Cavaliers top Lakers for first Staples Center win

Basketball Betting Lines

02/16/2007 - Los Angeles, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - LeBron James poured in 38 points and hit the go-ahead jumper with just over three minutes left, as the Cavaliers secured their first win at the Staples Center with a 114-108 triumph over the struggling Los Angeles Lakers.

James went 10-of-16 from the field and feasted at the foul line with an 18-for-22 effort, as the Cavaliers won for the fourth time in five contests leading to the All-Star break.

"It was important to be aggressive tonight," James said. "I just wanted to be aggressive and the guys fed off it."

The Cavs snapped a seven-game road skid versus the Lakers, winning an away contest against them for the first time since Dec. 7, 1997.

"LeBron James attacked tonight," Cavaliers coach Mike Brown said. "When he attacks he is hard to guard. He finished at the rim. When he plays like this it's contagious to our team."

Kobe Bryant had 34 points and missed just one of his 15 free throws, but the Lakers fell for a fifth consecutive time overall and for a fourth straight time at home.

This marks only the third time in Phil Jackson's coaching career he's had a five-game losing streak, one coming with Chicago and two with the Lakers. He's never had a six-game losing streak in his 16-year NBA coaching career, and will try to avoid that when the Lakers take the court again next Wednesday at home against Portland.

"They took the ball right to us and we didn't have an answer for it," Jackson said.

Lamar Odom ended with 20 points for the Lakers, who lost for the 11th time in 15 contests.

James nailed a fadeaway jumper with 3:05 left to give the Cavs a 102-101 lead, and after a Bryant turnover on a bad pass, Sasha Pavlovic drilled a three- pointer.

The Lakers were able to get as close as one, as Bryant made a three-pointer with 34.3 seconds left, but James was then fouled with 20.1 seconds left.

Then came the turning point.

James hit the first free throw, but missed the second. LA's Ronny Turiaf couldn't secure the rebound and Anderson Varejao got the rebound. James was fouled and sank two free throws with 11.7 seconds left for a 112-108 margin.

Bryant then missed a three-pointer and Varejao put the final touches on Cleveland's win with a pair of free throws.

Varejao ended with 15 points and 11 rebounds. Larry Hughes scored 14 and Eric Snow had 13 points and eight rebounds for the Cavaliers.

Sasha Vujacic scored 14, while Smush Parker and Andrew Bynum each had 12 for the Lakers.

The Cavs led 29-28 after one quarter and were clinging to a 56-54 edge at the half. It was 91-85 Cleveland going into the fourth.

Game Notes

Cavaliers center Zydrunas Ilgauskas sat out his second straight game due to attend to a family health issue...It's off to Las Vegas for the NBA's biggest stars, as this was the final game on the schedule before the midseason contest at the Thomas & Mack Center...Bryant had a streak of 36 straight free throws coming into the game and made his first seven in this game before missing early in the third quarter...Drew Gooden had 12 points, while Pavlovic and Donyell Marshall each had 11 for the Cavs.

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