NBA 'Agressive' James leads Cavs to win

LeBron James scored 26 points in the 107-97 victory over Minnesota.
CLEVELAND (AP) -- The M-V-P chants began somewhere in the upper deck of Gund Arena and floated down toward the floor. This time, they weren't directed at Kevin Garnett.
LeBron James was the target.
"I didn't hear them," James said. "I heard the roar."
James scored 26 points with 12 assists and six rebounds, and Cleveland answered every time Minnesota threatened in the fourth quarter for a 107-97 victory over the Timberwolves on Tuesday night.
Zydrunas Ilgauskas added 25 points, and Jeff McInnis had 21 for the Cavaliers, who kept their poise down the stretch against one of the Western Conference's top teams one game after blowing a 15-point lead in the fourth quarter and losing to Boston.
"We had a bad taste in our mouths after Boston," Cavs forward Drew Gooden said. "We knew we had to make plays."
Timberwolves got close
James made more than a few and the Cavaliers were able to hold off the Timberwolves, who crept back by making four 3-pointers in the fourth quarter. The last one, by Sam Cassell, brought Minnesota within 99-91 with 1:32 to go.
McInnis, though, hit a pair of free throws and after Cassell missed a 3-pointer, Cleveland's point guard fed Gooden in the lane for a dunk -- the Cavaliers' 10th slam -- to make it 103-91 with 1:09 remaining, ending Minnesota's comeback.
Garnett, last season's league MVP, had 26 points, 13 rebounds and six assists for the Timberwolves. Cassell added 19 points, and Troy Hudson 15 -- 10 in a 2:24 span of the fourth -- as Minnesota, playing without forward Latrell Sprewell, stormed back.
The Timberwolves were within 83-74 when James re-entered the game after sitting for 2:34. He immediately hit a 19-foot baseline fadeaway, a runner from 11 and made two free throws as the Cavs regained control.
Later, he grabbed a rebound, pushed the ball up the floor and whipped a pass underneath to Gooden, whose dunk gave Cleveland a 99-88 lead.
He's good, but ...
Garnett admires James' game, but isn't quite ready to nominate him for any postseason honors.
"He's a lot more aggressive this year," Garnett said. "He understands the game a lot more. He's picking and choosing when to attack. His jump shot is 100 percent better. He's totally confident -- you can see that."
With Ilgauskas scoring 17 points, McInnis 13 and James 12, Cleveland shot 59 percent (24-of-41) from the floor to open a 58-43 halftime lead. The Cavs got 14 of those points on seven dunks, including a spectacular alley-oop by James.
Cavaliers rookie forward Anderson Varejao, quickly becoming a Cleveland fan favorite with his fearless hustle and frizzy hairstyle, made a sensational play in the first half.
After ripping the ball from Garnett near the foul line, the 6-foot-10 Brazilian drove the length of the floor, wrapped the ball around his back and scored on a soft, left-handed scoop.