 28 points for the Nuggets, who secured their eighth straight win and 15th successive victory at home to remain top in the west, at 32-13.

The Memphis Grizzlies will get a chance to tie their longest winning streak in franchise history when they host the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday.

Monday's 30-point demolition of the Phoenix Suns extended the Grizzlies' streak to 10, and they are now one victory away from tying the 11-game streak from the 2014-15 campaign starring Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph, which was matched last season.

Over their last 10 fixtures, the Grizzlies have been a juggernaut on both ends of the court, scoring 119.9 points per 100 possessions to sit third in offensive rating, while also boasting the best defense in the NBA, allowing just 106.5.

Meanwhile, the team the Grizzlies overtook to snatch top spot in the defensive rankings was the Cavaliers, who still sit second for the season.

Another key indicator for the true contenders is net rating – which measures how much better a team's offensive rating is compared to their defense – and both of these sides have excelled through the first half of the season. The Grizzlies sit second overall with a net rating of 5.8, while the Cavaliers are third at 4.7.

Two very similar teams, both the Cavaliers and the Grizzlies utilise two defensive anchors in their starting line-up, leaning away from the more prevalent "small ball" roster constructions seen around the league.

For the Grizzlies, Steven Adams is arguably the strongest rebounder in the league while Jaren Jackson Jr leads the NBA in blocks per game at 3.3. On the Cavaliers' side, All-Star Jarrett Allen and defensive prodigy Evan Mobley roam the interior.

While these sides are almost identical defensively, the way they attack on offense, particularly through their star players, could decide their fate.

Grizzlies point guard Ja Morant is, without a doubt, one of the best guards in league history when it comes to finishing at the rim. He is averaging five makes per game within five feet of the basket – the only guard in the league to do so – while converting at a terrific 61 per cent clip.

The problem with that is how well both of these teams protect the basket, as it creates the question of what happens when an unstoppable force – Morant – meets an immovable object – the rim protection of Allen and Mobley.

On the other hand, the combination of Darius Garland and Donovan Mitchell for the Cavaliers are far more malleable with the way they create their offense.

Garland excels in 'floater range' from five-to-nine feet away from the hoop, sitting 15th in the league with 1.3 makes per game at an efficient 50 per cent, while Mitchell provides the long-range assault.

Mitchell is averaging 3.1 makes per game on deep threes (greater than 25 feet), which trails only the Golden State Warriors' Splash Brothers, Stephen Curry (3.8) and Klay Thompson (3.2).

It should be a mouthwatering clash between the league's best two defensive teams, who both have all their young stars healthy and ready to go as they look to strengthen their playoff positions.

PIVOTAL PERFORMERS 

Cleveland Cavaliers – Jarrett Allen

It is no secret that Morant is the driving force behind the Grizzlies' success, and for him to dominate games, he needs to control the paint.

Allen is the Cavaliers' primary rim protector and will be tasked with preventing Morant from producing more of his highlight-reel finishes, and if he can turn Morant into a jump-shooter for the night, Cleveland will consider that a massive win.

Memphis Grizzlies – Desmond Bane

Desmond Bane is the perfect counterbalance to Morant, providing the Grizzlies with a dynamic shooting threat who holds the defense's attention at all times.

Through three seasons, Bane owns a ridiculous career three-point percentage of 43.3. It is not just a strong number, it is the seventh-best career figure of all-time, and places him in the absolute top echelon of shooters in today's game.

If he can hit a couple early and force the Cavaliers' defense to divert some of their attention away from Morant, Bane could open up everything for the Grizzlies' offense.

KEY BATTLE – Can the Cavaliers figure out how to win on the road?

Heading into this contest, both the Grizzlies (19-3) and the Cavaliers (19-4) sit top-three in the NBA's best home records.

The Grizzlies will get the honour of hosting this time, leaving the Cavs as the underdogs as they try to figure out what is behind their disappointing 9-13 record away from home this campaign.

HEAD-TO-HEAD

This will be the first time this season these two teams meet, although the Grizzlies have won each of the past three matchups.

The Cavaliers defeated the Grizzlies once during Morant's rookie season in 2019, but the former Rookie of the Year has not lost to them since.

Donovan Mitchell was thankful for the "phenomenal" reception he received on his return to the Utah Jazz, though was left to rue Jordan Clarkson's form in a tight defeat.

Mitchell spent five seasons with the Jazz before he was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers last year.

Lauri Markkanen was part of that trade and had a double-double of 25 points and 16 rebounds against his former team as he became the second-fastest player in franchise history to reach 1,000 points. Likewise, Mitchell showed just why the Cavs signed him with a game-leading 46-point haul.

Mitchell has broken the 40-point mark in a career-high five games this season, but it was not enough to down his old employers, who triumphed 116-114 after Clarkson came to the fore, netting nine of his 32 points in the final quarter.

The Jazz paid tribute to three-time All-Star Mitchell before Tuesday's game by showing a highlights reel of his time in Utah, while the home crowd gave him an ovation.

"I was really comfortable," Mitchell told the media.

"It wasn't weird. It was just like playing as I have here for the last five years. The reception was phenomenal, and I'm appreciative of it."

Mitchell was handed a rest in the third quarter, though that was when Clarkson began to swing the momentum Utah's way.

"He had that look in his eye, and I was just like, damn, it's going to be one of those back-and-forth nights," Mitchell said.

Clarkson explained: "I was just being aggressive in those moments. Throughout the game, I saw what they were doing defensively and just started being aggressive in the fourth."

Walker Kessler was tasked with marking Mitchell and had nothing but praise for his former team-mate.

"He's an unbelievable guy, man," said 21-year-old Kessler, who joined the Jazz three months before Mitchell left.

"I mean, obviously, I haven't known him too long, but even [when we played] at Cleveland, he came up to me and was super, super encouraging.

"It was really cool to see the Utah fan base get so excited for him. Great player, great guy."

The Cavs have lost two of their last three games but are still well placed in the Eastern Conference with a 26-15 record, while the Jazz are just above the play-in line in the West.

Kevin Durant went down injured before Royce O'Neale scored the game-winning two-pointer with 3.2 seconds left as the Brooklyn Nets edged the Miami Heat 102-101 on Sunday.

Durant exited late in the third quarter with a right knee issue after Jimmy Butler fell on him, but the Nets did enough without him to improve to 27-13 overall and second spot in the Eastern Conference. Brooklyn have won 18 of their last 20 games.

Butler put the Heat ahead 101-100 with a dunk with 1:12 remaining, but O'Neale had the final say with a putback after Kyrie Irving had missed a 30-foot three-point attempt.

Irving top scored for Brooklyn with 28 points, including six-of-15 from three-point range with six assists, while Nic Claxton contributed strongly again with 13 points, 11 rebounds and three blocks.

Durant managed 17 points on five-of-11 shooting from the field with five rebounds in his 30 minutes on the court.

Butler top-scored for the Heat with 26 points, but shot nine-of-21 from the field with two turnovers, while Tyler Herro finished with 24 points before limping off late.

Bam Adebayo was also limited by a right-hand contusion, scoring 10 points with eight rebounds.

Harden records triple-double in 76ers win

James Harden recorded a triple-double and became the 27th NBA player with 24,000 career points as the Philadelphia 76ers beat the Detroit Pistons 123-111.

Harden finished with 20 points on seven-of-14 shooting, including three-of-five from beyond the arc, 11 rebounds and 11 assists.

Tyrese Maxey also came to the fore for the Joel Embiid-less 76ers, while Pistons guard Killian Hayes had a game-high 26 points, with four three-pointers.

Suns slump to sixth straight loss

The Cleveland Cavaliers consigned the short-handed Phoenix Suns to their sixth straight defeat with a 112-98 victory as Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland scored 22 points each.

Mitchell, who scored a season-high 71 points in last weeks' OT win over the Chicago Bulls, made seven-of-12 from the field, while Garland dished off seven assists in a fine display.

The Suns were missing their backcourt of Chris Paul and Devin Booker but were within one point at three-quarter time before fading.

Duane Washington top scored for Phoenix in 25 minutes off the bench with 25 points including five triples.

Zach Lavine torched the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday night to deliver a 126-112 road win for the Chicago Bulls.

Lavine finished two points off his season-high with 41 points on 14-of-19 shooting, and he made history with his marksmanship from long range.

He hit 11 of his 13 three-point attempts (84.6 per cent), joining Stephen Curry as the only players in NBA history to hit at least 11 three-pointers in a game at over 80 per cent efficiency.

Over his past five games, Lavine is averaging 27.6 points while shooting 54.8 per cent from the field, 55.3 per cent from deep and 96.2 per cent at the free throw line.

Against the 76ers, Lavine was supported well by third-year forward and former top-five draft pick Patrick Williams, who scored 18 points on seven-of-11 shooting with six rebounds. 

It is the latest impressive sign from Williams, who had his best game of the season on Wednesday with 22 points (six-of-eight shooting), seven rebounds and two steals in an upset win over the Brooklyn Nets.

The 76ers were without franchise centrepiece Joel Embiid, and James Harden put together a poor performance, finishing four-of-17 from the field for his 17 points and 11 assists.

Chicago have won seven of their past 10 to improve their record to 18-21 – two games behind the Eastern Conference's eight seed, currently occupied by the Miami Heat (20-19).

Lakers win fourth on the trot

LeBron James was at his playmaking best in the Los Angeles Lakers' 130-114 victory on the road against the Atlanta Hawks.

James had 17 points and 10 assists at three-quarter time, and after the Hawks cut the margin to 10 points early in the last period, James responded by scoring eight of the Lakers' next 10 points to put the game to bed.

He shot 10-of-19 for his 25 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds, while Russell Westbrook flirted with another triple-double off the bench, posting 18 points (seven-of-14), 11 rebounds and nine assists.

Nuggets take top spot in the West

The Denver Nuggets (26-13) are now alone atop the Western Conference standings after defeating the Cleveland Cavaliers 121-108.

It is the Nuggets' ninth win from their past 11 fixtures, and they were once again carried by reigning back-to-back MVP Nikola Jokic with 28 points (10-of-17 shooting), 15 rebounds and 10 assists.

Jokic averaged 29.2 points, 12.3 rebounds and 10.1 assists during the month of December as he continues to build a case to become the first MVP three-peat since Larry Bird from 1984-86.

Donovan Mitchell said he feels "humbled" after becoming the seventh player in NBA history to eclipse 70 points in a single game after dropping 71 in the Cleveland Cavaliers' win on Monday.

The Cavaliers beat the Chicago Bulls 145-134 in overtime, with Mitchell scoring a career-high and franchise record 71 points on 22-of-34 shooting, hitting seven-of-15 from long range and 20 of his 25 free throws.

In doing so, he beat his own personal best by 14 points after he scored 57 in a playoff loss with the Utah Jazz in 2020, and it was 25 points better than his previous regular season high of 46.

He also overtook the Cavaliers' franchise record, which was previously set at 57 by both Kyrie Irving in 2015 and LeBron James in 2017.

Mitchell added 11 assists and eight rebounds to his stat line, meaning he scored or assisted on 99 of his side's 145 points – the second-most ever, trailing only the legendary 100-point game from Wilt Chamberlain back in 1962 when he was responsible for 104 points.

Adding to his heroics, he single-handedly forced overtime when he intentionally missed a free throw with three seconds remaining in regulation, before getting his own rebound and putting it back in to tie the contest.

Mitchell went on to outscore the Bulls 13-4 by himself in the extra period, putting the finishing touches on his unforgettable night.

Speaking after the game, Mitchell said he has never scored that many points at any level, except for in video games.

"Never  – except [NBA] 2K, in 2K for sure," he said. "When I first got into the league I played as the Jazz and was shooting it every time.

"I don't think I did it this efficiently in 2K, but no I never have [scored 71 at any level]. The closest I think I got was in the bubble with 57 – but that was in a loss, so this feels a lot better."

When asked how it feels to join Chamberlain, Kobe Bryant, Elgin Baylor, David Robinson, David Thompson and Devin Booker as the only players to reach the 70-point mark, Mitchell was initially lost for words.

"It's humbling," he said. "I'm speechless, to be honest with you. 

"For me, not only did I do that, but I did it in an effort when we came back and won – and it was how we won. That's really what, for me, was like 'man, this is nuts'. 

"I'm extremely blessed, I'm humbled that I'm in that company, in that group. I've always believed I can be one of the best players in this league, but I've got to keep working. 

"This is a big milestone, but at the end of the day those guys have all won at the highest level, and that's my ultimate goal, but to be there in the record books with them is truly incredible."

Team-mate Kevin Love was in Cleveland for their tremendous run of four consecutive trips to the NBA Finals with James and Irving, but he declared this as the best performance he has ever witnessed in person.

"In my 15 years, that's the best performance I've ever seen, ever been a part of," he said. 

"I've seen some special ones, I was talking about Kyrie here against Portland when he had 55, LeBron in Game 1 of the 2018 Finals, 57 for Kyrie in San Antonio – but this one takes the cake."

Head coach J.B. Bickerstaff echoed that admiration for Mitchell's display.

"We were treated tonight to one of the greatest performances in the history of the game," he said. "Every single play that he made was a play that was necessary.

"Donovan has never put himself above the team, so how can you not root for a guy like that? I told everyone else to get out of the way."

The win improves the Cavaliers' record to 24-14 to occupy the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference, while they boast the fourth-best home record in the league at 17-4.

Donovan Mitchell shattered the Cleveland Cavaliers' franchise record with 71 points in his side's 145-134 home victory against the Chicago Bulls on Monday.

The Cavaliers' previous record for most points in one game belongs to Kyrie Irving and LeBron James, who both had a 57-point game in a Cleveland uniform in 2015 and 2017 respectively.

Mitchell also came through in a pivotal moment late in the fourth quarter to force overtime after being fouled with three seconds remaining, trailing by three. He made the first free throw, before missing the second and getting his own offensive rebound and putting it back in to tie the game.

He went on to outscore the Bulls 13-4 by himself in the extra period, finishing 22-of-34 from the field, seven-of-15 from deep and 20-of-25 from the free throw line while adding 11 assists and eight rebounds.

Mitchell blew his own career-highs out of the water, having never previously scored more than 46 points in a regular season game, although he had games of 57 and 51 in the Utah Jazz's 2020 playoff series against the Denver Nuggets.

He scored or assisted on 99 of the Cavaliers' 145 points – the second most all-time, trailing only Wilt Chamberlain's 100-point performance in 1962 where he contributed to 104 points.

Mitchell joins Chamberlain, Kobe Bryant, Elgin Baylor, David Robinson, David Thompson and Devin Booker as the only players to reach the 70-point figure.

It overshadowed a terrific performance from Chicago's DeMar DeRozan, who scored a team-high 44 points on 16-of-32 shooting with four assists and four steals.

LeBron carries the Lakers in vintage display

Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James willed his side to a 121-115 road win against the Charlotte Hornets with his second consecutive 40-point game.

After putting up a season-high 47 points his last time out against the Atlanta Hawks on Friday, James almost matched it against Charlotte, scoring a game-high 43 points on 16-of-26 shooting with 11 rebounds and six assists.

He was the only Lakers player to score more than 18 points, as Thomas Bryant played strong supporting role with 18 points (nine-of-17 shooting) and 15 rebounds.

The Lakers have now won three of their past four to improve to 16-21 – four games behind the Sacramento Kings (19-16) in the Western Conference's sixth seed.

Nets make it 12 in a row

The Brooklyn Nets own this season's longest winning streak after rattling off their 12th in a row with a 139-103 drubbing of the San Antonio Spurs.

Brooklyn's two offensive centrepieces were both at the top of their game. Kevin Durant scored 25 points on wildly efficient 10-of-14 shooting with 11 assists, while Kyrie Irving scored his game-high 27 points on 11-of-14 shooting.

The highlight of the game came when Irving crashed the offensive rebounds on a Yuta Watanabe miss, rising up for a surprising put-back dunk that sent the Barclays Center crowd into raptures.

Brooklyn are now 25-12 after beginning the season 1-5, and trail the Boston Celtics (26-11) by one game in the race for the league's best record.

Donovan Mitchell shattered the Cleveland Cavaliers' franchise record with 71 points in his side's 145-134 home victory against the Chicago Bulls on Monday.

The Cavaliers' previous record for most points in one game belongs to Kyrie Irving and LeBron James, who both had a 57-point game in a Cleveland uniform in 2015 and 2017 respectively.

Mitchell also came through in a pivotal moment late in the fourth quarter to force overtime after being fouled with three seconds remaining, trailing by three. He made the first free throw, before missing the second and getting his own offensive rebound and putting it back in to tie the game.

He went on to outscore the Bulls 13-4 by himself in the extra period, finishing 22-of-34 from the field, seven-of-15 from deep and 20-of-25 from the free throw line while adding 11 assists and eight rebounds.

Mitchell blew his own career-highs out of the water, having never previously scored more than 46 points in a regular season game, although he had games of 57 and 51 in the Utah Jazz's 2020 playoff series against the Denver Nuggets.

He scored or assisted on 99 of the Cavaliers' 145 points – the second most all-time, trailing only Wilt Chamberlain's 100-point performance in 1962 where he contributed to 104 points.

Mitchell joins Chamberlain, Kobe Bryant, Elgin Baylor, David Robinson, David Thompson and Devin Booker as the only players to reach the 70-point figure.

It overshadowed a terrific performance from Chicago's DeMar DeRozan, who scored a team-high 44 points on 16-of-32 shooting with four assists and four steals.

LeBron carries the Lakers in vintage display

Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James willed his side to a 121-115 road win against the Charlotte Hornets with his second consecutive 40-point game.

After putting up a season-high 47 points his last time out against the Atlanta Hawks on Friday, James almost matched it against Charlotte, scoring a game-high 43 points on 16-of-26 shooting with 11 rebounds and six assists.

He was the only Lakers player to score more than 18 points, as Thomas Bryant played strong supporting role with 18 points (nine-of-17 shooting) and 15 rebounds.

The Lakers have now won three of their past four to improve to 16-21 – four games behind the Sacramento Kings (19-16) in the Western Conference's sixth seed.

Nets make it 12 in a row

The Brooklyn Nets own this season's longest winning streak after rattling off their 12th in a row with a 139-103 drubbing of the San Antonio Spurs.

Brooklyn's two offensive centrepieces were both at the top of their game. Kevin Durant scored 25 points on wildly efficient 10-of-14 shooting with 11 assists, while Kyrie Irving scored his game-high 27 points on 11-of-14 shooting.

The highlight of the game came when Irving crashed the offensive rebounds on a Yuta Watanabe miss, rising up for a surprising put-back dunk that sent the Barclays Center crowd into raptures.

Brooklyn are now 25-12 after beginning the season 1-5, and trail the Boston Celtics (26-11) by one game in the race for the league's best record.

Luka Doncic maintained his dynamite form with another triple-double as the Dallas Mavericks improved to 20-16 with a 129-114 victory over the Houston Rockets on Thursday.

Doncic, who scored a franchise-best and season-high 60 points two nights earlier, recorded his eighth triple double of the season, finishing with 35 points, 12 rebounds and 13 assists.

The Slovenian guard led the Mavs to their fifth straight win, notching up a second straight triple-double for the second time this season. Doncic's collective 95 points across the past two games is an NBA-record in consecutive triple-doubles.

Doncic shot 11-of-21 from the field, including four-of-nine from beyond the arc, making nine-of-12 free-throws.

Ex-Rockets forward Christian Wood offered good support with 21 points, including five-of-eight three-pointers, six rebounds and four blocks, along with Dwight Powell, who added a season-high 19 points with six rebounds and two blocks off the bench.

The Rockets, who are 10-25 and have lost seven of their past eight games, had few answers as they fell behind 65-51 at half-time with a Doncic 35-foot buzzer beater, with Jalen Green top scoring with 23 points.

Celtics avenge Clippers' blowout

The Boston Celtics avenged their heavy loss to the Los Angeles Clippers three weeks ago with a 116-110 victory led by 29 points each from Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.

The NBA-best Celtics (26-10) had suffered their worst loss of the season at the hands of the Clippers earlier this month, losing 113-93, starting off a run where they lost five of six games.

Tatum had 11 rebounds to go with his 29 points, shooting 10-of-26 from the field, while Kawhi Leonard scored 26 points with eight rebounds for the Clippers.

Hield makes history in Pacers' win

Buddy Hield made history with the fastest three-pointer recorded since play-by-play began in 1996-97 as the Indiana Pacers downed the Cleveland Cavaliers 135-126.

Hield, who leads the league in three-pointers made this season, swished a shot just three seconds into the game. The Pacers made 19-of-31 from beyond the arc for the game, rallying from a seven-point fourth-quarter deficit.

Tyrese Haliburton top scored with 29 points, including six-of-eight three-point shooting, while Hield made six triples in his 25 points. Donovan Mitchell had 28 points and six assists for the Cavs.

Brooklyn Nets coach Jacque Vaughn feels his side's focus on court matters alone is key to their form, after Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving set up a ninth win in a row.

The pair posted 32 points each in a remarkable double act to ensuring a 125-117 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Monday, which gave the Nets their longest winning streak since 2006.

It marks a sharp contrast from the early season blues the Nets suffered from, with Irving banned for a post that supported anti-semitism and prior head coach Steve Nash dismissed amid poor form.

Vaughn credits the turnaround to keeping his players tightly trained on their performances rather than matters away from the court, indicating that discipline has been the secret of the success.

"I am a simple person," he said. "[I] really try to keep things simple. We stripped our playbook down a little bit, we are simple in what we do.

"[We] have our guys play extremely free of mind. I think there's something important in that if you're going to ask your guys to play hard."

Durant concurred with his coach's assessment, noting the Nets feel like they are in a better headspace under Vaughn's command, while suggesting outside forces were played up in the media.

"To be honest, I think we've always been about ball," he added. "Everybody has a platform, so there are many voices speaking [about] what we do inside our locker room

"I think that's the noise that you hear. But from us, we've always been about the game. We struggled early on, we were always focused on playing basketball."