Bulls hand Cavs 3rd loss in row

Butler chops down LeBron, defending champs

CHICAGO – Chicago beat slumping Cleveland 111-105 on Friday to narrow the gap between the Central Division heavyweights to two games, with Jimmy Butler leading the way with 26 points.

It was the third straight defeat for the reigning league champions after having started the season an impressive 13-2.

Toronto also holds a two game lead in the Atlantic Division after routing the Los Angeles Lakers in their largest win of the season.

In the Western Conference, the Los Angeles Clippers won comfortably at New Orleans, while San Antonio re-established its three-game break in the Southwest by recovering from a slow start and narrowly beating Washington.

Chicago’s Dwyane Wade had 24 points for the Bulls, who dominated Cleveland 78-60 in the key, and won despite sinking only three of 18 3-point attempts.

The Bulls used a strong third quarter to turn a one-point halftime deficit into an 88-80 lead. And they withstood several pushes in the fourth to knock off the defending NBA champions.

LeBron James, who turned up in a Chicago Cubs jersey after losing a bet with Wade on the outcome of baseball’s World Series, scored 27 points for the Cavaliers.

Toronto made it five straight wins by cruising past the Lakers 113-80.

Kyle Lowry had 24 points, going 6 of 9 on 3-point attempts as the Raptors beat the Lakers for the fourth straight time and set a new season high for winning margin, bettering the 27-point win against Philadelphia five weeks earlier.

DeMar DeRozan and Norman Powell both added 16 points for Toronto.

Brandon Ingram had 17 points for the Lakers.

Los Angeles’ Blake Griffin had 27 points and 10 rebounds to lead the Clippers to a 114-96 win at New Orleans.

Chris Paul had 17 points and 13 assists for the Clippers, who backed up their win at Cleveland on Thursday and moved within one win of Pacific Division leader Golden State.

Anthony Davis hurt his right shoulder but played through it, scoring 21 points for New Orleans.

San Antonio’s Kawhi Leonard sank the winning basket with six seconds left as the Spurs escaped from early trouble and beat Washington 107-105.

Leonard had 23 points and LaMarcus Aldridge added 19 for the Spurs, who have won their past 17 home games against the Wizards.

Bradley Beal was 5 for 5 on 3-pointers in scoring 23 points for the Wizards. His final 3 gave Washington a 103-102 lead with 53 seconds remaining. Danny Green’s 3-pointer put San Antonio ahead 105-103 with 19 seconds to go.

John Wall tied it with 11.2 seconds left on a driving layup before Leonard rose for a 20-foot jumper at the top of the key. Otto Porter Jr. missed a 9-foot runner off a Washington inbounds play that would have tied the game.

Detroit tied a team record with 17 3-pointers in routing Atlanta 121-85.

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope scored 23 points and Tobias Harris added 18 for the Pistons, who had seven players score in double figures and made it five wins from six.

The Hawks, losers in eight of their past nine games, were 9-2 and tied for the Eastern Conference lead after beating Milwaukee on Nov. 16. Now they are one-half game behind eighth-place Detroit and headed to play Toronto, the East’s second-best team, on Saturday.

Dennis Schroder had 17 points and 13 assists for Atlanta, who were riding high early in the season but have lost eight of the past nine.

Houston led from start to finish in winning 128-110 at Denver, completing a good road double after their victory at Golden State the previous day.

Boston needed a 10-0 surge in the fourth quarter to pull away from Sacramento and record a 97-92 win.

A sloppy New York gave up the lead against Minnesota in the fourth quarter before snatching it back and edging the Timberwolves 118-114.

Orlando cruised to a 104-88 win at Philadelphia in a match of two out-of-touch Eastern Conference teams.