Cavaliers get much-needed win vs. Nets
CLEVELAND -- LeBron James scored 31 points and passed for 11 assists, Kyrie Irving scored 28 points and the Cleveland Cavaliers beat the lowly Brooklyn Nets 124-116 Friday night, just their third win in their last nine games.
The final was closer than it should have been because the Nets scored 43 points in the fourth quarter, continuing a trend they have set all season. It's the third time this season they have scored at least 40 points against the Cavs in the fourth quarter -- but they lost all three games.
It was the fourth-straight loss for the Nets and the 15th in their last 16 games. Perhaps sensing the impending doom, coach Kenny Atkinson rested Brook Lopez and Caris LeVert after already being without Trevor Booker (illness), Joe Harris (sprained ankle) and Jeremy Lin (hamstring).
Kevin Love scored 13 points and grabbed 14 rebounds one day after he was named an All-Star and Tristan Thompson added 10 points and 10 rebounds.
It has been a volatile week for the Cavs, who needed a victory to shift some of the focus off the relationship between James and the rest of the organization. He was terrific again Friday, making 13 of 18 shots and adding five rebounds. Kyle Korver scored 14 points off the bench after a slow start.
Sean Kilpatrick scored 18 points for the Nets and Bojan Bogdanovic scored 17. Isaiah Whitehead and Randy Foye each scored 16. Atkinson knew before the game he was walking into a trap.
"Putting them on edge isn't the best thing in the world (for us)," Atkinson said. "But I think Tyronn Lue said it best: they're a great team."
Lue reminded his players before Wednesday's overtime loss to the Sacramento Kings they were the defending champs. He is confident eventually they'll start playing like it again.
"We're the champs and right now we're going through a tough stretch but that's nothing," Lue said. "Everybody goes through a tough stretch. Now you got to dig yourself out of it. We're capable of doing it. We are going to do it. We are the champs, we do have a great team and we have the (fourth) best record in the NBA right now so we got to play like it."
NOTES: F Quincy Acy's second 10-day contract expires Sunday. The Nets will either have to sign him for the rest of the season or cut him loose. "No decision has been made yet," coach Kenny Atkinson said. ... At 32, Cavs F LeBron James will be the oldest player in the All-Star game this season. He'll also be without any of his close friends in Chris Paul, Carmelo Anthony and Dwyane Wade. "Obviously, it sucks not having my guys there that I've spent so many All-Star weekends with," he said. "For me personally, it's an honor to be able to represent this franchise, represent my family. Like I said, I'm doing something right. I just want to try to continue that." ... James on his relationship with owner Dan Gilbert, which has been scrutinized this week: "He's the owner of the team, I'm one of the players on the team," he said. "I think all 14 guys have a working relationship with our owner. It's not about me and it's not about him, so, it's a non-issue."