Brooklyn Nets had won four in a row before losing back-to-back meetings with the Cavaliers
Collin Sexton starred again as the Cleveland Cavaliers beat the Brooklyn Nets for the second time in three days.
Kyrie Irving scored 38 points and James Harden added 19 in reply for the Nets.
The final member of their ‘Big Three’, Kevin Durant, was rested as he edges his way back to full fitness after Achilles tendon surgery.
Cleveland are fifth in the Eastern Conference with eight wins and seven defeats and the Nets are two places below them.
Centre Joel Embiid scored 38 points as the Philadelphia 76ers beat the Boston Celtics for the second game in a row. Tobias Harris scored 23 points for the Eastern Conference leaders and Seth Curry added 15 on his return to the side after missing the last seven games following a positive test for Covid-19.
The Los Angeles Clippers secured a sixth straight victory by beating the Oklahoma City Thunder 120-106. Kawhi Leonard scored 31 points and Paul George added 29 as the Clippers improved to 12-4, trying with the Los Angeles Lakers for the NBA’s best record.
Elsewhere, Trae Young scored a season-high 43 points as the Atlanta Hawks beat the Minnesota Timberwolves in Minneapolis 116-98 for a third straight victory. Clint Capela recorded his first career triple-double with 13 points, 19 rebounds and a career-high 10 blocked shots.
A triple-double is achieved when a player records a double-digit total in three of the following categories: points, total rebounds, assists, steals and blocks. Capela is the first NBA player to have a triple-double with blocks in three years.
The Chicago Bulls secured their first three-game winning streak of the season by beating the Charlotte Hornets 123-110. Zach LaVine scored 25 points and Lauri Markkanen added 23 for the Bulls. Gordon Hayward scored 34 points in reply for the Hornets, who lost for the fourth game in a row.
Nikola Jokic had 31 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists as the Denver Nuggets beat the Phoenix Suns 130-126 in overtime for their fifth win in seven games. Mikal Bridges replied with 24 points for the Suns, who lost for the third time in four games.
Malcolm Brogdon scored a three-pointer with 3.6 seconds remaining in overtime to give the Indiana Pacers a 120-118 win over the Orlando Magic, while Norman Powell scored a game-high 23 points, 14 of which came in the first quarter, as the Toronto Raptors beat Miami Heat 101-81.
Houston Rockets ended a three-game losing streak with a 103-102 win against Detroit Pistons. Eric Gordon top-scored with 20 points, one of seven Houston players in double figures.
De’Aaron Fox scored 22 points as a late flourish from Sacramento Kings saw them edge New York Knicks 103-94 and secure a first win in five games, while Luka Doncic scored 36 points, 11 assists and grabbed nine rebounds as Dallas Mavericks beat San Antonio Spurs 122-117.
