Cavaliers remain unbeaten at home

CLEVELAND (AP) — With their big man back, the Cleveland Cavaliers looked much more like one of the NBA’s Eastern giants.

Zydrunas Ilgauskas scored 20 points with 11 rebounds in his first game in exactly one month because of a broken left ankle and LeBron James added 25 points as the Cavaliers remained perfect at home with a 112-95 win over the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday night.

One night after a frustrating loss at powerful Orlando, the Cavaliers improved to 22-0 on their own floor and tied the franchise record for the most consecutive home wins, set in the 1988-89 season.

Mo Williams added 23 points for Cleveland, now 9-0 after a loss.

Rookie Eric Gordon scored 27 for the Clippers, who stayed close for nearly three quarters before dropping their eighth straight road game as they began a seven-game trip. Los Angeles has lost 18 of 20.

Ilgauskas had hoped to return to the lineup on Thursday against the Magic. But although Ilgauskas traveled with the Cavaliers to Florida expecting to play, Cleveland coach Mike Brown sat his 7-foot-3 center against Orlando All-Star Dwight Howard, explaining that he didn’t want to subject Ilgauskas to playing on consecutive nights so soon.

The Cavs managed to go 9-4 while Ilgauskas was sidelined, but their offense wasn’t nearly as efficient without one of its better outside shooters and main inside threats.

Ilgauskas’s presence alone opened the floor for James and Williams. He also finished 10-of-16 in 28 minutes.

The Clippers, who made eight 3s in the first half, were within 89-83 in the fourth when Williams hit a 3-pointer and the Cavs scored a few easy baskets inside to pull away and finally put away one of the league’s weaklings.

After the game it was announced that Brown will be the head coach of the East All-Stars, the first time he has earned that honor. The Cavs’ 36-9 mark can do no worse than tie for the best mark in the Eastern Conference on Sunday’s deadline date. Because Celtics coach Doc Rivers is not eligible due to coaching in last year’s game, and because Magic coach Stan Van Gundy coached in the 2005 game, Brown automatically earned the honor.

The Cavs jumped to an 18-2 lead and looked to be ready to put the Clippers away quickly.

But Gordon made two 3-pointers, and after James went out with his second foul, the Clippers went on a 17-4 run to pull even at 26 apiece after one.