Donovan Mitchell 45 Points Helps Cavaliers Extend Win Streak To Four

The Cleveland Cavaliers, Los Angeles Lakers and Houston Rockets each claimed important NBA wins, with star guards and forwards producing big scoring nights that stretched winning runs, halted streaks and tightened

playoff races in both conferences on a busy evening of league action.

Donovan Mitchell led Cleveland with 45 points in a 114-98 home win over the Orlando Magic, while Luka Doncic dropped 46 in the Los Angeles Lakers 129-118 victory against the Chicago Bulls, and Kevin Durant matched Alperen Sengun on 33 points as Houston defeated the Memphis Grizzlies 108-99.

Mitchell poured in 26 of his 45 points before half-time, shooting 15 of 25 overall and 5 of 8 from beyond the arc, as the Cavaliers completed a sweep of their home-and-home set with Orlando after a 119-105 triumph in Florida on 27 January.

The guard is averaging 29.1 points this season, which currently projects as a personal best, and Mitchell is also attempting a career-high 6.1 free throws per game, supporting a Cleveland side now 28-20 and on a four-game winning streak that matches the team’s longest run of this campaign.

Cleveland has gone 11-4 across the last 15 fixtures after opening 17-16, climbing to fifth in the Eastern Conference and moving within two games of the Boston Celtics, while Paolo Banchero’s 37 points and 10 rebounds could not prevent Orlando slipping to 23-22 and a fourth straight defeat, with opponents winning those contests by an average margin of 18.5 points.

The Magic shot only 40.4% from the field against the Cavaliers, with Evan Mobley contributing 20 points and nine rebounds for Cleveland, whose improved form has reshaped the Eastern playoff picture and added pressure on Orlando after a stronger start to the schedule earlier in the season.

NBA Western race as Lakers, Bulls, Rockets and Grizzlies jostle

In Chicago, Doncic required just 25 field goal attempts for 46 points, hitting eight three-pointers and eight free throws in the guard’s highest scoring outing since October, as the Lakers moved to 28-17 and improved to 3-1 on their current road swing, which still has four away dates to complete.

Rui Hachimura delivered a major lift from the bench with 23 points on 9 of 11 shooting and four makes from deep, while LeBron James reached 20 points by the middle of the second quarter and eventually closed with 24, as the Lakers recorded a fourth win across their last five games.

Coby White led Chicago with 23 points and six assists, Ayo Dosunmu added 20 off the bench, and Josh Giddey supplied 19 points, six rebounds and seven assists in a reserve role, but the Bulls slipped to 23-23 and saw their four-game winning run halted by Los Angeles’ efficient perimeter shooting.

Houston’s victory against Memphis featured matching 33-point efforts from Durant and Sengun, with Durant shooting 11 of 24 and grabbing eight rebounds for a third straight 30-point performance, while Sengun was highly efficient at 15 of 17 from the floor, also adding nine rebounds and six assists.

Amen Thompson contributed across several categories with eight points, eight rebounds and 14 assists as the Rockets moved to 28-16, winning for the fifth time in six games during a tight Western Conference playoff race, whereas Memphis fell to 18-26 after a third successive defeat despite 17 points and seven rebounds each from Jaren Jackson Jr. and Santi Aldama.

The combined performances of Mitchell, Doncic, Durant and Sengun shaped a night where all three winning teams strengthened their positions in crowded playoff battles, while Orlando, Chicago and Memphis faced renewed questions after losing streaks or missed chances shifted momentum in both NBA conferences.