LeBron scores 44, reaches assist mark as Cavs down Hornets

Cleveland Cavaliers’ forward LeBron James shoots over Charlotte Hornets’ center Frank Kaminsky III during their National Basketball Association game at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland Saturday.

James Harden had 18 points, 16 assists and nine rebounds to lead the way for the Houston Rockets in their 109-87 mauling of the Dallas Mavericks for their sixth straight win.

James, who earlier in the first half surpassed the 7,000 career assist mark, dished the ball to Shumpert on the wing and slipped a screen in front of his teammate before Shumpert found him rolling to the basket.

The Hornets fell behind by double figures in the first quarter and played from behind the rest of the night.

The Hornets are a quality opponent and on a night where Irving didn’t quite have it, the Cavs were still able to mostly control the game from start to finish. First-year coach David Fizdale has inserted little-known Troy Williams into the starting lineup for Conley, while veterans Tony Allen, Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph have all stepped up their games to pick up the slack.

“It’s really been our defensive stops late that have allowed us to win these games”, Hornacek said.

“I read up on him”, James said of Hayes.

IN didn’t even take its first lead until Al Jefferson was fouled on a basket and made the bonus free throw to put the Pacers ahead for the first time 99-98 with 8:34 left in the fourth quarter.

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. (AP) – Robert Covington had 16 points and Philadelphia beat Detroit for its second consecutive road victory after going almost a year without one. The Cavs’ two best shooting nights of the season both came this weekend.

Once James warmed up, there wasn’t much the Hornets could do. “That’s why their team is so well put together”, Hornets coach Steve Clifford said. Cleveland stayed around 70 percent for most of the first half and had a 15-point lead at halftime.

As he was quick to point out after knocking off the Hornets for Cleveland’s fourth straight win, though, he certainly hasn’t been alone on his rise to such rarefied air.

The Hornets committed 14 turnover which is above their season average.

Bulls 105, Heat 100: Jimmy Butler scored 31 points, Dwyane Wade finished with 28 and Taj Gibson added 13 as Chicago beat Miami at the United Center.

Charlotte dropped to 6-4 away from home.

Cavaliers: Host Memphis on Tuesday before flying to Tennessee to face the Grizzlies again on Wednesday.