The NBA-leading Cleveland Cavaliers downed the Atlanta Hawks 93-88 on Friday to reach the 60-wins mark for the second successive season.
LeBron James moved up a gear in the second half, finishing the game with 27 points and 13 rebounds, as the Cavaliers (60-16) secured their 10th consecutive home win.
“Our goals are huge, much bigger than winning 60 games or clinching home court,” James told reporters. “But when those happen you embrace it.”
The Cavaliers went a league-leading 66-16 last season but were eliminated in the Eastern Conference finals, falling in six games to the Orlando Magic.
Atlanta kept the game close until the fourth quarter when they went more than six minutes without a field goal. Cleveland scored 14 consecutive points at one point in the quarter.
“Our guys did a great job of bringing the juice,” Cavaliers coach Mike Brown said. “They brought energy, effort and focus.”
Guard Mo Williams chipped in with 24 points while forward J.J. Hickson had a career-high 16 rebounds as Cleveland improved to 34-4 at home this season. They have won 17 of their last 19.
James had 18 points in the second half.
“Early on I missed three lay-ups I usually make,” James said. “So my confidence never got down, and I knew in the second half I was going to make those same shots.”
Cleveland, though continuing to play without injured center Shaquille O’Neal, also dominated inside, forcing Atlanta to shoot jumpers.
“We’re definitely cleaning the glass up and we all had to rebound,” James said.
The loss was Atlanta’s third in a row to Cleveland this season. The Hawks have faded in the fourth quarter of all three.
“I wish I knew [why],” Hawks coach Mike Woodson said. “We’ve had close games against them, and we can’t find any offense in the fourth quarter.”
Josh Smith had 20 points for the playoff-bound Hawks (48-27), who trail Cleveland and Orlando in the Eastern Conference.
SPURS 112, MAGIC 100
At San Antonio, Manu Ginobili scored 43 points, his fourth 30-plus game since replacing Tony Parker in the starting lineup last month, to lead the San Antonio Spurs to victory over the Orlando Magic on Friday.
Tim Duncan had 23 points and the Spurs temporarily pulled themselves out of the last playoff seed in the West, where San Antonio is bunched up with Portland and Oklahoma City in a race to avoid the No. 8 spot.
Rashard Lewis and Mickael Pietrus had 18 apiece for Orlando.
LAKERS 106, JAZZ 92
At Los Angeles, Lamar Odom and Kobe Bryant triggered an offensive burst in the fourth quarter to help Los Angeles beat Utah and avoid a third straight loss.
Odom finished with a season-high 26 points and 10 rebounds, and Bryant had 25 points, going 15 of 18 from the free throw line, hours after the defending NBA champions announced he signed a three-year contract extension worth nearly US$90 million.
Deron Williams had 20 points and 10 assists, and Carlos Boozer had 20 points and 18 rebounds for the Jazz, who had their three-game winning streak snapped.
ROCKETS 119, CELTICS 114, OT
At Boston, Rajon Rondo set Boston’s single-season record for assists in the Celtics’ loss to the Houston Rockets.
Rondo came into the game with 714 assists, one short of Bob Cousy’s total in 1959-1960.
Rondo picked up a brace of assists early in the first quarter, the second one setting up Kevin Garnett with 8:45 left in the quarter.
At the next break, the milestone was noted by the public address announcer, drawing applause from fans and Rondo’s teammates.
Cousy retired in 1970 as the NBA’s career leader with 6,955 assists. He is now 14th on the all-time list.
WARRIORS 128, KNICKS 117
At Oakland, California, Don Nelson moved within one win of tying Lenny Wilkens for the most victories by an NBA coach when Golden State beat New York.
Anthony Morrow scored a season-high 35 points and Reggie Williams added 23 to help Nelson secure his 1,331st win. He has seven games left this season to tie and break Wilkens’ mark of 1,332.
David Lee led the Knicks with a season-high 37 points, 20 rebounds and 10 assists for his first career triple-double.
BOBCATS 87, BUCKS 86, OT
At Charlotte, North Carolina, Stephen Jackson scored 32 points and hit the go-ahead three-pointer with a minute left in overtime to lead Charlotte over Milwaukee and further crowd the Eastern Conference playoff race.
Jackson won a scoring duel with John Salmons, who had 28 points and whose three-pointer in the closing second of regulation tied it.
Carlos Delfino scored 14 points in his first game since a scary head injury for Milwaukee. Andrew Bogut added 19 points, 12 rebounds and matched a career high with seven blocks as the Bucks dropped their second tight game in a row.
SUNS 109, PISTONS 94
At Auburn Hills, Michigan, Amare Stoudemire scored 27 points on 13-of-15 shooting, as Phoenix won its 10th straight by beating Detroit.
Jared Dudley added a career-high 20 points, hitting 6-of-7 3-pointers, and Grant Hill had 17 against the team where he started his career.
Reserve guard Ben Gordon scored 20 points for Detroit.
In other NBA action, it was:
• Heat 105, Pacers 96, OT
• Grizzlies 107, Hornets 96
• Bulls 95, Wizards 87
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