NBA scores 2015: LeBron James will never slow with age, and 3 other things we learned

The Cavaliers are unstoppable when their star takes over in the fourth quarter, Kevin Durant injuries are no fun and two other things we learned Tuesday.

by Liam Boylan-Pett

Updated Nov 11, 2015, 1:15 PM UTC

Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports

At some point, LeBron James will succumb to age, but not yet. And certainly not against the Utah Jazz on Tuesday night. James was superb for the Cleveland Cavaliers. He scored 31 points, dished out eight assists and grabbed seven rebounds as the Cavaliers overcame a nine-point deficit in the fourth quarter to win 118-114.

Six Jazz players scored 15 points or more to give the Cavaliers all they could handle in Cleveland. Rudy Gobert had 15 points, seven rebounds and five assists and was a force down low, but the Cavaliers were too much down the stretch -- especially once James took over.

James’ fourth quarter was phenomenal. He had 17 points on 6-of-8 shooting with four rebounds and three assists and just one turnover -- no big deal for an all-time great.

The game started out slowly, with both teams struggling to get going against stingy defenses -- this James dunk over a not-even-trying Gobert notwithstanding.

The Cavaliers led 52-48 at the half. They built up an eight-point lead in the third quarter, but the young Jazz team wouldn’t go away. They inched back into the game, knotting the score at 80 heading into the fourth quarter.

The Jazz built up a nine-point lead with Gobert, Gordon Hayward and Alec Burks chipping in, but the lead wasn't enough. James was too much. He controlled the final frame, running the Cleveland offense to perfection.

Cleveland is without Kyrie Irving and still figuring out exactly how to use Kevin Love, who had 22 points and eight rebounds. But one thing is for sure: Cleveland is LeBron James' team. If it's going to win the NBA title, he's going to need to keep playing like he did against the Jazz on Tuesday night.

He’s capable of doing so.

3 other things we learned

Kevin Durant's injury ruined any fun there was to be had in Washington, D.C. The Oklahoma City Thunder dominated the Washington Wizards, 125-101, but the big story was Durant sitting out the second half with a hamstring injury. Durant had 14 points and 10 rebounds in the first half before tweaking his hamstring.

Durant on the bench made for a less exciting second half, even though Russell Westbrook took over the game with another triple-double. Westbrook had 22 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists in only 28 minutes.

Tuesday was Durant’s only appearance on the Wizards’ home court this season, a team that desperately hopes to sign Durant in free agency this summer. We’ll have to wait until next summer to find out if Durant will be making even more appearances in D.C. next season.

The New Orleans Pelicans have the ability to look like an actual basketball team. The Pelicans picked up their first win of the season by blowing out a hapless Dallas Mavericks team, 120-105, despite Anthony Davis missing the second half of the game with a hip contusion. Davis had 17 points and seven rebounds in just under 19 minutes of play, including 13 points on 6-of-7 shooting in the second quarter. The Pelicans cannot afford Davis to sit out much more. At 1-6, they're already playing catch-up in the Western Conference. Tuesday night at least showed they have the ability to climb back into the playoff race.

Knicks fans have a fever, and the only remedy is more Kristaps Porzingis. The New York Knicks might not be a great basketball team, but they're light years ahead of where they were last season. And in the Eastern Conference, that could mean a trip to the playoffs.

The Knicks beat the Toronto Raptors 111-109 on the road thanks to 25 points from Carmelo Anthony. The Raptors were without DeMarre Carroll for the second game in a row and they lost their third straight after starting the season 5-0.

But while Anthony and Lance Thomas (off the bench) led the the Knicks in scoring, it was the rookie Porzingis who lit up the court in Toronto. He had eight points and six rebounds in 20 minutes, and he brought down the house with a monstrous put-back dunk. It was such a nice play, it earned ...

Play of the night

There are rules when a player dunks so mercilessly over a team. And because of those rules, Kristaps Porzingis is now the mayor of Toronto. The Knicks rookie has a nose for the ball. Expect more and more of these put-back dunks.