In a game marked by big runs both ways, it looked like the Oklahoma City Thunder's 14-3 spurt that put them ahead 69-58 with 5:43 left in the third quarter might be the tipping point. Nobody would have blamed the Cleveland Cavaliers -- still missing Kyrie Irving and Iman Shumpert -- for dropping that game against one of the West's premiere teams, especially not after winning three in a row and after they still sat atop the Eastern Conference. In fact, with Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and Serge Ibaka going like they were, it seemed inevitable.
2015 NBA scores: The Cavaliers, already great, are about to get even better
Cleveland will soon get back Kyrie Irving, and with him comes a hope that Cleveland can become ever scarier.
David Richard-USA TODAY Sports
And then they didn't. Instead, the Cavaliers came back with a run of their own -- a 20-2 run beginning at the very end of the third quarter and stretching four minutes into the fourth. With a five-man unit including heavy doses of Jared Cunningham and Richard Jefferson, Cleveland's grinding powerhouse -- that we saw reach the 2015 NBA Finals -- reappeared, slowing rolling over Oklahoma City in a coup d'état that should send notice to the league: the Eastern Conference isn't rolling over without a fight this year and Cleveland, at the top, is taking the lead on that.
While James' work was lighter than his Atlas-like load he bore during last year's playoff, he still did plenty, falling just one rebound shy of a triple-double with 33 points on 27 shots, 11 assists and nine boards. Kevin Love made a couple big plays to help trigger the definitive second half run, too, earning three free throws after a pump fake and then finding James, who had leaked out for a wide-open bucket.
As Irving’s return is imminent and Shumpert gets back into a rhythm (he played the previous two games but missed Thursday’s matchup due to the birth of his child), Cleveland is going to be even better. They’re good enough right now, with moments like that 20-2 run reminding everyone watching them of their blitzkrieg-like run through the Eastern Conference playoffs. Golden State is still a final boss at the end of the tunnel that may just not be defeatable, but Cleveland can give them another run at it. With James on your roster, anything is possible.
What happens when the team with the third-best record in the NBA gets better? We’re about to see again just how high Cleveland can climb.
2 other things we learned
Kyle Lowry robbed DeMar DeRozan of a game winner.
In an unfortunate case of teammate-on-teammate violence, Lowry called for a perfectly reasonable timeout with time running down in a tied game against the Charlotte Hornets. It made sense: the Raptors could collect themselves in a timeout and hopefully run a play that gave them a better look than the wild halfcourt heave they were going to end up with.
... except DeRozan made that halfcourt heave. After Lowry’s timeout, of course.
Charlotte, led by a 35-point outing from Jeremy Lin, finished it off in overtime. Lowry should buy DeRozan dinner the next time they're out or something. It's the least he could do.
Throwback Mamba shows up at Staples Center
For all of the highly publicized struggles Kobe Bryant has been through, it's good to see moments like this happen at Staples Center. You can say what you will about his media tour, but there's something special about watching a big dunk and knowing there's a finite amount of time left to see magic like this happen.
The Lakers lost, of course, but Bryant posted a 10-point third quarter in addition to that dunk. Stuff like that is what we’re hoping we get a few more glimpses of before he fades into the yonder void that is retirement.
Play of the night
If you still haven’t bought me a Christmas gift, you slacker, just frame this play and give it to me. I’ll be forever grateful.
2 things
The Lakers’ organist played Star Wars music all night. I am so happy. (There’s no spoilers in that link, promise.)
Scary moment: LeBron ran over golfer Jason Day’s wife going for a loose ball. Ellie Day left the game on a stretcher and was taken to the hospital, but we’re hoping it was mostly precautionary: when LeBron came over to check on her, she told him she was okay.
Final scores
Hornets 109, Raptors 99 (At the Hive recap | Raptors HQ recap)
Cavaliers 104, Thunder 100 (Fear the Sword recap | Welcome to Loud City recap)
Rockets 107, Lakers 87 (The Dream Shake recap | Silver Screen & Roll recap)
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SB Nation presents: LeBron gives Special Olympics MVP his sneakers
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