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NBA: Cavaliers struggle against Bulls without ill LeBron James

Cavaliers guard Kyrie Irving yells to his teammates during the second half of a game against the Bulls on Feb. 25.

Cavaliers guard Kyrie Irving yells to his teammates during the second half of a game against the Bulls on Feb. 25.

(Jason Miller / Getty Images)
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Jimmy Butler had a triple-double, leading the visiting Chicago Bulls to a 117-99 victory Saturday night over the Cleveland Cavaliers, as LeBron James sat out with strep throat.

Cleveland struggled as it often does when the four-time MVP doesn’t play. The Cavaliers are 4-19 without James since he returned to Cleveland in 2014, including 0-4 this season.

Chicago is the only 3-0 team against the Cavaliers in the league. Butler had 18 points, including 13 in the third quarter, to go with 10 rebounds and 10 assists.

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at New York 110, Philadelphia 109: Carmelo Anthony made a jumper with 0.3 of a second left to give the Knicks the victory after they blew a 17-point lead. Anthony’s basket capped a 37-point performance for New York, which played without injured starters Kristaps Porzingis and Joakim Noah. Jahlil Okafor had a season-high 28 points and grabbed 10 rebounds for the 76ers.

at Houston 142, Minnesota 130: James Harden scored 24 points to lead eight Rockets in double figures and Houston made 22 three-pointers to outscore the Timberwolves.

at Miami 113, Indiana 95: Hassan Whiteside scored 22 points and grabbed 17 rebounds, Dion Waiters added 22 points and the Heat moved within 11/2 games of Detroit for the eighth spot in the Eastern Conference. The Pacers played most of the second half without All-Star forward Paul George, who was ejected after getting two technicals early in the third quarter.

at Dallas 96, New Orleans 83: Anthony Davis’ 39 points and 14 rebounds weren’t enough as the Pelicans fell to 0-2 since trading for DeMarcus Cousins. The Mavericks ended a three-game losing streak.

Charlotte 99, at Sacramento 85: Frank Kaminsky had 23 points and 13 rebounds and the Hornets ended a five-game losing streak. The Kings never got going offensively, and Charlotte led by 23 points in the second half while ending a 12-game road skid.

at Orlando 105, Atlanta 86: Terrence Ross scored 24 points in his second game since coming from Toronto in the Serge Ibaka trade, and Nikola Vucevic had 16 points and 14 rebounds to help the Magic end a two-game losing streak.

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at Golden State 112, Brooklyn 95: Kevin Durant (bruised left hand) didn’t play, but it didn’t matter in a matchup between the NBA’s best and worst teams. Stephen Curry scored 27 points for the Warriors (49-9). The Nets fell to 9-49.

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