LeBron James scored 30 points and passed out 12 assists — both game highs — to power the Cleveland Cavaliers past Washington 116-86 on Monday in a National Basketball Association playoff game.
The reigning Eastern Conference champions seized a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series with game three tomorrow at Washington.
But it will take a major reversal for the Wizards to avoid being ousted from the playoffs for the third year in a row.
PHOTO: EPA
“We know we’re not going to win game three by 30 but we will keep flying around and see what happens,” James said.
James also grabbed nine rebounds, matching a game high, and made the Wizards pay dearly for taunts about “King James” being overrated and the Cavaliers being so weak that teams looked forward to meeting them in the playoffs.
“We’re not here to talk. We’re here to move on,” James said. “We want to continue to be aggressive. We outscored them 33-23 in the third quarter and that set the tone for the rest of the game. We’re a focused team.”
Zydrunas Ilgauskas added 16 points and Wally Szczerbiak contributed 15 more for the Cavaliers, who adapted well to a physical style from the Wizards as they tried in vain to find a way to shut down James.
“It starts with me. I’m the guy they’re throwing everything at,” James said on Monday. “They are being physical, throwing triple teams at me, trying to get me out of my comfort zone and get me off my game.”
James took a hard foul and complained that he could have been seriously hurt had he not managed to get his legs under him while falling after being fouled.
“It was not a basketball play at all in no way, shape or form,” he said.
The Wizards hope referees will allow more physical play, especially when it comes to defending James.
“The referees have to loosen up. They can’t keep protecting LeBron so much,” Washington’s Andray Blatche said.
Caron Butler, Darius Songaila and DeShawn Stevenson each scored 12 points to lead the Wizards, who hit only 27-of-72 shots from the field.
“We were disappointed. We know where we messed up,” Blatche said. “It makes it more important when we get home. They did what they had to do. They protected their home court. Now we have to protect ours.”
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