Cavaliers road woes continue in Texas

LeBron James scored 27 points in Cleveland’s 95-85 loss in Houston.

HOUSTON (AP) — Aaron Brooks scored 27 points, Trevor Ariza scored 26 and the Houston Rockets held LeBron James and the Cavaliers to one of their worst offensive performances of the season in a 95-85 win over Cleveland on Wednesday night.

James scored 27 points, but went only 8 for 21 from the field.

No other Cleveland starter reached double figures and the Cavs matched their season-low point total.

They outrebounded Houston 47-37, but committed 20 turnovers and mustered only 19 points in both the first and third quarters.

Shane Battier scored 14 points and played effective defense on James all night.

The Rockets have won six of their last seven games against the Cavs in Houston. They beat Cleveland 93-74 last year, holding James without an assist for the first time in his career.

James missed five of his first six shots, part of Cleveland’s 6-for-19 start. Battier also contributed on offense, swishing a trio of 3-pointers in the opening eight minutes.

Ariza sank back-to-back 3s and Carl Landry converted a three-point play to give the Rockets a 29-14 lead.

Houston shot 52 percent (13 of 25) in the first quarter and led 33-19. Cleveland had been the league’s highest-scoring team in the first quarter, averaging 29.8 points.

With Shaquille O’Neal and James on the bench, Ariza drove for a reverse dunk with 7:17 left in the first half for a 39-27 Rockets lead. James returned a minute later, but he and the Cavs continued to struggle.

James blew a layup on a fast break near the three-minute mark of the half and Delonte West was whistled for traveling on Cleveland’s next possession.

James backed into Battier with about 90 seconds left and missed a short shot after Chuck Hayes slapped the ball as James turned to shoot. No call was made, and Cleveland coach Mike Brown was ejected after storming onto the court and yelling at referee Scott Wall.

The Cavs scored 39 points in the first half, matching a season low, and trailed by 13. James went 3 for 11 from the field in the first half.

Cleveland didn’t look much better in the third quarter, either, giving away six turnovers in the first five minutes. Mo Williams and O’Neal earned technical fouls as the Cavs’ frustration boiled over.

The Rockets missed eight of their first 11 shots out of halftime and still stretched their lead to 60-43.

Houston led 68-58 heading to the fourth and James sank a 3-pointer with 11:10 left to cut the Cavs’ deficit to seven. Rockets coach Rick Adelman earned a technical a minute later after Ariza fell to the floor on a drive and no foul was called.

James drove into Ariza and landed on his right elbow with 9:20 left, then stayed down for a few seconds, wincing in pain. He sank two free throws to cut Houston’s lead to 71-66.

Ariza hit a jumper and Landry put back an offensive rebound to push the lead back to nine. After Cleveland coughed up its 20th turnover, Ariza sank a 3-pointer and Houston led by 12 again.

The Cavs got no closer than eight points in the last five minutes.