CLEVELAND — Kevin Love scored 20 points and grabbed 10 rebounds against his former club Tuesday as Cleveland ripped Minnesota 125-104, but an injury to Anderson Varejao dimmed any celebrations. The 32-year-old Brazilian big man suffered a left foot and ankle injury with 7:24 remaining in the third quarter. He had to be helped off the court after collapsing under the basket. Losing Varejao would be a major setback for the Cavaliers, who improved to 17-10 with their 12th win in 15 games. The team has started to come together after adding four-time NBA Most Valuable Player LeBron James and Love in a trade with Minnesota to a lineup that includes Australian guard Kyrie Irving. Irving scored 29 points and James added 24 for Cleveland while Love dominated in his first meeting with the Timberwolves, the team where he spent his first six NBA seasons before joining the Cavaliers this year. Love suffered a thumb injury in the third quarter but had it taped and returned to the lineup later in the period. The trade for Love netted Minnesota the top players picked in the past two NBA Drafts, Andrew Wiggins and Anthony Bennett. Wiggins scored 27 to pace Minnesota while Bennett did not manage a point. Senegalese center Gorgui Dieng added a season-high 20 points and 11 rebounds for the Timberwolves, who lost their sixth game in a row and 12th in 13 starts in falling to 5-22 on the season. Continuing the theme of facing former teammates, Cleveland will next face Miami Thursday, the first chance for James to play a regular-season game at Miami against his former club, including Heat stars Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. Lakers 115, Warriors 105: One of the worst in the Western Conference beat the NBA team with the best record as the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Golden State Warriors, despite playing without guard and leading scorer Kobe Bryant. The Lakers, who trail only the Minnesota Timberwolves for mediocrity in the West, snapped a three-game losing streak and defeated the Warriors for the first time in five meetings. Bryant missed the game due to fatigue, but the Lakers did not miss a beat without him, building a double-digit lead in the first quarter and keeping Golden State at bay. Bulls 99, Wizards 91: Guard Derrick Rose scored eight of his game-high 25 points over the final 3-1/2 minutes for a victorious Chicago. Forward Pau Gasol had 18 points for the Bulls, who earned their fourth consecutive victory and won for the seventh time in eight games. Magic 100, Celtics 95: Tobias Harris scored 19 points to help Orlando snap a four-game losing streak. Forward Kyle O'Quinn had 18 points and 13 rebounds, and center Nikola Vucevic had 18 points and 12 rebounds for Orlando. The Celtics were led by center Tyler Zeller, with 22 points and 10 rebounds, and guard Avery Bradley, who scored 20 points. Suns 124, Mavericks 115: Guard Goran Dragic had 12 of his 25 points in the second quarter as Phoenix pulled away in the second half to win their fourth straight game, beating Dallas. Pacers 96, Pelicans 84: Guard George Hill, who missed the season's first 28 games with a knee injury, returned to lead Indiana to victory over New Orleans. Nets 102, Nuggets 96: Forward Joe Johnson scored 27 points as Brooklyn beat Denver. 76ers 91, Heat 87: Philadelphia, owners of the worst record in the NBA, rallied from a 23-point, third-quarter deficit to defeat Miami. Hawks 107, Clippers 104: Forward DeMarre Carroll scored 17 of his career-high 25 points in the second half to lead Atlanta to its fifth straight win. Hornets 108, Bucks 101: Point guard Kemba Walker scored 27 points and shooting guard Gerald Henderson added 20 as Charlotte extended its winning streak to a season-high four games with a 108-101 victory over Milwaukee. Trail Blazers 115, Thunder 111 (OT): Damian Lillard scored 40 points, including a game-tying three-pointer near the end of regulation, to lead the Portland Trail Blazers to an overtime victory over Oklahoma City. The win pushed the Blazers to 23-7 on the season. The Thunder, who let a 13-point lead with five minutes left in regulation slip away, dropped to 13-16 with their third straight defeat. — Agencies
