James’ 32 help Cavs beat Sixers 97-71
CLEVELAND (AP)—LeBron James(notes) scored 32 points, Mo Williams(notes) added 18 and theCleveland Cavaliers clamped down defensively in the fourth quarter, holding thePhiladelphia 76ers to 10 points over the final 12 minutes for a 97-91 victory onSaturday night.
James added nine assists, seven rebounds and delivered a resounding dunkwith 2:41 left that effectively put away the Sixers.
The Cavs were down by six points entering the fourth, but held Philadelphiato 4 of 23 shooting from the field in the final quarter to win for the 10th timein 12 games after an 0-2 start.
Philadelphia 76ers' Andre … AP – Nov 21, 10:14 pm EST ![]()
Cleveland Cavaliers' LeBro… AP – Nov 21, 10:11 pm EST ![]()
Cleveland Cavaliers' Jamar… AP – Nov 21, 10:09 pm EST ![]()
Philadelphia 76ers coach Eddie… AP – Nov 21, 8:56 pm EST ![]()
Cleveland Cavaliers' LeBro… AP – Nov 21, 8:40 pm EST ![]()
Philadelphia 76ers' Louis … AP – Nov 21, 8:40 pm EST ![]()
Cleveland Cavaliers' J.J. … AP – Nov 21, 8:39 pm EST ![]()
Philadelphia 76ers' Andre … AP – Nov 21, 8:38 pm EST ![]()
Philadelphia 76ers' Jason … AP – Nov 21, 8:37 pm EST YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_last_index = 8; YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_lazy_images = [http://d.yimg.com/a/p/ap/20091122/capt.444e54a02b31497f8efc833e444e39b7.76ers_cavaliers_basketball_ohmd107.jpg?x=180&y=200&xc=1&yc=1&wc=287&hc=319&q=70&sig=JlGFe1UYWZaK4L3gih4.vQ--,http://d.yimg.com/a/p/ap/20091122/capt.f7e373ea3b094ac58b72907b663bf512.76ers_cavaliers_basketball_ohmd108.jpg?x=180&y=200&xc=1&yc=1&wc=272&hc=302&q=70&sig=IKu5tByDzIpQauF2y1ESGA--,http://d.yimg.com/a/p/ap/20091122/capt.615fa78c1f804fb3a4757e250e534141.76ers_cavaliers_basketball_ohmd106.jpg?x=180&y=200&xc=56&yc=1&wc=300&hc=333&q=70&sig=ylGxqycmp36FuGs1WXGJZA--,http://d.yimg.com/a/p/ap/20091122/capt.a7b8d4126cca4e6898d6e84e9d95e669.76ers_cavaliers_basketball_ohmd105.jpg?x=180&y=200&xc=1&yc=1&wc=335&hc=372&q=70&sig=US8WUdjVS5mZi4x3IXQQsA--,http://d.yimg.com/a/p/ap/20091122/capt.518f507823934200b1d056cb158dc32a.76ers_cavaliers_basketball_ohmd103.jpg?x=180&y=200&xc=1&yc=1&wc=277&hc=308&q=70&sig=zUNhlx.i6Vk8tPjPQ2H8OA--,http://d.yimg.com/a/p/ap/20091122/capt.bc3cda3ddeed46c0a0fb4633c6c552fb.76ers_cavaliers_basketball_ohmd104.jpg?x=180&y=200&xc=1&yc=1&wc=275&hc=306&q=70&sig=AChypGGRWRxFYVxijUp0mw--,http://d.yimg.com/a/p/ap/20091122/capt.e8ee570d1e0d46e38becb6ef7a336fd1.76ers_cavaliers_basketball_ohmd102.jpg?x=180&y=200&xc=1&yc=1&wc=284&hc=316&q=70&sig=MTgJ1Q7YKiVaQ3SjEhl7lQ--,http://d.yimg.com/a/p/ap/20091122/capt.c6b4fe5e2e0d45719e90fc1983af99f6.76ers_cavaliers_basketball_ohmd101.jpg?x=180&y=200&xc=1&yc=1&wc=324&hc=360&q=70&sig=nBGO7NtT_6TuW3p7qthe6A--]; YAHOO.util.Event.addListener(window,load,YAHOO.Sports.articleLazyLoadCarousel.init); 1 of 9 Phi-Cle Gallery function prev_photo() { if (YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_index > 0) { goto_photo(YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_index – 1); } else { goto_photo(YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_last_index); }}function next_photo() { if (YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_index 0) { YAHOO.util.Dom.addClass(article_carousel_prev, prev); YAHOO.util.Dom.removeClass(article_carousel_prev, prev_disabled); } else { YAHOO.util.Dom.addClass(article_carousel_prev, prev_disabled); YAHOO.util.Dom.removeClass(article_carousel_prev, prev); } if (YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_index < YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_last_index) { YAHOO.util.Dom.addClass(article_carousel_next, next); YAHOO.util.Dom.removeClass(article_carousel_next, next_disabled); } else { YAHOO.util.Dom.addClass(article_carousel_next, next_disabled); YAHOO.util.Dom.removeClass(article_carousel_next, next); }*/}function goto_photo(p) { if (YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_photos) { for(i = 0; i < YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_photos.length; i++) { if (i == p) { YAHOO.util.Dom.setStyle(YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_photos[i], display, ); } else { YAHOO.util.Dom.setStyle(YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_photos[i], display, none); } } if (YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_page) { YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_page.innerHTML =(p + 1); YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_index = p; } } update_buttons();}YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_init = function () { YAHOO.util.Event.addListener(article_carousel_prev, click, prev_photo); YAHOO.util.Event.addListener(article_carousel_next, click, next_photo); YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_index = 0; YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_page = YAHOO.util.Dom.get(carousel_page); YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_photos = YAHOO.util.Dom.getElementsByClassName(item, div, leadphoto); if (YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_photos) { goto_photo(0); }}YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_init();
Lou Williams scored 22 and Thaddeus Young(notes) had 21 for the Sixers. AndreIguodala(notes) had 12 but was 6 of 22 from the field—only 1 of 7 in the fourth.
Playing their fourth game in five nights and without center Shaquille O’Neal(notes)for the fifth straight game, the Cavs could have been excused for being tireddown the stretch.
But they dug down and found some needed energy to hold off the scrappySixers, who took an 81-75 lead into the fourth.
James, who scored 40 in a win on Friday at Indiana, was on the bench whenthe Cavs caught the Sixers at 83-all on a jumper by Williams. The score was tiedat 85 when James returned, and the superstar didn’t need long to help the Cavsopen some breathing room after an uneven performance through three periods.
After Zydrunas Ilgauskas(notes) scored on a putback, James fed Jamario Moon(notes) for analley-oop dunk to make it 89-85. Mo Williams then hit Moon on a bounce pass foranother dunk, and James, who had his headband knocked off, scored to cap an 18-4run that made it 93-85.
Nothing was clicking for Philadelphia on offense, mostly because the Cavsfinally decided to work hard with their backs to the basket. Moon wasinstrumental in slowing down Iguodala, the Sixers’ leading scorer.
Philadelphia ended a nearly five-minute drought with four straight points,but James drove the lane and blasted a two-handed dunk to put the finishingtouches on Cleveland’s win.
The Cavs’ early season has been a streaky one. They are essentially restingO’Neal for the second half and a title push, and the team is still trying tofigure out what to do with guard Delonte West(notes), who has been working throughpersonal and legal issues.
“They’re going for the gold, man,” Sixers coach Eddie Jordan said.“They’re doing what they think is necessary to win the championship.”
There have been times when the Cavs appear to be going through the motions,and that was the case for much of the first three quarters.
NOTES: Allen Iverson’s(notes) toughness and scoring touch once symbolized theSixers. However, the guard remains without a team, a fact James findsunfortunate. “He’s a person I watched growing up,” James said, “and when yousee a person who has talent and still loves the game and wants to be a part ofthis league, it’s kind of strange not having him. It doesn’t seem right.”Iverson was recently released by Memphis. On Friday, the Knicks announced theywould not sign him. … Sixers G Jason Kapano sat out with a sprained leftankle. He was injured in the fourth quarter Friday. … Ilgauskas played in his721nd career game, second most in Cavs history behind general manager DannyFerry’s 723.
Comments
