Hughes Scores 40 As Cavs Edge Magic

[February 12, 2008]  ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) -- Larry Hughes scored a season-high 40 points and LeBron James added 29 and 10 assists as the Cleveland Cavaliers beat the Orlando Magic 118-111 on Monday night. Hughes scored 23 in the third quarter on 6-for-7 shooting, including two 3-pointers and an assortment of drives and jumpers. He hit 9 of 10 free throws in the period.

Hedo Turkoglu had 25 points for Orlando, leading all five starters in double figures, while Dwight Howard had 16 points and nine rebounds. Howard scored 10 in the first quarter, but struggled the rest of the way as Cleveland collapsed inside with double- and triple-teams.

The teams were closely matched through three quarters, and entered the fourth tied at 86. But Cleveland opened a 98-88 lead, by far its biggest of the game, as the Magic scored only two points in the first 4:48 of the period.

Orlando lost its second straight, and third of a five-game home stretch before the All-Star game.

Jameer Nelson had 22 points for Orlando, Rashard Lewis scored 15 and Maurice Evans added 10 points and eight rebounds.

Cleveland won despite a lot of bad luck. The Cavs were without three of their top players, and nearly lost two others in a 30-point drubbing Sunday night to the Denver Nuggets -- Zydrunas Ilgauskas with back spasms, Damon Jones with a sprained ankle. Both played Monday, but were game-time decisions.

Cleveland's plane was grounded Sunday night with a mechanical failure. The Cavaliers tried into early Monday to fly here before giving up for the night. They didn't arrive in Orlando until about 1:30 p.m. Monday for the 7 p.m. tipoff.

Drew Gooden was back in the lineup after missing three games with a strained right groin. He scored six of Cleveland's first eight points, but finished with 10. The Cavs were still missing Daniel Gibson (strained hamstring), Anderson Varejao (sprained ankle) and Sasha Pavlovic (sprained foot).

Ira Newble also scored 10 for Cleveland, while Devin Brown had 11 off the bench.

Notes: James took an elbow to the face from Brian Cook in the third quarter trying to get a rebound. He got up slowly, but returned apparently unharmed. ... Cleveland has used 11 different starting rotations, and this is one of its most successful. Hughes, Ira Newble, James, Gooden and Ilgauskas 5-1. ... Orlando coach Stan Van Gundy continues to shake up his guard rotation. Nelson made his second consecutive start after Carlos Arroyo took over the point for several weeks.

[Associated Press; By TRAVIS REED]

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