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Cavaliers handle Warriors behind 42 points from James
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The Cavaliers’ LeBron James drives past the Warriors’ David Lee during the second quarter of their game Thursday at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland. James posted 42 points for the Cavs, who downed the Warriors, 110-99.
Akron Beacon Journal
CLEVELAND
LeBron James’ candidacy for Most Valuable Player has been slow to gain traction this season but with seven weeks left, that might soon start changing.
James scored a season-high 42 points, Kyrie Irving scored 24 and the Cavaliers beat the Golden State Warriors on Thursday 110-99 for their 18th victory in their last 20 games.
Despite winning four MVP awards, James has gone largely unnoticed this season while the Warriors’ Steph Curry and Houston’s James Harden have garnered most of the attention. But James outscored and outplayed Curry on Thursday, scoring more points than both Splash Brothers combined. Curry scored 18 points and Klay Thompson had 13 for the Warriors, who lost for the second time in their last three games. They haven’t dropped two games this close together since Christmas.
Curry managed just six points after the first quarter and shot just 1 for 9 in the second half while Thompson was a non-factor most of the night. Curry’s final shot was indicative of his evening: an air ball in the final minute when the outcome had already been decided.
James has remained relatively silent on MVP talk this season, but his coach began the late-season candidacy.
“If you ask me there’s no discussion about the MVP if he’s not involved in it,” David Blatt said. “Stephen has had a fabulous year and he’s a great player and he’s deserving of all the credit that he’s been getting and certainly deserving to be a frontrunner for that award. But so is our guy.”
The Cavs opened a 16-point lead in the third quarter, the Warriors’ deepest deficit in more than three weeks. The Dallas Mavericks led by 22 against them, but in another sign of the Warriors’ might, Curry scored 51 points and they still won that night by 14.
Not this time.
The Cavs have been the NBA’s best team for the last six weeks and proved it by beating the league’s best team this season.
Kevin Love had 16 points and eight rebounds and Timofey Mozgov had 10 points and 10 rebounds for the Cavs, while Tristan Thompson had 12 points and eight rebounds off the bench.
David Lee scored 19 points off the bench for the Warriors, while Draymond Green had 16 points and eight rebounds.
These teams met previously in early January, but it was Mozgov’s first game with the Cavs and J.R. Smith’s second. James and Iman Shumpert were both injured, yet the Cavs still remained competitive until the final minutes when the Warriors finally blew it open.
The Cavs are so far improved from that version, however, Warriors coach Steve Kerr said he didn’t even bother watching the film from that game in preparation for Thursday. The Cavs equally insisted they weren’t taking Thursday’s game as a measuring stick to see how they compare to the league’s elite.
“I don’t think we need to go through any litmus tests,” Blatt said. “I think we know what we’re capable of doing and I think we’ve shown that.”
Irving departed with 1:54 left in the third quarter and headed to the locker room with his left shoulder dangling. He eventually returned to the game in the fourth quarter after the team said he just got his shoulder “bumped.”
The Cavaliers visit the Indiana Pacers today. Tip-off is at 7 p.m.
Cleveland plays eight of its next 10 on the road, a challenging stretch that includes games at Houston, Toronto, Dallas, San Antonio and Miami.