Memphis, Tenn. ? LeBron James seemed to be everywhere Monday night, and just to add a final touch, he punctuated his 31-point performance with a slam as the clock wound down.
James also had eight assists and a career-high seven steals in leading Cleveland to a 92-86 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies.
James was strong from the start, with 21 points on 10-of-12 shooting in the first half. But the rest of the Cavaliers took a little longer to warm up, especially on the defensive end.
“We gave up 30 (points) in the second quarter and 35 in the second half,” Cleveland coach Paul Silas said. “That was the difference in the game.”
After falling behind early in the second period, Cleveland erased a nine-point deficit in the third to tie it at 71 on a steal and fast-break slam by James with 1:56 left.
The teams were tied twice in the final period, but Cleveland maintained its pressure and extended its lead to 90-83 on another decisive dunk by James with 45 seconds left.
Cleveland shut down Memphis in the fourth, allowing only 13 points.
“We have been able to keep opponents under 20 points in the fourth quarter all year and that is what we were able to do tonight,” James said.
The victory snapped the Cavaliers’ two-game skid, after losses at San Antonio and Chicago.
“I can come off to a slow start at home, but on the road I have to start attacking the basket,” James said. “I can’t wait on the road. That’s what I’ve been doing the last two games and it didn’t work.”
Jeff McInnis added 18 for the Cavaliers, while Zydrunas Ilgauskas and Drew Gooden each had 11. Ilgauskas also grabbed nine rebounds.
Pau Gasol led the Grizzlies with 19 points, and Lorenzen Wright added 16 points and 10 rebounds. Mike Miller finished with 16 points and Stromile Swift had 13.
Memphis coach Mike Fratello, facing the Cavaliers for the first time since they fired him 5 1/2 years ago, said the Grizzlies struggled on defense, and not just against James.
“Defensively, we were nowhere,” Fratello said. “When they got down by eight or 10, they just dug in and turned the game around, and we just kind of wilted there at the end.”
McInnis said his team made a conscious effort to stop Gasol after a 14-point first half. He scored only five the rest of the way.
“He was just doing what he wanted to do in the first half, so we just started sending guys at him,” McInnis said.
Notes: Gasol scored a career high 37 points against the Cavaliers in the Grizzlies’ 122-115 double overtime victory Nov. 29. … Memphis G Bonzi Wells missed the game for personal reasons. … Fratello said G Jason Williams, who was put on the injured list Dec. 7, might begin practicing with the team Tuesday. … Memphis swept the series with Cleveland last season and has won six of 10 games against the Cavaliers. … Cleveland activated G Dajuan Wagner before the game and put rookie swingman Luke Jackson on the injured list.
