James scores 34, Irving 32 as Cavaliers top Wizards in National Basketball Association

In what was hyped up as the match-up between the two All-Star points guards, Kyrie Irving and John Wall, only one of them looked like one and that was Irving, as he led the Cleveland Cavaliers to a 121-115 win over the Washington Wizards in the Nations Capital. “But it sure didn’t look like that tonight”.

Irving scored 21 of his 32 points in the fourth quarter, including a run of 10 straight that put the game away. The show Irving put on caught the attention of his teammates, who see how much he’s improving in the weeks since he returned.

Cleveland sports a solid four-game winning streak and now that the Akron troupe is almost at full strength the inside-outside combination of James and Kevin Love working the paint with Irving and Iman Shumpert patrolling the perimeter make this team one of the more balance clubs in the East, arguably the strongest, especially with a healthy J.R. Smith having room to rule beyond the arc. “To be out months and still be able to come out there and shake and bake like he’s doing is remarkable”.

The Cavs needed a few big performances as the Wizards had one of their best offensive performances of the season. But Cleveland’s defense adjusted, and their offense began to click. The Raptors came into the game second in the National Basketball Association in opposing PG field-goal percentage, so Irving going off is impressive.

MILWAUKEE – Tim Duncan rediscovered his offensive stroke, scoring 14 points in San Antonio’s victory over Milwaukee. Dudley was 2-of-4 from long-distance – and 5-of-7 from the floor overall – in Washington’s win over Cleveland and can get as hot as anyone in the league when he’s rolling.

LeBron James and company would blitz to an 18-point lead in the third quarter, but the Wizards weren’t fazed and found their offensive stride. The Cavs opened up a three-game lead atop of the Eastern Conference with their 24-9 record.

Knicks 98, Heat 90: Carmelo Anthony scored 25 points and NY shot 56 percent to snap a streak of eight consecutive losses to Miami.

Smith’s eight 3s were a season high, and the Cavaliers hit 17 of 33 for the game.

In New Orleans, Raymond Felton scored 22 points to lead a short-handed Dallas squad that was without Dirk Nowitzki, Deron Williams, Zaza Pachulia and Wesley Matthews after they each played 40-plus minutes in a double-overtime victory over Sacramento on Tuesday night. “It was a showing so splendid that Cavs coach David Blatt, who tried to temper expectations after Irving’s previous best game (25 points and eight assists on Monday against Toronto), even had to admit, “[He will] still have days when he’s better and days when he’s going to have some signs that he was out….

Pacers 95, Magic 86: Paul George had 20 points and Monta Ellis scored nine of his 19 in the fourth quarter, leading in over Orlando.

Toronto’s Jonas Valanciunas had 22 points and 11 rebounds as the Raptors defeated Brooklyn 91-74, the Nets’ eighth straight home loss.

Pistons 99, Celtics 94: Reggie Jackson 24 points, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope finished with 20 and Detroit beat Boston. Wall had 20 points (8-of-19) and 12 assists but turned the ball over seven times.