Milwaukee ? The Milwaukee Bucks finally got untracked in the second half and pulled away from the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Michael Redd scored 28 points and Keith Van Horn had 22 points and 14 rebounds to help the Bucks beat the Cavaliers 102-88 in their home opener Saturday night.
LeBron James scored 31 points and eight rebounds for Cleveland, winless in three games this season. Jeff McInnis added 16 points and Drew Gooden 12 for the Cavs.
The Cavaliers took advantage of the Bucks’ 12 turnovers, eight assists and poor shooting to lead 51-47 at the half.
Gooden’s layup after a steal by James gave the Cavaliers a 63-60 lead midway through the third quarter, but Redd and VanHorn wouldn’t let the Bucks fall any farther behind.
“When we stopped turning the ball over and we were executing, so it cut their transition game out,” Van Horn said. “Therefore, we were able to build the lead.”
While the Bucks had only eight turnovers in the second half, they had 12 more assists.
“We just started playing with more confidence,” Redd said.
Van Horn and Mo Williams sparked a 14-0 run at the end of the third quarter and beginning of the fourth.
Van Horn hit two 3-pointers and a basket and Williams, who had 11 assists, added four points as the Bucks took an 82-70 lead with 10:11 left.
ZaZa Pachulia gave the Bucks their biggest lead with two free throws that made it 96-78 with 4:03 left.
The Cavaliers hurt their chances by missing 16 free throws, while the Bucks missed only four.
James, who missed seven free throws, said the Cavaliers are frustrated right now.
“We played well for most of the game, but just let it get away from us,” he said. “I take the defeat as hard as anyone on the team.”
There were plenty of hard feelings after five technicals were called. The Cavaliers were called for three and the Bucks two. The Bucks’ Joe Smith had a flagrant 1 foul when he clobbered James on a drive to the basket in the fourth.
Robert Traylor fouled out and Zydrunas Ilgauskas had four fouls and nine points for the Cavaliers.
James landed awkwardly on his left ankle on a drive to the basket early in the second period. He stayed down briefly, but then walked grimacing in pain to the foul line where he missed both shots. Cleveland scrambled for the rebound and James tapped it in.
The Bucks, who their opener to Orlando on Wednesday night, are playing without point guard T.J. Ford. He’s recovering from neck surgery last May.
“There’s never been a timetable,” Bucks coach Terry Porter said, addressing a report that Ford would be out at least two months.”
Notes: Cavaliers reserve forward Scott Williams started the second quarter and played 11 minutes. He left Thursday’s game with an injured right pinkie. … The Bucks signed F Marcus Fizer, a free agent, on Nov. 4 despite the fact he is recovering from a knee injury. Porter speculated that Fizer is four to six weeks away from returning to action. … Bucks C Dan Gadzuric, who started 30 games as a rookie in 2002-03 but none last season, made his second consecutive start this season.
