James erupts for 44 points as Cavaliers dispatch Hornets
CLEVELAND -- LeBron James scored a season-high 44 points and became the first frontcourt player to pass for 7,000 assists as the Cleveland Cavaliers recorded a 116-105 win over the Charlotte Hornets on Saturday.
The milestone pass was vintage James, a skip pass down the lane to a streaking Tristan Thompson that few other players could even see, let alone complete. It was his highest scoring regular-season effort since returning to Cleveland and matched the 44 points he scored in a Game 1 overtime loss against the Golden State Warriors in Game 1 of the Finals in 2015.
Kemba Walker scored 24 points and Cody Zeller had 17 points and nine rebounds for the Hornets, who had their three-game winning streak snapped. This was the first stop in a five-game road trip for Charlotte.
Every time the Hornets rallied, James was there to swat them away. His consecutive 3-pointers late in the third quarter, after the Hornets pulled within 75-72, kept the Cavaliers in control the rest of the night.
Kevin Love scored 22 points and Tristan Thompson had 13 points and 12 rebounds, but the night belonged to James as the Cavs shot a season-best 58 percent from the floor to win their fourth straight. The Cavaliers' two best shooting nights of the season both came this weekend. The 55 percent they shot Friday against the Miami Heat lasted just 24 hours.
Cleveland's third star, Kyrie Irving, struggled through one of his toughest nights. Irving finished with 11 points, ending his streak of 12 consecutive games with at least 20 points. That was the longest streak of Irving's career and the longest active streak in the NBA.
The Cavs made 13 more 3-pointers, offsetting their 18 turnovers.
It was James' first 40-point game during the regular season since Feb. 26, 2015 when he scored 42 in a home win against the Warriors, although he also did it in consecutive victories during last season's NBA Finals against the Warriors.
NOTES: Cleveland Coach Tyronn Lue believes SF LeBron James, PG Kyrie Irving and PF Kevin Love should all be All-Stars this season. Love hasn't made an All-Star team since joining the Cavs. "We should have three this year," Lue said. "The way these guys are playing and being No. 1 in the East right now, usually when that happens and you're winning, guys are rewarded." ... James was averaging a career-high four turnovers per game, but Lue said it's primarily because of how much he has played with the ball in his hands this season. "It doesn't concern me," Lue said. ... The Hornets possess a better winning percentage on the road (6-4) than at home (8-6). "We've had more intensity on the road," Charlotte coach Steve Clifford said. ... Saturday marked the first stop on a five-game road trip for the Hornets, who play Monday at Indiana.