LeBron James sparked a game-deciding third quarter run as the Cleveland Cavaliers crushed the Houston Rockets 108-83 for their fourth consecutive win on Sunday.
James had eight of his 29 points in the first four minutes of the second half and the Cavaliers outscored the Rockets 32-15 in the third quarter to break open a close game.
Cleveland trailed 16-4 early in the first quarter before responding to forge a 51-48 at half-time lead, with James blaming the sluggish start on a four-game Western swing in which they won three times.
PHOTO: REUTERS
“You can’t shy away from the fact that those road trips take a toll on you when you come back home,” James told reporters. “You are trying to catch up on sleep but at the same time you have a job to do.”
Houston coach Rick Adelman admitted that a fourth game in five nights had also taken its toll.
“We ran out of energy,” Adelman said. “It was just a very poor second half.”
Mo Williams added 20 points and Shaquille O’Neal had 13 and 11 rebounds for the Central Division leaders.
Williams sank four of the Cavaliers’ seven three-pointers with James adding two.
“We’re playing better together and getting more comfortable together and where my spots are,” Williams said of James.
Guard Aaron Brooks paced Houston with 23 points.
CLIPPERS 92, CELTICS 90
Baron Davis hit a long, fallaway jump shot at the buzzer as the Los Angeles Clippers dramatically snapped the Boston Celtics’ nine-game road winning streak with a 92-90 victory on Sunday.
Rajon Rondo scored 20 points for the Celtics.
Davis had 24 points and 13 assists for the Clippers, who snapped a three-game losing streak.
Rasual Butler hit a dramatic tying 3-pointer off a drive-and-dish pass from Davis with 8.5 seconds left.
Kevin Garnett had 12 points and eight rebounds while playing mostly on the perimeter with a sore back for the Celtics, whose three-game winning streak ended two days after their impressive Christmas victory over the Orlando Magic. Boston managed just two points in the final 3:30.
SPURS 95, KNICKS 85
At New York, Tony Parker scored 22 points, Manu Ginobili added 17, and the duo made the key plays in the final minutes to power San Antonio to a victory over New York.
Tim Duncan finished with 13 points while being outplayed by David Lee, but Parker and Ginobili combined for all of San Antonio’s points after the game was tied at 84 with less than three-and-a-half minutes remaining. The Spurs won for the eighth time in 10 games.
RAPTORS 102, PISTONS 95
At Toronto, Chris Bosh had 25 points and 16 rebounds, and Jarrett Jack scored 17 points as Toronto extended its winning streak to a season-high four games.
Even with Richard Hamilton, Tayshaun Prince and Ben Gordon all back in the lineup, the Pistons couldn’t stop their losing streak from reaching seven games.
Hamilton and Gordon each scored 15 and Jonas Jerebko and Rodney Stuckey both had 14 for the Pistons. Ben Wallace had 10 points and nine rebounds.
MAVERICKS 104, NUGGETS 96
At Denver, Drew Gooden scored 19 points and Dirk Nowitzki hit a vital 3-pointer late in the game as Dallas handed Denver its second loss at home this season.
Gooden also had 10 rebounds. Nowitzki added 13 points and 11 rebounds.
Denver was led in scoring by Kenyon Martin with 18 points. He also had 11 rebounds. Carmelo Anthony was held to 16 points, well below his league-leading average of 30.4 entering the game.
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