LeBron James-led Cavaliers rally past Hornets

In other games, Greg Monroe had 20 points and 13 rebounds in his first game against his former team, leading the Milwaukee Bucks to a 109-88 victory over the Detroit Pistons, the Charlotte Hornets downed the Los Angeles Kings 127-122 in overtime and the San Antonio Spurs were 98-84 winners over the Phoenix Suns.

Kevin Love also scored 26 points for Cleveland, which played a sluggish first half and didn’t take its first lead until midway through the third quarter.

James has now played in 21 straight wins over either the Hornets or their predecessors, the Charlotte Bobcats.

He shrugged off the streak afterward. “Next thing you know, it’s a 25-0 run”, Lamb said after the game. “I didn’t think we displayed the kind of toughness that made us a team past year”.

Cleveland Cavaliers LeBron James brings the ball up court during the fourth quarter of their National Basketball Association game against the Toronto Raptors in Cleveland January 19, 2010.

Cavs coach David Blatt was not aware James matched Robertson until after the game. They don’t have to have a great percentage to outdo you then. “They did it tonight, to their credit”.

“Marvin is the one out there one-on-one, but we all have to defend him”, center Jefferson said.

LeBron James led the Cavs, who fell to 11-4, with 24 points, eight assists and six rebounds. Bismack Biyombo grabbed 12 rebounds to go with 11 points – including a couple of key dunks down the stretch – for a Raptors team (10-6) missing starting centre Jonas Valanciunas (broken hand).

In the standings, it’s a first-place team beating up on a bottom-dweller, but the Cavs needed LeBron’s heroics to get out of this one, which probably isn’t what anyone was anticipating heading into the matchup.

ABOUT THE NETS (3-12): In addition to its recent issues in Cleveland, Brooklyn figures to be overmatched in many departments, especially beyond the arc.

Toronto trailed by as many as 10 before Lowry’s 3-pointer from the left wing tied it at 70-all early in the fourth. With the Nets trailing, 88-85, J.R. Smith committed an ill-advised foul on a three-pointer and Johnson walked to the free-throw line with a chance to tie the score.

Bradley Beal scored 20 points for Washington. “If he contested a shot at the rim we tried to make him pay, and if he wanted to stay with me then we got a clear paint to get layups”. Of course, we’ve seen this a little before – and the Cavs are still really good – but it still feels like this team can reach another level.

Oklahoma City star Kevin Durant had 27 points and six rebounds in his return from a hamstring injury as the Thunder downed the Utah Jazz 111-89. It wasn’t the fact they held Charlotte to just 14 fourth-quarter points, either. “It wasn’t a plan going into the fourth quarter, honestly. That’s a credit to our players”.