James scores 29, Cavaliers beat Rocketss 108-83

[December 28, 2009]  CLEVELAND (AP) -- LeBron James scored 29 points, Mo Williams added 20 points and the Cleveland Cavaliers used a flurry of 3-pointers and a stifling defense Sunday night to beat the Houston Rockets 108-83.

James and Williams combined to make five 3-pointers in less than three minutes early in the third quarter, stretching Cleveland's lead to 68-53. The margin didn't dip below 15 the rest of the way.

Shaquille O'Neal had 13 points and 11 rebounds, including a nifty dunk early in the fourth quarter off a fastbreak that included a few dribbles from the 7-footer.

The Cavaliers (24-8) have won four straight and nine of 10. Their 10-game winning streak at home is the league's longest active streak.

The 83 points were a season low for Houston, which started fast but faded just as quickly.

Aaron Brooks had 23 points for Houston, but only five in the second half. Trevor Ariza scored 11 points, but went 2 of 10 from the floor and is now mired in a 10-for-48 slump.

Tracy McGrady missed his second straight game for the Rockets (18-13), who sent their disgruntled star home prior to Saturday's win at New Jersey. McGrady, working his way back from microfracture surgery on his left knee, is unhappy with his diminished role. The situation is expected to be revisited this week after Houston returned home from the weekend trip.

Two nights after holding the Lakers to 87 points, Cleveland again put on the defensive clamps. Houston made six of its first eight shots and scored 16 points in the first five minutes, then was held to 67 points the rest of the way. Houston shot 33 percent from the floor and had 16 turnovers.

Houston raced out to a quick 16-4 lead, but went more than six minutes without a field goal in the first quarter as the Cavaliers slowly climbed back. By the end of the quarter, the game was tied at 24.

The teams traded rim rattling dunks midway through the fourth quarter. Houston's Jermaine Taylor cut through the lane for a powerful two-handed slam. The ball hit his knee on the way through the hoop and caromed higher than the backboard.

J.J. Hickson answered on Cleveland's ensuing possession, taking off from just inside the free throw line for a soaring dunk that got James off the bench and dancing again.

NOTES: Cleveland shot 7 of 17 on 3-pointers after starting the night 1 of 8. ... Zydrunas Ilgauskas had 12 points off the bench and now needs four more to tie Brad Daugherty for second place on the Cavaliers' all-time scoring list with 10,389. James is the franchise scoring leader. ... The Rockets beat the Cavaliers in Houston, 95-85 on Dec. 9. ... Cleveland had lost 10 of 13 meetings to Houston since James was drafted in 2003.

[Associated Press]

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