By ASSOCIATED PRESS
DETROIT (AP) — Jalen Duren had 31 points and nine rebounds as the Detroit Pistons defeated the Toronto Raptors, 127-116, to clinch the Central Division title on Tuesday night, March 31.
Duren is averaging 23.4 points and 10.5 rebounds in seven games since Cade Cunningham sustained a lung injury on March 17 in a 130-117 win over Washington. The Pistons are 6-2 without their star, including a 114-110 overtime loss in Oklahoma City on Monday – a game Duren sat out.
Daniss Jenkins scored 21 for the Pistons, who have won seven of nine, and Duncan Robinson added 19 points. Detroit won its first division title since 2007-08.
RJ Barrett had 24 points for Toronto, who had won six of nine, including a 119-108 home win over the Pistons on March 15. Brandon Ingram added 22 points.
Toronto missed its first 10 shots, but was able to get back into the game with defense and rebounding. The Raptors turned 13 Detroit turnovers into 23 points and pulled down nine offensive rebounds.
On one possession late in the first quarter, Collin Murray-Boyles pulled down five straight offensive rebounds before RJ Barrett hit a 3-pointer on the sixth shot.
Detroit needed a buzzer-beating 3-pointer from Jenkins to lead 59-54 at the half. The Pistons opened the third quarter with a 27-12 run to go ahead 86-66 and led 100-81 going into the fourth.
Duren had 10 of Detroit’s 41 points in the quarter, with Jenkins and Robinson each scoring eight. The Pistons shot 70% (14 of 20).
Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff rested his starters for most of the fourth quarter.
Meanwhile, Luka Doncic scored 42 points with 12 assists, Deandre Ayton added 18 points with nine rebounds, and the Los Angeles Lakers extended their winning streak to four games with a 127-113 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Austin Reaves scored 19 points, while LeBron James, Jake LaRavia and Rui Hachimura each had 14 as the Lakers won shortly after they clinched the Pacific Division title and a top-six spot in the Western Conference playoffs when the Phoenix Suns lost at Orlando earlier Tuesday.
Doncic was 13 of 26 from the floor and had his 16th game of at least 40 points this season after he missed Monday’s victory over the Washington Wizards because of technical foul accumulation. James was a game-time decision with continued left foot soreness.
Jarrett Allen scored 18 points and James Harden added 17 in his first game in his hometown since he was traded by the Los Angeles Clippers on Feb. 4. Cleveland’s Donovan Mitchell was held to 10 points on 4-of-10 shooting.
Thomas Bryant scored 14 points for the Cavaliers, who have already clinched a playoff spot. Cleveland lost for the second time in eight games since March 17 and dropped to 1-1 on a three-game road trip against Western Conference teams.
The Cavaliers led by seven late in the first quarter before the Lakers took charge to lead by as many as 15 in the second and went up 65-53 at halftime by shooting 53.2% from the floor.
Los Angeles led 86-66 midway through the third quarter and entered the fourth with a commanding 110-83 advantage.
The Lakers shot 54.2% from the floor in the game, while the Cavaliers shot 49.4%.
Los Angeles has now won 50 games in consecutive seasons for the first time since four consecutive from 2007-11.
