NBA Capsules
CLEVELAND (AP) — Kyrie Irving dropped a fadeaway jumper over Klay Thompson with 3.4 seconds left as the Cleveland Cavaliers came back to beat Golden State just as they did last June in the NBA Finals, 109-108 on Sunday.
The Cavs trailed 94-80 early in the fourth quarter before rallying before a rowdy Christmas crowd. Irving made the biggest basket, as was the case in the Finals when he hit a late 3-pointer in Game 7.
Golden State had one last chance but Kevin Durant was tripped coming off a screen and couldn't get off a shot as time expired.
LeBron James had 31 points, and Irving added 25 for the Cavs. They were down 3-1 in the Finals before winning three straight and the championship — the first for a Cleveland team since 1964.
Durant had 36 points in his first appearance in the league's hottest rivalry.
CELTICS 119, KNICKS 114
NEW YORK (AP) — Isaiah Thomas scored 27 points and Marcus Smart made a tiebreaking 3-pointer with 47 seconds left after Boston blew a late lead but held on to beat New York.
The Knicks wiped out a late nine-point deficit with an out-of-nowhere 11-2 run in a little more than a minute, but Smart answered with his shot and Avery Bradley and Al Horford also made big defensive plays.
Jae Crowder and Kelly Olynyk each had 16 points to help the Celtics win for the fifth time in six games. Carmelo Anthony scored 29 points and Derrick Rose had 25 for the Knicks. They fell to 22-29 in their NBA-record 51 Christmas appearances.
