James sparkles on offense, defense in Cavs win

By Sam Amico, for NBA.com
Posted Sunday January 24, 2010 12:04AM

CLEVELAND (NBA.com exclusive) -- The Oklahoma City Thunder hope to be more like the Cleveland Cavaliers someday.

LeBron James sent a reminder that they're not quite there yet.

James saved the day with the game's biggest defensive play, swatting away Thunder standout Kevin Durant's left-handed shot near the rim with time running out to preserve a 100-99 Cavs win Saturday at Quicken Loans Arena.

That came just a few moments after James passed for the game's biggest assist. James started to drive to the basket with 9 seconds left in the game, but instead dished off to Daniel Gibson, who was positioned outside the 3-point line. Gibson buried the shot, giving the Cavs a 98-96 edge with 8.7 seconds.

It was the classic display of drive-and-kick basketball, the type of fundamental and smart play James executes so well and so often.

It's no wonder Cleveland fans spend the majority of their fourth quarters chanting "M-V-P, M-V-P" in reference to their superstar. After all, James brings it night after night after night -- playing everything from point guard to power forward on both offense and defense.

"He's head and shoulders above everybody else right now," marveled Cavs coach Mike Brown.

And again, James came close to a triple-double, finishing with 37 points, 12 assists and nine rebounds on an otherwise so-so night for the Cavs (34-11).

Of course, the up-and-coming Thunder (24-20) may have had something to do with that. Despite trailing by as many as 13 points in the first half, the Thunder scrapped back and made a game of it. These days, that's nothing new.

"I have a group of guys who make me so proud of their toughness," said Thunder coach Scott Brooks. "It's a special group of guys who just love to compete. But you have to go through some tough losses to understand what it takes to win in this league."

Speaking of toughness, that is especially true of Durant, the Thunder's 6-foot-9 smooth operator of a small forward. Durant may not play with as much flair as a James or a Kobe Bryant, but you had better prepare for him just the same.

Durant practically matched James shot for shot, as Durant scored 34 points and grabbed 10 rebounds.

He has also compiled an NBA-best 25 games of 30 or more points -- and has scored 25 or more in 18 straight. In other words, the Western Conference should be prepared to say hello to its newest All-Star.

The Cavs were playing their second straight game without starting point guard Mo Williams, who is expected to miss 4-6 weeks with a sprained shoulder. Delonte West, who started in place of Williams in Thursday's win over the Lakers, sat out with a broken pinky.

So Gibson was the floor leader by default and responded fairly well, finishing with 13 points and even a couple of blocked shots. But nothing, of course, was bigger than his three at the end.

It rescued the Cavs from a night in which they were a miserable 20-for-40 shooting on free throws and failed to take care of the basketball.

"If you would have told me before the game that we'd go 20-for-40 from the line and commit 17 turnovers to their eight turnovers, and that we somehow still win, I would've been a little shocked," Brown said.

Of course, it likely would've been less shocking had someone told Brown that James would be guarding the opposing team's best player with time running out and the Cavs leading by two points.

"What a spectacular block; what a great play," Brown said. "There are things he does out there that not many people can do."

Meanwhile, James said he was just doing what needed to be done.

"I take just as much pride on the defensive end as I do the offensive end," James said. "I tried to force him left to give him a different look, then stay on his hip to make a play on the ball. That was big."

Cavs forward Jawad Williams added a career-high 12 points, and J.J. Hickson grabbed nine rebounds to go with his nine points.

Russell Westbrook scored 23 points for the Thunder, who suffered their second road loss in two nights by two points or less.

"All of our losses these last couple weeks have been under two or three points and that's tough," admitted Durant. "We're just trying to get over that hump. But they made the plays down the stretch, more plays than we did, so give the credit to them."

Durant hit a 3-pointer at the final buzzer for the final score.

• Thunder: Harpring, Weaver, White
• Cavaliers: Powe, West, Williams

• Thunder: --
• Cavaliers: --

• Lead Changes: 6
• Times Tied: 6

• Arena: Quicken Loans Arena, Cleveland, OH
• Officials: #19 James Capers, #56 Mark Ayotte, #74 Curtis Blair
• Attendance: 20562
• Duration: 2:23