CAVALIERS Win over Rockets completes James' string of conquests
Houston fell to 3-20 without Tracy McGrady.
HOUSTON (AP) -- The Cleveland Cavaliers got their second overtime win of the week and LeBron James took down the only NBA team he'd yet to beat.
James scored 36 points, including the go-ahead dunk with 3:24 remaining in overtime, to lead the Cavaliers to a 104-102 victory over the Houston Rockets Sunday.
Four days after hitting his first game-winner in the final seconds for a 120-118 overtime victory over Charlotte, James broke his personal five-game losing streak against Houston.
Inching closer
The win was Cleveland's fifth straight and helped the Cavaliers move closer to their first playoff berth since 1998.
"It was exciting," James said. "We did a great job. Yao's [Ming] very talented and it's tough to beat this team. To get a win on their court is even better."
The Cavaliers were ahead 103-101 when Damon Jones hit the second of two free throws to stretch the lead.
Houston's Rafer Alston made the first of two free throws with less than a second remaining and intentionally missed the second one, but the ball was thrown out of bounds.
The Rockets didn't lead in overtime, but tied the game twice on baskets by Yao before James' dunk.
"Going through games like this should really help us to be able to close it the right way," Cavs coach Mike Brown said. "To execute it offensively and defensively at the end is huge."
Forced overtime
James forced overtime when he made a layup followed by a free throw after being fouled by Yao with 22 seconds to go. Yao had a chance for the win, but lost the ball just outside the lane under heavy pressure.
"That was a tough one to lose," Alston said. "That's a game that should have been won in regulation. We were up three with a little bit of time on the clock and we had so many ways we could have played that. We're left pondering what could have been."
Zydrunas Ilgauskas added 21 points for Cleveland and was all over Yao all day, forcing him into 9-of-21 shooting. Jones had a season-high 22 points and made 5-of-6 3-pointers.
For Jones, who played at the University of Houston, the win was especially sweet.
"It was awesome," he said. "This was my first win in Houston in my eight-year career. It feels great. It's just very big for me. I've always wanted to come home and play well."
In regulation
In the back and forth game that featured 18 lead changes, the Rockets took the lead with a bucket by Luther Head with 34 seconds remaining and stretched their advantage to 91-88 after two free throws by Juwan Howard.
Yao led Houston with 27 points and Alston added 22. The Rockets fell to 3-20 without Tracy McGrady, who could be out for the season with back problems.