Cavs 4th Straight Road Win On Back To Back Date
-- Sunday's spectacular comeback victory over Phoenix made Monday night's game against lowly Charlotte the perfect setup for a Cavaliers letdown.
Who could blame the Cavs if they overlooked the Bobcats while focusing on upcoming games against New Jersey and Miami?
There's no blame game this morning. After a pregame warning from coach Mike Brown, the team responded in resounding fashion with a 103-91 victory at Bobcats Arena.
"This was an important game," said LeBron James, who had 30 points, six rebounds, six assists and five steals before spending the entire fourth quarter resting on the bench. "We didn't want to win a big game like we did and come here and not play as well as we know we can. We took care of business early, got a big lead and sustained it."
The Cavs (26-17) have won six straight. The Bobcats (11-35), riddled by injuries, lost their 12th straight.
The Cavs dominated from the start and coasted in the fourth quarter.
Emeka Okafor, last year's top rookie, Keith Bogans, Gerald Wallace and Sean May are out with injuries, leaving the Bobcats to rely on a roster filled with journeymen and seldom-used rookies.
But Drew Gooden, who had 12 rebounds, said his team wasn't about to take any chances.
"We didn't want to let up because we knew how important this game was," he said. "The fact that we put ourselves in the hole on our recent West Coast trip, we knew we had some making up to do. Charlotte had guys that were out, but we knew the other guys were going to play hard, just like [the reserves] did in Indiana and that went down to the last minute."
This one was over from the start. The Cavs led by 12 after one quarter and by 15 early in the second. Although Charlotte briefly drew within seven, Sasha Pavlovic's 3-pointer began a 10-0 spurt that James ended with two free throws for a 49-32 lead. The Cavaliers had a 56-39 margin at halftime.
"We knew those guys were going to fight and play hard," said Cavs center Zydrunas Ilgauskas, who finished with 19 points. "They had a tough time making some shots today and we capitalized on that and got out on the break. Once we got the lead, we didn't stop playing and finished the game the right way."
Anderson Varejao, who continues to show improvement, had 10 rebounds and six points in 20 minutes of play.
James dominated the first half with 22 points and four assists. The Cavs shot 50 percent from the field.
The third quarter was a repeat of the Cavaliers' dominance of the first half, punctuated by a pair of spectacular dunks by James. Donyell Marshall's 3-pointer at the end of the quarter extended the Cavs' lead to 83-57.
This was the Cavs' fourth straight road win, moving their road record to 10-12.
"That's pretty good because that's where we have a hard time," Brown said. "I don't care who we play on the road, a road win is a big win for us. To have four [straight] road wins is terrific."
James' "Hakeem" Mark Honors Player of the Week
Charlotte, N.C.- For the fifth time in his career, LeBron James was named the NBA's Eastern Conference Player of the Week.
In four games between Jan. 23-29, James led the Cavs to four wins by averaging 33.8 points, 8.5 rebounds, 7.5 assists and 2.3 steals. James capped the week with his sensational game Sunday against Phoenix, posting 44 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists in the comeback victory over the Suns.
The last player to post at least 44 points, 11 rebounds and six assists in a game was Hakeem Olajuwon in 1996. Against Atlanta on Jan. 25, James scored 38 points, had nine rebounds and six assists. He has had at least 23 points, seven rebounds and six assists in each game during the week.
"I'm not surprised at all," said Cavs coach Mike Brown. "Going 4-0 helps out a lot, but with the numbers he put up, he definitely deserves it."
This is the second time this season James has won the award. James joins Elton Brand, Kobe Bryant, Allen Iverson, Steve Nash and Dwyane Wade as multiple winners this season. James also was named the NBA's Eastern Conference Player of the Month in November.
Brand was named Western Conference Player of the Week.
No dunk, but skills:
For the third consecutive year, James declined the NBA's request to compete in the All-Star Game's dunk contest, but he agreed to participate in the skills challenge on Feb. 18.
The skills challenge highlights shooting, dribbling and passing skills on a timed course. Nash is the event's defending champion.
"They didn't beg or plead, I just declined," James said Monday. "They asked me to do something else, so I said yes.
"I don't know if I have skills, but we'll find out that night."
James Sets Down Suns Scoring 30 in Last 20 Minutes
The NBA's great players know when the time comes to grab a game by the throat - then take it over.
They know when it's time to quit fooling around, when it's time to quit trying to get others involved, when it's time to take the ball and win or lose it.
Michael Jordan knew when it was time. So did Larry Bird and Magic Johnson.
LeBron James does, too.
The time to take over the Cavaliers' 113-106 victory on Sunday over the Phoenix Suns occurred midway in the third quarter.
At 7:49 of the third, the Suns were in complete control, dropping the Cavaliers into a 72-55 hole when Leandro Barbosa rose up to hit a 3-pointer. James had been quiet, scoring 14 points and missing 10 of 16 shots from the field.
"My competitive nature took over," James said.
James provided a national television audience and a sellout crowd at The Q with a performance over 1½ quarters that will be rehashed for years. In the last 19:49, the Cavaliers outscored the stunned Suns, 58-34. James, taking it to the hoop and knocking down 3-pointers, scored 30 of the 58 points - hitting 11 of 17 shots from the field.
A six-second sequence by James midway in the fourth quarter was the principal topic of discussion in both locker rooms afterward.
The Cavaliers led, 95-93, when Barbosa got loose for what appeared to be a sure breakaway layup. James came from nowhere to swat the shot at the rim. He wasn't done. Donyell Marshall recovered the ball, then flipped it to James, who tomahawk dunked it at the other end. What appeared to be a tie game turned into the Cavaliers leading, 97-93.
"I just wanted to make a play," James said. "I wanted to take the life out of them. [Barbosa] didn't see me coming."
Marshall, like Barbosa, was shocked. "At first," Marshall said, "it looked like Barbosa had made a great move. Then, the block. Then, the dunk.
"I told myself, 'That's an MVP play right there.' "
There was no argument from Barbosa, starting in place of injured Raja Bell (calf injury). "I never saw [James] coming," Barbosa said. "I asked coach [Mike D'Antoni], 'How did he do that? He's unbelievable.'
"I was dribbling like crazy and he still caught me."
The victory was the fifth straight for the Cavaliers (25-17). They are 11-1 at home against teams with winning records.
For 2½ quarters, the Cavaliers' biggest mistake was attempting to run with the Suns, who are the NBA's top-scoring team (106.3 points a game). This is a team that jacks up nearly 25 3-pointers a game, a team that spreads the ball around - averaging a league-leading 27.1 assists a game.
"In the first half," said Marshall (14 points, seven rebounds), "we played their game and we can't do that. No one can do that."
Shooting 68 percent (25-of-38) from the field, which is what the Suns did in the first half to take a 60-51 halftime lead, is difficult to maintain. The Cavaliers were able to better control the tempo in the second half, when the Suns were held to 46 points on 37 percent (15-of-41) shooting.
Steve Nash led the Suns (28-16) with 24 points. But after scoring 17 in the first half, he was held under control the rest of way.
One player does not win it alone. James (44 points, 11 rebounds, seven assists) got significant help from Marshall, Sasha Pavlovic (15 points, three rebounds), Damon Jones (11 points, three rounds and two assists) and Anderson Varejao (six points, seven rebounds in a season-high 19 minutes).
But, in the end, it was a young star taking over the game that was the difference.
