Cleveland, OH (Sports Network) - LeBron James led the way with 31 points and dished out 12 assists, as the Cleveland Cavaliers edged the Golden State Warriors, 114-108, at Quicken Loans Arena.
Lebron’s 31 Point-12 Assist Night Leads Cavs Over Warriors
J.J. Hickson contributed a career-high 21 points and had nine boards, while Mo Williams went for 16 points, eight rebounds and six assists for Cleveland, which has won five straight.
Monta Ellis had 23 points and eight assists for the Warriors, who were unable to recover from a 129-125 loss at Milwaukee on Saturday. Golden State has dropped three of four overall. Corey Maggette finished with 19 points and 11 rebounds, while Anthony Morrow and Stephen Curry netted 18 and 14, respectively.
Warriors forward Vladimir Radmanovic had 11 points and five rebounds in his first game since being acquired from Charlotte. Golden State also received Raja Bell with Stephen Jackson and Acie Law heading to the Bobcats on Monday. Bell did not play as the Warriors dressed just seven players.
Cleveland led 90-79 after three quarters, but the Warriors came back in a big way to start the fourth. Anthony Randolph’s three-point play and a triple from Curry sparked a 10-2 run that drew Golden State to within 92-89 with just over three minutes in.
The Cavaliers quickly built their lead back up to eight, but seven in a row, capped by a Morrow three, made it a one-point game at 107-106 with 3:24 left.
Williams then made a driving layup and three straight points from Hickson stretched the Cleveland lead to six and it would hold on for the win.
Cleveland led 35-30 after the opening quarter, then ran off eight in a row to start the second, and after Daniel Gibson hit a pair of jumpers the Cavs were up by a 13-point margin.
Ellis’ layup near the seven minute mark sliced the Warriors’ deficit to single digits at 45-38, but a Hickson tip-in and Jamario Moon’s triple a short time later put the Cavaliers up by a 52-38 margin. Williams’ jumper in the final seconds gave the hosts a 66-55 advantage heading into the break.
In the third quarter, a James jumper and dunk put the Cavs in front 80-65 near the midway point. Golden State then responded with seven straight before Gibson’s three and James’ dunk in the final minute made it a 90-79 game after three quarters.
Cavs center Shaquille O’Neal (shoulder) and Anderson Varejao (hip) were held out of the lineup, while Delonte West (disciplinary) returned...Moon suffered an ankle sprain in the third quarter and did not return...Cleveland took both meetings with Golden State last year and has won six of the last seven between the clubs... Warriors swingman Kelenna Azubuike will have surgery Wednesday to repair a torn patella tendon in his left knee...Warriors guard C.J. Watson was out with swine flu.
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