NBA scores 2017: Cavaliers and Wizards gave us the game of the year

The Wizards were great but the Cavaliers were even better.

Feb 7, 2017, 1:42 PM UTC

NBA: Cleveland Cavaliers at Washington Wizards

Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

If somehow the Cavaliers and Wizards meet in the playoffs this year, we are in for a treat. On the first night after the NFL season had finished, the NBA came roaring in and gave us a regular season game for the ages. The two teams faced off in Washington, where the Wizards had won 17 straight at home, and the Cavaliers came in knowing they had their hands full with a surging Wizards team.

The evening, which ended with a 140-135 Cavs win in overtime, was full of drama from the start. As the game tipped off, a rumor about a Kevin Love-Carmelo Anthony trade started swirling. The report claimed that LeBron James was okay with trading Love if it meant the Cavaliers could get Anthony.

On the court, LeBron started off his night being stronger than everyone else as he always does, setting the tone for the game.

There were three quarters of really good basketball and then the fourth quarter and overtime happened and what was good before would not hold a candle to what was about to happen. Heading into the fourth quarter the Cavaliers were up four but the Wizards went on a 8-1 run to start it and we were off the races. The two teams then hit a combined 11 three-pointers that included three straight from LeBron in the quarter.

Otto Porter hit three-pointers.

Love hit three-pointers.

Bradley Beal hit three-pointers.

It was truly a beautiful back and forth game of basketball in the fourth quarter. With 12 seconds remaining and the Wizards up one, James missed an incredibly wide open layup. To be honest, it was likely the basketball gods stepping in as he got away with a blatant travel on the play anyway. Ball don’t lie, ya know?

Porter then hit two free throws to put Wizards up three with 3.4 seconds left. The Cavaliers would have to take the ball out under the basket since they could not advance the ball. Love threw a perfect full court pass that only LeBron could catch and then LeBron hit a turnaround three-pointer while falling out of bounds to tie the game (because of course he did). To overtime we go.

In overtime, James was called for his sixth foul within the first minute. With LeBron out, his teammates stepped up as he often asks them to do. Kyrie Irving took over setting up his teammates and knocking down big shots, including a dagger that looked eerily similar to his shot in the NBA Finals against the Warriors.

On a night that trade rumors were flying about Love, he put up 39 points and 12 rebounds, including going 11-of-11 from the free throw line. He scored 15 points in the third quarter to keep the Cavaliers in the game and hit two free throws to ice the game in overtime. It was no doubt his best game of the year as Love was everything the Cavaliers needed him to be.

James finished with a career-high 17 assists on the night, including this beauty.

Winning fixes so much, they say. The Cavaliers were a happy basketball team on Monday night. And by the way, after the game LeBron said the report of him wanting Love traded was trash.

If there is such thing as a moral victory for the Wizards, this game was it. They’ve been playing extremely well as of late and this game solidified they can be an elite team in the Eastern Conference. Beal led all scorers with 41 points on the night. Porter had 25 and John Wall finished with 22. It was a great all-around performance from the Wizards and something they can build on and use for motivation as the season progresses. They gave the Cavaliers absolutely all they could handle. It may not show up as a W in the win column but they proved they can hang with the Cavaliers.

We’ll gladly take a playoff series with these two teams.

Hey, the Pacers have won 7 games in a row

The Pacers are starting to click but it’s still a mystery as to who this team really is. Their seven-game win streak is the longest streak they’ve had in two years, but they’re entering a tough stretch in their schedule. February is tough as their next six opponents are the Cavaliers and Wizards (who they play twice each), Bucks and Spurs. They kicked off the stretch Monday beating Russell Westbrook and the Thunder. Of note, Paul George is shooting 50 percent in clutch situations this season.