The Cleveland Cavaliers can finally close the book on LeBron James. Well, maybe that isn’t the case but the Cavaliers took a major step in that direction tonight beating the Miami Heat at Quicken Loans Arena 102-90. P
Perhaps most gratifying is not the win itself, but how the Cavaliers won. A game that was dictated by large runs by both teams, the Cavaliers recovered from giving up leads of 16 and 23 to hold on to the win.
The Cavaliers led 50-34 with 2 minutes to go in the 2nd quarter only to see Miami score 8 straight points to cut the lead to 8. Up 11 at halftime, the Heat scored the first 6 points of the 3rd quarter to cut the Cavaliers lead to 53-48. The Cavs then scored 18 straight points to lead 71-48 before the Heat made another run, this time to end the third quarter. A LeBron James half-court three at the buzzer made the score 75-70 Cavaliers heading to the final 12 minutes.
The Heat actually ties the game at 83-83 with 6:28 to go before the Cavaliers used a 12-0 run to take control and put the game away.
Anthony Parker scored 20 points for the Cavaliers while J.J. Hickson scored 21 points and grabbed 12 rebounds. Baron Davis, who set the tone for the game by saying the Cavaliers would be all business this time around scored 10 points and dished out 7 assists in 24 minutes. Davis was clearly in discomfort, bothered by a sore knee.
LeBron James scored 27 points while Dwyane Wade added 24 for the Heat. Mike Bibby was huge as well, scoring 23 points on 7-11 from deep. The Cavaliers shot 55% from the field and outrebounded the Heat 44-30.
In what might be his last game at The Q, Zydrunas Ilgauskas was held scoreless in 7 minutes.