The Cleveland Cavaliers pull off the win at home against the Brooklyn Nets 129-123. The Cavaliers improve to 36-24, and the Nets fall to 20-42 on the season. LeBron James recorded a triple-double with 31 points on 13 of 25 from the field, including 12 rebounds, and 11 assists. James became the oldest player in NBA history to average a triple-double for a month. George Hill concluded with 26 points on 9 of 17 from the floor, dished out five assists, stripped away three steals, and hit three triples. Rookie Cedi Osman put in seven points on 3 of 4 from the field.
Tristan Thompson racked up five points on 2 of 5 from the field, and grabbed 13 rebounds in 22 minutes. Kyle Korver added 18 points on 6 of 11 from the floor, and made four three-pointers off the bench. Rodney Hood contributed 14 points on 6 of 11 from the field, and plucked four rebounds off the pine. Hood made a clutch shot, and the and one free throw with 40 seconds left in the fourth quarter to give the Cavaliers a 123-121 lead. Larry Nance posted a double-double with 10 points on 4 of 5 from the floor, and pulled down 10 rebounds off the bench.
Jordan Clarkson managed 14 points on 5 of 10 from the field in 21 minutes off the pine. Clarkson made a big three-pointer with under two minutes remaining in the fourth quarter to give the Cavaliers a 120-119 lead. The Cavaliers shot 51.5 percent from the field, and shot 50 percent on 12 of 24 from three-point range. The Cavaliers made shots when they needed to, and they executed well on offense.
The Cavaliers just were not getting stops on defense which was why it remained a close game. The Cavaliers out-rebounded the Nets 55 to 36. The Cavaliers will play again at home tomorrow night against the Philadelphia 76ers.
LeBron James said, “Scoring has always been last for me, i’ve never looked at myself as a scorer. But to know the history of the game and seeing the guys that put up triple-doubles on a regular (basis) from Jason Kidd to Magic Johnson to Oscar Robertson to Russell Westbrook, you can throw my name in there as well.”
For the Nets, D’Angelo Russell led the way with 25 points on 9 of 18 from the field, to go along with five rebounds, six assists, two steals, and knocked down three from deep. DeMarre Carroll tossed in 16 points on 6 of 10 from the floor, gathered six rebounds, and drained three triples. Allen Crabbe pitched in 13 points on 5 of 12 from the field, and collected four rebounds. Rookie Jarrett Allen put up 13 points on 4 of 8 from the field, and snatched five rebounds. Spencer Dinwiddie logged 11 points on 5 of 9 from the floor, and gave out 11 assists.
Caris LeVert supplied 18 points on 6 of 9 from the field in 19 minutes off the bench. Rondae Hollis-Jefferson dropped in 14 points on 4 of 7 from the floor, and snagged seven rebounds off the pine. Dante Cunningham tallied eight points on 3 of 5 from the field off the bench. The Nets shot a solid 53.7 percent from the field, and shot 37.5 percent on 12 of 32 behind the three-point line. All five of Nets starters scored in double-figures. The Nets competed well on the road, but they did not get stops on defense when they needed to win.
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