NBA Nets make Frank 9-0, top Cavs

Lawrence Frank tied the league record for the best start as a coach.
CLEVELAND (AP) -- When it became obvious he would never be good enough or big enough to play in the NBA, Lawrence Frank dreamed of being a coach.
And so far, he's a perfect one.
Frank improved to 9-0 since taking over in New Jersey and the Nets got 27 points from Kerry Kittles in winning their 10th straight game, 105-85 over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday night.
Frank, a 33-year-old who got cut three times from his high school team, tied the league record for the best start as a coach. Kurt Rambis (Los Angeles Lakers, 1998-99) and Buddy Jeannette (Baltimore Bullets, 1947-48) each won their first nine games.
"Naismith, Wooden, all of them would be proud of him," Nets All-Star guard Jason Kidd said. "He doesn't like the attention, but the team is happy for him."
Second in history
Kittles scored all his points in the second half for the Nets (31-20), who became just the second team in league history to win 10 straight games by more than 10 points, tying a mark set by the 1946-47 Washington Capitals coached by Red Auerbach.
New Jersey's 10-game winning streak is its second-longest ever. The Nets won 11 in a row in 1982-83, and can tie that mark when they play Atlanta after the All-Star break.
The Nets also became just the second team to follow a five-game losing streak by winning 10 in a row. Denver also did that in 1977-78.
But the postgame focus was on Frank, who has the Nets playing their best ball of the season.
"He's a leader," Kittles said. "Give him credit, he's pushing the right buttons. He comes up with a good game plan and we all feel comfortable going in."
Kidd added 14 points and 12 rebounds, and Kenyon Martin, who will also play for the Eastern Conference Sunday in Los Angeles, had 21 points.
Season-high rebounds
Zydrunas Ilgauskas had 13 points and a season-high 17 rebounds to pace the Cavs, who hung with the Nets for nearly three quarters before Kittles and Kidd took them apart.
Rookie LeBron James had just nine points -- his lowest output in 29 games -- and shot only 2-of-13 in 29 minutes. James looked and played tired. Before he grabbed a private jet to L.A., Cavs coach Paul Silas told his rookie to get some rest during his first All-Star weekend.
"I'm going to," James said. "It's been a long season. It's been about as long as three of my high school seasons."
Earlier this week, James said he was still thinking about participating in the slam dunk contest. Wednesday night he said he won't.
Kittles missed his only field goal attempt in the first half, but scored 20 points on 8-of-10 shooting in the third quarter when the Nets outscored Cleveland 37-24.
He drained a 3-pointer to kick off an 18-4 run that Richard Jefferson capped with a two-handed stuff as the Nets opened a 77-64 lead.