http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/01/25/bkn-thunder-cavaliers-writethru-idUSMTZEB1PR9Q5UV20150125
[h=1]Cavaliers continue hot stretch with win over Thunder[/h]6:56pm EST
Cavaliers continue hot stretch with win over Thunder
CLEVELAND -- Whenever he has been asked about the postseason or a seven-game series, Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James dismissed the idea outright and insisted his team wasn't good enough yet to worry about the playoffs.
After a few roster tweaks and an impressive winning streak, he is softening that stance.
James scored 34 points and seven rebounds to outduel Kevin Durant and the Oklahoma City Thunder 108-98 on Sunday. The win was the Cavaliers' sixth straight.
Forward Kevin Love had 19 points and 13 rebounds and guard J.R. Smith had 14 points for the Cavs. Smith was one of the key additions, along with centers Iman Shumpert and Timofey Mozgov, that has James seemingly optimistic for the first time this season about the Cavs' chances.
"We've improved mentally more than anything," James said. "Obviously we added some great pieces in Shump, J.R. and Mozzy. We've played some great basketball as of late."
Cleveland completed an impressive week that also included home victories against the Chicago Bulls and a surging Charlotte Hornets team that had won eight of nine before the Cavs destroyed them with their most lopsided victory in the 20-year history of Quicken Loans Arena.
The Thunder finished a five-game swing through the Eastern Conferencewith back-to-back losses to the Cavs and Atlanta Hawks.
"We were a couple of possessions away from really turning the game to a different outcome," Thunder coach Scott Brooks said. "Give them credit. They're playing good basketball right now."
Durant had 32 points and nine assists and guard Russell Westbrook had 22 points, 11 assists and nine rebounds for the Thunder. This was the only regular season matchup between James and Durant, the two most recent Most Valuable Player award winners, since James missed the December game in Oklahoma City with a knee injury.
"I saw two brilliant players competing and two guys who play for their team," Cavaliers coach David Blatt said. "As a coach and a basketball aficionado, that's what you want to see. You want to see great players who play the game right."
James scored 15 of the Cavs' 37 points in the second quarter, then after he went scoreless in the third, James scored 12 in the fourth, including eight within the first 2 1/2 minutes to give the Cavs a 91-80 lead with 9:41 left.
Guard Kyrie Irving had 21 points and six assists and forward Tristan Thompson had a season-high 16 rebounds for the Cavs, who held their third straight opponent under 42 percent shooting after beginning the week with the league's 29th ranked defense.
"We're getting better and better at that end. All you have to do is look at the stats," Blatt said. "We must continue to do the same. If you want to grow as a team, we've got to keep shoring up our defense, keep working hard, we've got to recognize we have a long way to go and we have to stay humble and stay after it."
Guard Dion Waiters scored 14 points in his return to Cleveland. Waiters was dealt to the Thunder two weeks ago as part of a three-team trade that brought Smith and guard Shumpert to Cleveland. Waiters was booed when he entered the game for the first time.
"I don't pay any mind to that," he said. "It is what it is. Boos, no boos, I can't focus on that kind of stuff."
Waiters was a polarizing figure during his two-plus seasons in Cleveland, but said he wasn't sure why he was booed.
"They didn't do anything to me," Waiters said. "I still go home and sleep at night."
NOTES: Thunder C Kendrick Perkins started in place of Steven Adams, who missed the game with a migraine. ... G Dion Waiters hadn't heard from F LeBron James since the trade, but the two embraced on the court after the game. "He said he was happy for me and to keep it up," Waiters said. ... G Kyrie Irving made three 3-pointers to give him 380 for his career, surpassing Mo Williams (378) for seventh place on the franchise's all-time list. ... G J.R. Smith, on where he prefers to get the ball: "Honestly, as long as I get the ball, that's where I want it."
[h=1]Cavaliers continue hot stretch with win over Thunder[/h]6:56pm EST
Cavaliers continue hot stretch with win over Thunder
CLEVELAND -- Whenever he has been asked about the postseason or a seven-game series, Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James dismissed the idea outright and insisted his team wasn't good enough yet to worry about the playoffs.
After a few roster tweaks and an impressive winning streak, he is softening that stance.
James scored 34 points and seven rebounds to outduel Kevin Durant and the Oklahoma City Thunder 108-98 on Sunday. The win was the Cavaliers' sixth straight.
Forward Kevin Love had 19 points and 13 rebounds and guard J.R. Smith had 14 points for the Cavs. Smith was one of the key additions, along with centers Iman Shumpert and Timofey Mozgov, that has James seemingly optimistic for the first time this season about the Cavs' chances.
"We've improved mentally more than anything," James said. "Obviously we added some great pieces in Shump, J.R. and Mozzy. We've played some great basketball as of late."
Cleveland completed an impressive week that also included home victories against the Chicago Bulls and a surging Charlotte Hornets team that had won eight of nine before the Cavs destroyed them with their most lopsided victory in the 20-year history of Quicken Loans Arena.
The Thunder finished a five-game swing through the Eastern Conferencewith back-to-back losses to the Cavs and Atlanta Hawks.
"We were a couple of possessions away from really turning the game to a different outcome," Thunder coach Scott Brooks said. "Give them credit. They're playing good basketball right now."
Durant had 32 points and nine assists and guard Russell Westbrook had 22 points, 11 assists and nine rebounds for the Thunder. This was the only regular season matchup between James and Durant, the two most recent Most Valuable Player award winners, since James missed the December game in Oklahoma City with a knee injury.
"I saw two brilliant players competing and two guys who play for their team," Cavaliers coach David Blatt said. "As a coach and a basketball aficionado, that's what you want to see. You want to see great players who play the game right."
James scored 15 of the Cavs' 37 points in the second quarter, then after he went scoreless in the third, James scored 12 in the fourth, including eight within the first 2 1/2 minutes to give the Cavs a 91-80 lead with 9:41 left.
Guard Kyrie Irving had 21 points and six assists and forward Tristan Thompson had a season-high 16 rebounds for the Cavs, who held their third straight opponent under 42 percent shooting after beginning the week with the league's 29th ranked defense.
"We're getting better and better at that end. All you have to do is look at the stats," Blatt said. "We must continue to do the same. If you want to grow as a team, we've got to keep shoring up our defense, keep working hard, we've got to recognize we have a long way to go and we have to stay humble and stay after it."
Guard Dion Waiters scored 14 points in his return to Cleveland. Waiters was dealt to the Thunder two weeks ago as part of a three-team trade that brought Smith and guard Shumpert to Cleveland. Waiters was booed when he entered the game for the first time.
"I don't pay any mind to that," he said. "It is what it is. Boos, no boos, I can't focus on that kind of stuff."
Waiters was a polarizing figure during his two-plus seasons in Cleveland, but said he wasn't sure why he was booed.
"They didn't do anything to me," Waiters said. "I still go home and sleep at night."
NOTES: Thunder C Kendrick Perkins started in place of Steven Adams, who missed the game with a migraine. ... G Dion Waiters hadn't heard from F LeBron James since the trade, but the two embraced on the court after the game. "He said he was happy for me and to keep it up," Waiters said. ... G Kyrie Irving made three 3-pointers to give him 380 for his career, surpassing Mo Williams (378) for seventh place on the franchise's all-time list. ... G J.R. Smith, on where he prefers to get the ball: "Honestly, as long as I get the ball, that's where I want it."
