2-11 Cleveland 99 LA Lakers 90

[645]

Cleveland 99 LA Lakers 90

[645]

After several rough games, LeBron James bounced back with one of his better outings in recent weeks on Friday.

The All-Star forward hopes to carry the momentum into Sunday's matchup with Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers.

The Cavaliers (29-21) have won three of their last four despite some inconsistency from their star player. James came into Friday's game against Miami averaging 16.8 points on 39.4 percent shooting in his last four games - almost 10 points below his season scoring average.

James has been struggling at the free-throw line, shooting 51.7 percent in February to see his season average dip below 70 percent. He was 4-of-8 from the line on Friday, but was much more successful from the field, shooting 12-of-22 and finishing with 29 points in Cleveland's 103-79 victory over the Heat.

NBA

[645]

CLEVELAND, Feb. 11 (AP)-- LeBron James finally doesn't have to do it all - all the time - for the Cavaliers.

James deferred to less-heralded teammate Sasha Pavlovic, who scored 13 of his 21 points in the fourth quarter, and Cleveland clamped down on Kobe Bryantwhen it mattered most in a 99-90 win over the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday.

Pavlovic, a recent spark to Cleveland's offense, finished with 21 points, Zydrunas Ilgauskas had 17 and Anderson Varejao 12 - 11 in the fourth - as the Cavaliers followed up a nice win over Miami on Friday with another solid effort.

NBA

[645]

The running, dunking, jump-shooting and all-out impressive play of forward Sasha Pavlovic has highlighted the Cavaliers' recent wins, and LeBron James is the least surprised.

"I feel like a prophet," James said. "I've been harping on Sasha for three years now. People were looking at me like I'm crazy and I've always said if Sasha gets the opportunity, he's going to be very good. We go against each other every day in practice and I know what type of player he is, and he's showing it."

In superb fashion.

cleveland.com: Everything Cleveland

[645]

Photo Gallery

[645]

CLEVELAND - If this keeps up, Sasha Pavlovic's cult following is going mainstream.

Just a few weeks ago, he was as anonymous as ever, cheering on the end of he bench and free to watch the cheerleaders during timeouts.

Early Sunday evening, he was being interviewed live on national television and hailed as a game's hero. A game that contained LeBron James and Kobe Bryant, no less.

Beacon Journal | 02/12/2007 | Cavs shine with rising star

[645]

Photo Gallery

[645]

CLEVELAND - Do you realize the Cavaliers just finished their homestand winning four out of five games?

I didn't.

It seemed like so much was going wrong.

LeBron James is in the worst slump of his four-year pro career. Guys are clanging foul shots. Some players want to revamp the offense at midseason.

Coach Mike Brown knows all that, but he's been preaching one gospel since he arrived here at the start of last season, and he's not about to change.

Beacon Journal | 02/12/2007 | Successful homestand comes as surprise for struggling Cavs

[645]

CLEVELAND — The Lakers' road trip has ended, which might be the only kind thing to say about it.

Thirteen days after leaving Los Angeles with optimism and anticipation cruising along with them at 30,000 feet, the Lakers bottomed out Sunday with a forgettable fourth quarter in a 99-90 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers at Quicken Loans Arena.

LA Times

[645]

Photo Gallery

[645]

CLEVELAND - If the Lakers were going to salvage something from this two-week road trip and fly home thinking about anything other than a three-game losing streak, then Kobe Bryant was going to have to carry them to the finish line.

Bryant scored his team's first 14 points of the fourth quarter and out-scored LeBron James 36-18 for the afternoon.

Yet the Lakers were left with a 99-90 loss Sunday to the Cleveland Cavaliers and a 3-5 trip that was far from postcard perfect.

LA Daily News - Lakers left at a loss by Cavaliers

[645]

Photo Gallery: 02/11: Lakers vs. Cavaliers