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.”
Brazil has four teams, more than any other country, in the expanded Club World Cup that kicked off yesterday in the US, but for SE Palmeiras, the competition holds a special meaning: winning it would provide some redemption. Under coach Abel Ferreira since 2020, Palmeiras lifted two Copa Libertadores titles, plus Brazilian league, cup and state championships. Even before Ferreira, it boasted another South American crown and 11 league titles. The only major trophy missing is a world champions’ title. Other Brazilian clubs like Fluminense FC and Botafogo FR, also in the tournament, have never won it either, but the problem for Palmeiras
Manchester City on Monday completed the signing of left-back Rayan Ait-Nouri from Wolverhampton Wanderers for a reported ￡31 million (US$41.8 million). The 24-year-old Algeria international has signed a five-year contract and will be available for the FIFA Club World Cup, which begins later this week. Ait-Nouri is expected to be just one of a trio of new City faces for that tournament with deals close to completion for AC Milan midfielder Tijjani Reijnders and Olympique Lyonnais playmaker Rayan Cherki. After missing out on a major trophy in the recently completed season for the first time since 2016-2017, City are hoping
Paris Saint-Germain’s Lee Kang-in has pleaded with South Korea fans to get behind the team at the 2026 FIFA World Cup after more boos were aimed at coach Hong Myung-bo despite leading them to qualification. South Korea reached next year’s finals in North America without losing a game, but that does not tell the whole story. The country’s soccer association has been in the firing line, having scrambled about to find a successor after sacking the unpopular Jurgen Klinsmann in February last year. They eventually settled on Hong, the decorated former skipper who had an unsuccessful stint as coach in 2013-2014, during which
Lionel Messi drew vast crowds and showed flashes of his brilliance when his Inter Miami side were held to a goalless draw by African giants Al-Ahly as the revamped FIFA Club World Cup got off to a festive start on Saturday. Fans showed up en masse for the Group A clash at the Hard Rock Stadium, home to the NFL’s Miami Dolphins, but Messi could not fully deliver, his best chance coming through a last-second attempt that was deflected onto the crossbar. Inter Miami next face FC Porto on Thursday in Atlanta, while Al-Ahly, who benefited from raucous, massive support, are to
RSS