CLEVELAND -- In a roller-coaster game of runs and spurts, the Cleveland Cavaliers got the best of the Charlotte Hornets and scored a 97-88 victory at the Quicken Loans Arena on Monday night.
LeBron James had 27 points and 13 rebounds while Kevin Love tallied 22 and 18 boards. Kyrie Irving chipped in 16 points and five helpers and it was more than enough for Cleveland to win two in a row and improve to 14-9 and fifth place in the Eastern Conference standings.
Kemba Walker sank 11 of 20 field goals and topscored for the Hornets with 24 and five assists while Big Al Jefferson accounted for 14 and eight rebounds. Marvin Williams was the only other Hornet to contribute double figures in points with 10.
"We played a good enough offensive game against a terrific team, but our first-quarter defense was obviously poor," Charlotte head coach Steve Clifford told reporters during his mandated post-game press conference.
After a pair of LeBron James free throws with 5:48 remaining in the opening quarter, the Cavs took a commanding 21-0. But what appeared as an insurmountable edge at home quickly fizzled when the Hornets inched to within 59-57 following a Lance Stephenson bucket with still 8:08 left in the third quarter.
The Cavs responded with yet another run, this time a 21-9, firecracker, to put the game away.
The Hornets fell to a disappointing 6-18 and 12th place in the East. (RA)
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