James returns to lead Cavs to victory

After missing the last game, he scored 28 points in the 98-84 win over the Clippers.

CLEVELAND (AP) — LeBron James scored 28 points after missing a game with a sprained right ankle, leading the Cleveland Cavaliers to a 98-84 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers Saturday night.

James missed Cleveland’s 101-95 loss in Seattle Thursday after injuring the ankle the previous night against Portland. James, the NBA’s leading scorer, went through a hard workout on the court before the game Saturday. The Cavaliers, who are 0-6 without James this season, announced he would start about 45 minutes before the game.

That provided even more bad news for the Clippers, who played their fourth straight game without leading scorers Corey Maggette and Chris Kaman. Both were out with the flu and Los Angeles dressed nine players.

The lack of depth proved to be a problem, just as it was Friday night in Minnesota, when the Clippers led by four at halftime but scored 27 points in the final two quarters of a 104-83 loss.

Los Angeles took a 47-42 lead late in the second quarter. Daniel Gibson’s 3-pointer cut the lead to two at halftime.

With the score tied at 53 midway through the third period, a tip-in and a jumper by Ira Newble, a tip-in by Zydrunas Ilgauskas and a jump shot by James sparked an 8-2 run, and Cleveland was never challenged. An end-to-end drive and layup by James stretched the lead to 72-63 with just over two minutes left.

Ilgauskas’ tip-in of James’ missed layup pushed the lead to 79-69 with 9:28 left in the game.

Al Thornton led the Clippers with 23 points while Cuttino Mobley scored 19.

Ilgauskas had 22 points and 13 rebounds for the Cavaliers. Drew Gooden added 14 points and 12 boards, while James had 11 rebounds.

Tim Thomas scored 15 points for Los Angeles. Josh Powell added 13.

The Cavaliers, whose biggest lead was 14 late in the game, outrebounded the Clippers, 50-35.

James missed five games in late November and early December after spraining his left index finger. The Cavaliers were 9-3 during the previous two years when James was sidelined.

The Clippers are on a seven-game trip, their longest of the season. They also play in New York, Boston, Toronto, Philadelphia and Milwaukee.