nba roundup | Saturday’s games

Pistons 129, Cavaliers 93

CLEVELAND

Luke Kennard scored 26 points, Reggie Jackson added 24 and the Detroit Pistons took it to a depleted Cleveland team from the opening tip, building a 33-point lead in the first half and rolling to a win over the Cavaliers. After coach Dwane Casey said he wanted his group to play “as a desperate team,” Detroit came out flying. The Pistons, who are fighting for a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, scored 42 in the first quarter while taking a 71-38 halftime lead. The score could have been more lopsided, but the officials convened at halftime and took away a basket by Detroit. It may have been Cleveland’s best defensive stop of the night. Andre Drummond had 13 points and 10 rebounds and got some extra rest for the Pistons, who play at Toronto on Sunday. Rookie Collin Sexton scored 14 for the Cavs. Cleveland played without star forward Kevin Love, who was rested while he continues to build up strength following foot surgery. Love isn’t ready to play in consecutive games, and with the Cavs hosting Orlando on Sunday, the team sat him. Even Love wouldn’t have helped much. His absence, along with big men Tristan Thompson (foot) and Ante Zizic (concussion) both being out, left Cleveland vulnerable inside and Detroit took advantage. The Pistons did whatever they pleased on offense, getting easy looks in the lane and behind the arc. Jackson scored 12 points in the first quarter on 5-of-5 shooting, making a pair of 3-pointers as the Pistons began pulling away.

Heat 117, Nets 88

MIAMI

Kelly Olynyk scored 25 points, Derrick Jones Jr. added 18 off the bench and the Miami Heat never trailed on the way to easily topping the Brooklyn Nets. Rodney McGruder scored 17, Justise Winslow added 13 points and Josh Richardson added 12 for the Heat. Bam Adebayo grabbed 16 rebounds for Miami — giving him three more than the entire Brooklyn starting lineup had combined. The Heat were without Goran Dragic (left calf strain) and Hassan Whiteside (left hip strain). Joe Harris scored 15 and Rodions Kurucs scored 11 for Brooklyn, which has dropped 10 of its last 15 games. D’Angelo Russell and Spencer Dinwiddie each scored 10 for the Nets. The 29-point margin was Miami’s largest win of the season, and Brooklyn’s largest loss. Brooklyn remained No. 6 in the Eastern Conference race, percentage points ahead of No. 7 Detroit. Miami remained No. 10 in the East, a game behind No. 8 Orlando and No. 9 Charlotte. It’s the first time Miami has won back-to-back home games since Jan. 10 and 12. The Heat haven’t had a three-game home winning streak this season.

Magic 117, Pacers 112

INDIANAPOLIS

Nikola Vucevic scored 27 points, Terrence Ross added 23 and the surging Orlando Magic continued their push for a playoff berth with a win over the Indiana Pacers. Evan Fournier finished with 19 points, eight assists and five rebounds for Orlando, which shot 51 percent from the field. The Magic are 10-3 in their last 13 games and improved to 30-34, a half-game ahead of Charlotte for eighth place in the Eastern Conference. Orlando last qualified for the playoffs in 2012. Bojan Bogadnovic scored 25 points and Darren Collison finished with 23 points and 10 assists for the Pacers, who shot 55 percent. After Indiana closed within 114-112 with 29.7 seconds left, Orlando worked the shot clock down before Fournier hit a game-sealing 3-pointer from the right wing with 8.4 seconds left. The Pacers pulled within four points when Collison hit a 3-pointer with 35 seconds left. It was Orlando’s first win at Bankers Life Fieldhouse since March 31, 2016.

Associated Press