Mitchell leads Cavs to victory over Pacers, Thunder beats 76ers

The Cleveland Cavaliers, led by Donovan Mitchell’s 35 points, defeated the Indiana Pacers 127-117 on Tuesday, bouncing back from a Sunday loss and improving their NBA-best record to 34-5.

Three days after the Pacers snapped the Cavs' 12-game winning streak and handed them their second home loss of the season, Cleveland traveled to Indianapolis and ended the Pacers' six-game winning streak.

Mitchell set the tone early, scoring 19 points in the first quarter.

Indiana briefly snatched a two-point lead early in the second quarter and trailed by just one at halftime but the Cavaliers outscored the Pacers 38-28 in the third to take control.

Pascal Siakam led the Pacers with 23 points. Bennedict Mathurin added 19 before he was removed late in the fourth quarter after receiving his second technical foul for bumping into an official as he disputed a call.

He received his first technical for hanging on the rim after a stunning dunk in the second quarter.

Seven Pacers players scored double digits but with star-player Tyrese Haliburton sidelined by a groin injury, it wasn't enough.

Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson said it was the response he was looking for after Sunday's defeat.

"It was a playoff-type response," Atkinson said. "You get knocked in the teeth, punched in the mouth, and we responded.

"Really, Donovan set the tone. It was one of those nights where he wasn't going to let us lose."

Cleveland's Evan Mobley scored 13 of his 22 points in the pivotal third quarter, while Darius Garland added 24 for the Cavs, who will face the Thunder in Oklahoma City on Thursday in a matchup between the two teams with the best records in the league.

Western Conference leaders Oklahoma City pushed their record to 33-6 with a 118-102 victory over the injury-depleted 76ers in Philadelphia.

Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who had a rough night shooting in Sunday's win over the lowly Washington Wizards, made all eight of his shot attempts in the first half and finished with 12-of-15 from the floor on the way to 32 points.

Gilgeous-Alexander made seven of his eight free-throw attempts, grabbed three rebounds and handed out nine assists as the Thunder cruised past the Sixers who were missing not only injured center Joel Embiid but also Paul George and Tyrese Maxey.

"I just tried to be aggressive, tried to set the tone," Gilgeous-Alexander said after Oklahoma City notched their 18th win in their last 19 regular-season games.

Embiid, who has played in just 13 games this season, was benched due to a sprain. Maxey is out with a hand injury and George is out with an injured right ankle.

Denver Nuggets beat Mavs

Jamal Murray and Nikola Jokic led the Denver Nuggets to a 118-99 victory over the short-handed Mavericks in Dallas.

Murray scored 45 points and NBA Most Valuable Player Jokic finished with a triple-double of 10 points, 14 rebounds and 10 assists for the Nuggets, who beat the Mavs for the second time in three days.

On Sunday Denver won after trailing by 19 points in the third quarter. However, Murray scored 19 points in the first quarter, giving Denver control early on and leading then to a fourth straight win.

Daniel Gafford led the Mavericks with 13 points right off the bench and Kyrie Irving scored 11 after returning from a back sprain that benched him for five games.

The Mavs, who were without star player Luka Doncic, missed Dereck Lively II who left early in the first quarter with a sprained right ankle.

Milwaukee star Giannis Antetokounmpo delivered a 33-point triple double, adding 11 rebounds and 13 assists as the Bucks ended the Sacramento Kings' seven-game winning streak with a 130-115 victory.

The Bucks, coming off a lopsided loss to the Knicks, scored 47 points in the first quarter and never trailed, leading by as many as 28 points.

In Atlanta, Trae Young scored 43 points to propel the Hawks to a 122-117 victory over the Phoenix Suns.