NBA ROUNDUP : Cavaliers Beat Bulls, Extend Streak

The Cleveland Cavaliers extended their winning streak to a season-high eight games with a 103-94 victory over the Chicago Bulls at Richfield, Ohio, on Sunday.

The Bulls, who saw their five-game winning streak end, were prevented from clinching their third consecutive Central Division championship, which they will do with one more victory or a Cleveland loss.

The Cavaliers won three of five games against Chicago, their first winning season series against the Bulls since 1988-89.

Larry Nance had 19 points and 12 rebounds for the Cavaliers. Craig Ehlo, Brad Daugherty and Mark Price also scored 17 each.

The Bulls lost Scottie Pippen because of a twisted ankle late in the third quarter. Pippen was helped off the floor after charging into Ehlo and did not return. The extent of the injury was not immediately clear.

Michael Jordan led the Bulls with 32 points.

Portland 105, San Antonio 101--Rod Strickland scored 25 points against his former teammates at Portland as the Trail Blazers took a step toward home-court advantage during the first round of the playoffs.

The victory left Portland two games ahead of the Spurs with four to play in the competition for the fourth-best record in the Western Conference.

Jerome Kersey scored 11 of his 17 points during the fourth quarter and grabbed a season-high 16 rebounds for Portland.

Clyde Drexler, who had sat out five games because of a strained hamstring, started the game, but left during the first quarter after aggravating the injury and didn’t return.

Orlando 88, Boston 79--Nick Anderson’s basket with 32 seconds to play at Orlando ended an eight-minute scoring drought for the Magic during their victory. Boston cut Orlando’s lead from 14 points to five during the Magic’s dry spell.

Philadelphia 106, Minnesota 79--Hersey Hawkins scored 32 points to lead the 76ers over the Timberwolves at Philadelphia.

The 27-point margin of victory was the 76ers’ largest of the season and gave them their first back-to-back victories since a three-game winning streak in January.

Indiana 108, Milwaukee 98--Reggie Miller made eight three-pointers and scored 36 points as the Pacers strengthened their hold on an Eastern Conference playoff spot at Milwaukee.

Indiana is tied with Atlanta for seventh place, and both teams have a two-game lead over Detroit and Orlando for the final two playoff spots in the conference.