James has 34, Irving 32 as Cavs stay hot

The 85 points from the previous meeting represented the fewest by a Wizards opponent this season. The Cavaliers won 122-100. The Wizards are hoping the two full days off between games will allow them to get one or two of their injured players back, with Gary Neal (back), DeJuan Blair (leg) and Drew Gooden (calf) the closest to returning.

That wasn’t the only vengeance they were thinking about.

Irving shot just 29 percent in his first three games back from a fractured kneecap, but he has shot 48 percent in his past three. Not all of Irving’s teammates were so even-keeled about Wall’s comments. I think the only teams in the east with any chance in a 7 game series are the Bulls and Heat. Going up against fellow All-Star, Kyle Lowry, Kyrie led the Cavaliers with a season-high 25 points on 10-for-16 shooting, adding eight assists and six boards.

Kyrie Irving stepped into a 3-pointer from 30 feet away and sank it. Later, he spun past two defenders and Euro-stepped his way to the basket early in the fourth quarter.

Carroll missed nine games last month because of a bruised right knee, then played in five straight games before sitting out a loss in Cleveland on Monday because of swelling in the knee.

LeBron James scored 34 points, but Irving dazzled in the fourth quarter with 19 of his 32 points as Cleveland won their fifth straight game with a 121-115 victory over the Wizards. “But that sure didn’t look like that tonight”. Things changed dramatically Monday in large part to Irving, who continues to work his way back from offseason knee surgery.

After the performance Irving put on against the Wizards, it is hard to argue against his All-Star candidacy. That’s a given in James’ eyes. He is a real talented player offensively.

The most daunting trip on the Cavaliers’ schedule, at least according to David Blatt, was the recently-completed West Coast trip that included a Christmas Day game and four games in five nights.

The Wizards mounted one of the strangest third quarter comebacks I’ve ever seen, with Garrett Temple going toe-to-toe with LeBron James for 14 points and four made threes. “That’s not a question. An 18-point lead can go away in the drop of the hat, because the other guy’s good and Washington was good tonight”, Blatt said. “There was no personal beef between John and me”, Irving said, via Cleveland.com.

“He’s much better than an All-Star”, forward LeBron James said. He’s 23 years old, and he hasn’t even scratched the surface yet.

It’s a term that applies to the Cavs, as well.

“Once they made that run, it was over”, Raptors forward Patrick Patterson said. James believes he still has some ground to make up, but it’s clear by now the injury shouldn’t prevent Irving from becoming the player he once was.

Raptors 91, Nets 74 – Jonas Valanciunas had 22 points and 11 rebounds, and Toronto handed Brooklyn its eighth straight home loss.

Add in 11 bench points from Dellavedova and valuable minutes from 10 total Cavaliers and it was a complete team effort.

Irving’s potential – so titillating, so enticing – mirrors his team’s.

Leah got a ticket to the game from her dad – former Bengals defensive tackle Devon Still – who couldn’t join her because he flew to Houston to sign with the Texans.