Division title isn’t enough for Cavs

CLEVELAND (AP) — On his way off the floor, LeBron James stopped to admire the brand new banner hanging from the rafters high above Quicken Loans Arena.

It said: Central Division Champions 2008-09.

Nice addition. Not enough.

“We’ve got bigger goals,” James said.

Mo Williams scored 23 points, making all five of his 3-pointers, and James added 19 as the Cavaliers opened a crucial stretch of home games by beating the New York Knicks 98-93 on Sunday.

The Cavaliers didn’t put the Knicks away until the final minutes and improved the NBA’s best home record to 29-1. Cleveland, battling Boston for the best mark in the Eastern Conference and home-court advantage in the postseason, will play seven of its next eight games at Quicken Loans Arena.

With Boston’s loss to Milwaukee, the Cavs have opened a 31‚Ñ2-game lead on the defending champions. Cleveland has a chance to widen the gap in the weeks ahead.

“We know how good of a team we are at home,” James said. “We take it personal and want to win every game on our home court.”

James, who came in with three triple-doubles in his last four games, flirted with another one but finished with 10 assists and eight rebounds.

Al Harrington made five 3-pointers and scored 26 points for New York, which had its three-game winning streak stopped.

The Cavs were back home for the first time since clinching the division title on the road. There was no ceremony or mention of the banner, which dangles next to one from 1975-76 — Cleveland’s only other division championship.

“We got that before the guys on this team were born,” James said. “It’s something that we’re very proud of.”

The Knicks closed within 90-87 on a baseline jumper by David Lee, but James found Anderson Varejao underneath for two layups to give Cleveland a five-point cushion.

Harrington and Larry Hughes both missed jumpers before Varejao made two free throws and James canned a jumper to put Cleveland up 96-89 with 37 seconds left.

“They’re one of the best, if not the best team in the league,” Knicks coach Mike D’Antoni said. “To beat a team like this, we have to play extraordinary. I thought we played well, but not good enough to beat them.”