Point guard Andre Miller suffered a dislocated right shoulder late in the game, moments before the Cavaliers pulled away for a 107-102 victory over the Rockets, who are in the midst of their worst losing streak since the 1977-78 season.
Houston dropped its 11th in a row despite nearly recovering from an early 20-point deficit. Meanwhile, the Cavaliers won for the sixth time in eight games after winning in Houston for the first time since March 21, 1996.
 Lamond Murray's 45 minutes and 20 points meant the world to the Cavs. Bill Baptist NBAE/Getty Images |
Houston played without guard Glen Rice (sore left knee) and center Kelvin Cato (left wrist sprain) and star guard Steve Francis, who is on the injured list.
Kenny Thomas made the first of two free throws with 5:47 to play, bringing Houston within 87-86. However, on the ensuing scramble after he missed the second attempt, Miller collided with Thomas and was forced from the contest.
Moments later, Zydrunas Ilgauskas completed a three-point play that gave Cleveland a 90-86 lead. The oft-injured Lithuanian center, who finished with a season-high 22 points in 23 minutes, added another basket with 4:43 left and had 13 fourth-quarter points.
"I knew they would give me the ball then (after Miller got hurt), " Ilgauskas said. "I tried to keep my composure and just make shots."
Jumaine Jones collected 16 points and 11 rebounds for the Cavaliers, who snapped a four-game road-losing streak, improving to 3-7 away from Gund Arena.
Lucas, the Cavs' coach, had three different stints playing for the Rockets, including his final season, the 1989-90 campaign.
"(Ilgauskas) was a factor down the stretch," said Lucas. "That was the difference in the game. We showed a lot of poise when they came back on us."
Cuttino Mobley scored a season-high 33 points to lead the Rockets, whose last win came at Portland on November 20.
"It's not fun when you are losing, but I've got to do whatever I can do," Mobley said. "I'm paid to score and for us to get wins, but right now we are in a very, very bad slump."
Houston also received a career-high 28 points from rookie Oscar Torres. Thomas collected 14 points and eight rebounds for the Rockets, who shot 45 percent (36-of-80) despite going 9-of-18 on 3-pointers.
Torres shot 10-of-11, including a 5-of-5 performance from 3-point range.
Lamond Murray scored 20 points for the Cavaliers, who took a 28-8 lead on an 18-foot jumper by Chris Mihm with 3 1/2 minutes to play in the opening quarter. Cleveland led, 32-18, after 12 minutes.
"We knew we were too big inside for them, so we wanted to get it to the big guy (Ilgauskas)," Murray said. "Even when they cut the lead to one point, we weren't worried. We just had to get the ball to `Z'".
However, the Rockets scored the last 11 points of the third quarter to get back into the game and opened the final period on a 7-2 run, fighting within 83-81 on a 3-pointer by Mobley with just under eight minutes left.
Mobley scored nine points during the 18-2 burst that bridged the third and fourth quarters.