Sports briefs
In the NBA
LeBron James led the new-look Cleveland Cavaliers to a blowout in Boston with an individual performance reminiscent of the rivalry’s heyday.
And this time, Paul Pierce was sitting courtside in street clothes, unable to do anything about it.
With the former Celtics great waiting to see his No. 34 raised to the Boston Garden rafters, James shook off a first-quarter leg injury to score 24 points with 10 assists and eight rebounds to give Cleveland a 121-99 victory Sunday.
In their first appearances since being acquired at the trade deadline, Jordan Clarkson scored 17 points, Rodney Hood had 15, George Hill had 12 and Larry Nance Jr. scored five. The foursome practiced with the Cavs for the first time on Saturday.
- DeMar DeRozan had 25 points and eight assists and C.J. Miles had 24 points and the Toronto Raptors routed the Charlotte Hornets 123-103.
Six players scored in double figures for the Raptors, who won their fifth straight game and improved to 39-16.
- Victor Oladipo had 30 points, nine assists and eight rebounds, and the Indiana Pacers beat the New York Knicks 121-113.
- Dewayne Dedmon gave Atlanta the lead with a three-point play and then padded the margin with a 3-pointer, lifting the Hawks to a 118-115 win over Blake Griffin and Detroit Pistons.
In the NHL
Tomas Tatar scored his second goal of the game 2:47 into overtime, and the Detroit Red Wings avoided a second straight embarrassing loss by edging the Washington Capitals 5-4 Sunday.
Tatar beat Braden Holtby for his 14th goal of the season. He also scored with 11 seconds to play in the second period to give Detroit a 4-1 lead.
- Jimmy Vesey scored with 3:53 left in the third period, and the New York Rangers beat the Winnipeg Jets 3-1.
Vesey returned to the lineup after missing three games with a concussion and picked up his 11th of season when he deflected Brady Skjei’s shot after it hit a Jets player.
It looked as if Dustin Byfuglien tied it for Winnipeg with 1:22 remaining, but his goal was called off because of teammate Mark Scheifele’s high stick. Michael Grabner then scored an empty-net goal for New York with 43 seconds left.
- Reid Boucher scored his first two goals of the season, Jacob Markstrom made 30 saves for his second career shutout and the Vancouver Canucks beat the Dallas Stars, 6-0.
U.S. advances
in Fed Cup
Serena Williams had said her return to tennis this weekend at the Fed Cup would represent the “start of a long process.” Her first match in over a year showed how far she has to go.
In Williams’ first competition since giving birth five months ago, she and her sister Venus lost 6-2, 6-3 to Lesley Kerkhove and Demi Schuurs of the Netherlands in a Fed Cup doubles match Sunday in Asheville, N.C.
Cal softball wins
California University scored six runs with two outs in the fifth inning Sunday morning for a 9-6 victory over Cameron (Okla.) to close play at the NCAA Division II College Classic in San Antonio.
The Vulcans finish the event with a 1-3 record.
Third baseman Brooke Wilson, left fielder Carlee Wickstrom of Peters Township and center fielder Jacquelyn Fowler combined for eight hits, five RBI and five runs.
Wilson went 3-for-4 with a two-run homer from the leadoff spot, and Wickstrom was 2-for-4 with a two-run homer and two runs from the cleanup position.