CLEVELAND — With 20,000 fans roaring, Kobe Bryant and LeBron James hugged and seemed to be in a world of their own.
One on one.
“It was just a lot of mutual respect,” James said of the embrace. “Sometimes what is known doesn’t need to be said.”
The two superstars shared the same floor in Cleveland for the final time Wednesday night as the Cavaliers, despite playing the second half without Kevin Love, downed the Los Angeles Lakers 120-111 in their last game before the All-Star break.
Kyrie Irving scored a season-high 35 points and James added 29 for the Cavs, who feared Love had re-injured his surgically repaired left shoulder in the first half. However, following the game Love said he only has a “stinger” and doesn’t expect to miss any time.
Bryant finished with 17 points in his last performance in Cleveland, where many fans cheered his every move and fans serenaded him with “Ko-be” chants throughout the night.
For James, there has been no player of his era quite like Bryant. “His competitive nature,” James said when asked what he admires most about Bryant. “A lot of guys might be bigger, taller or jump higher, but it’s something that’s in you that gets you to that level.”
Lou Williams scored 28 to lead the Lakers, who have dropped 13 of 15. The Cavs caught a major scare late in the second quarter when Love quickly left the floor after getting his arm caught under Bryant’s while working in the post.
“At the time I really didn’t know what it was,” Love said. “It’s like when you get hit in the funny bone in your elbow, it’s just shooting pain. It felt like fire was running down my arm. It’s just a stinger.”
It’s the same shoulder Love had dislocated in the first round of last season’s playoffs when Boston center Kelly Olynyk yanked it from the socket while battling for a loose ball. Losing Love disrupted the Cavs’ title chase and for a moment Wednesday night, it appeared Cleveland would be without him again.
Warriors 112, Suns 104
Golden State guard Stephen Curry scored 26 points and Klay Thompson had 24 when the Warriors’ extended the best start on NBA history with a victory over the Phoenix Suns at the Talking Stick Resort Arena on Wednesday.
The defending NBA champion Warriors will enter the All-Star break at 48-4, one game better than the previous best 52-game start in league history. They have won their last 11.
Curry made 5-of-10 3-point attempts and has made a 3-pointer in 123 consecutive regular-season games, four short of Atlanta guard Kyle Korver’s NBA record.
Thompson also made five 3-pointers when the Warriors went 13-of-37 from 3-point range.
Celtics 139, Clippers 134 (OT)
Boston blew a 13-point, third-quarter lead but then rallied from behind, forced overtime and defeated Los Angeles in a wild one.
Boston guard Evan Turner scored seven consecutive overtime points for his team as the Celtics, who trailed by six with 3:18 in regulation and again by six when J.J. Redick opened OT with six straight points, came back again.
They stormed to their eighth straight home win and their 10th in their past 12 games overall as both teams hit the All-Star break.
The loss, Clippers coach Doc Rivers’ first in five games against his old team, kept Los Angeles from completing a sweep of its four-game road. It also spoiled the latest TD Garden return of Celtics great Paul Pierce, the forward scoring just six points.
Other results: Spurs 98, Magic 96; Timberwolves 117, Raptors 112; Hawks 113, Bulls 90; Pelicans 100, Jazz 96; Hornets 117, Pacers 95; Kings 114, 76ers 110; Grizzlies 109, Nets 90; Nuggets 103, Pistons 92; Trail Blazers 116, Rockets 103.
