Cavaliers 97, Hornets 88
LeBron James collected 27 points, a season high-tying 13 assists and seven rebounds as Cleveland jumped out to a big lead and held off visiting Charlotte.
Kevin Love added 22 points and a season-high 18 rebounds as the Cavaliers bounced back from two straight losses. Kyrie Irving scored 16 points and Tristan Thompson had 10 off the bench for Cleveland.
Kemba Walker had 24 points, five rebounds and five assists to lead the Hornets. Al Jefferson recorded 14 points and eight rebounds while Marvin Williams scored 10 in a reserve role for Charlotte.
The Hornets missed their first 10 shots and turned the ball over three times in the first six minutes as the Cavaliers burst out to a 21-0 lead. Love scored 10 points and James had five assists during the run, and Cleveland held a 34-17 cushion at the end of the first quarter.
Charlotte battled all the way back within 43-40 on Walker’s jumper with just under four minutes left in the half but the Cavaliers scored the next nine points and took a 54-45 lead into the break before stretching it to 80-68 at the end of the third quarter. Cleveland led by as much as 15 points early in the fourth and the Hornets never seriously threatened the rest of the way.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Cleveland’s 21-0 start was the largest in the NBA since Portland jumped out to a 22-0 edge on Boston Feb. 21, 2004. … Cavaliers Gs Dion Waiters and Matthew Dellavedova, who both stayed behind in a New Orleans hospital to deal with an illness over the weekend, played and combined for seven points (all by Waiters) in 36 minutes off the bench. … Hornets F Michael Kidd-Gilchrist returned to the starting lineup after coming off the bench in three straight games and responded with one point on 0-of-4 shooting.