Football
19y

Cleveland above .500 for first time since '01

CLEVELAND (AP) -- LeBron James is playing for an NBA winner.
Around here, that's saying something.

James scored 33 points with 12 rebounds as the Cavaliers moved
over .500 for the first time in more than three years with their
fourth straight win, 99-88 over the Golden State Warriors on Monday
night.

Zydrunas Ilgauskas scored 16 points -- 10 in the fourth quarter --
for the Cavaliers (4-3), who hadn't had a winning record since Jan.
12, 2001, when they were 17-16.

James was a high school sophomore back then, but now he's the
NBA's reigning rookie of the year, player of the week and
league-leading scorer.

"That doesn't mean a thing," James said of the Cavaliers'
winning mark. "It's the early season, so we can't be worrying
about that. We've got to win a lot more."

But after losing 52, 53, 65 and 47 games the past four seasons
with little more to look forward to than the NBA lottery, being
above .500 was worth celebrating.

"It means a whole lot to me," Cavs coach Paul Silas said.
"We're one game over and we just have to keep this thing
rolling."

Ilgauskas scored his 10 points during Cleveland's decisive
fourth-quarter spurt that helped the Cavaliers open a six-point
lead and put the Warriors away.

This was the type of game that a year ago the Cavaliers probably
would have lost.

"Ain't no question," James said. "I'm not sure why, but we
would have."

The Cavaliers were passive on offense in the first half, relying
on jump shots and getting to the free-throw line just twice. But
they got more aggressive after halftime, driving to the basket to
pick up fouls and attempting 26 free throws in the final 24
minutes.

"We came together during a timeout in the third quarter and
talked about keeping the energy," said forward Drew Gooden, who
added 13 rebounds. "That's what allowed us to pull away."

Jason Richardson matched a season high with 27 points for Golden
State, which was within 84-81 with 7:50 to play on Derek Fisher's
3-pointer.

Ilgauskas then hit a layup, James drained a pair of free throws,
and Ilgauskas made two more free throws to push Cleveland's lead to
91-85. Richardson's jumper got the Warriors within four, but
Ilgauskas scored again and Cleveland made its free throws down the
stretch to ice it.

James added 12 rebounds, four assists and was the featured
bobblehead for 20,562 happy fans.

Fisher added 15 points for the Warriors, who dropped to 1-7.

"We didn't play badly until the final five minutes," Golden
State coach Mike Montgomery said. "We had three good looks at
3-pointers and missed them all."

After Richardson dunked, the Cavaliers pushed the ball up the
floor to Jeff McInnis, whose 3-pointer just beat the horn and gave
Cleveland a 75-71 lead entering the fourth quarter.

James, whose shooting touch has improved as much as anything
about his game, drained three 3-pointers and scored 21 points in
the first half -- 17 on outside jumpers.

"He's making them all," Richardson said. "If he does that
he's going to be dangerous. He's dangerous already, but if he makes
those -- look out."

The Cavaliers entered the game as the league's worst 3-point
shooting team, making just 13 in their first six games. However,
they drained five 3s in the second quarter to open a 49-47 lead at
halftime.

Richardson scored 12 points and James had 10 while trading
baskets and "oohs and aahs" from the sellout crowd in the first
quarter. Golden State led 29-24 after one.

Game notes
James averaged 29 points, 9.7 rebounds, 4.7 assists, 3.3
steals and 2.3 blocks last week while leading the Cavaliers to
three straight wins. ... Warriors G Mickael Pietrus, who had
surgery on his left shoulder in July, will be re-evaluated on
Tuesday. He has yet to play this season. ... Browns defensive
tackle Gerard Warren attended the game. ... Last season, only
10,000 James bobbleheads were given away, which led to fans waiting
outside for hours to make sure they got one. ... Cleveland is 10-1
against Golden State at home.

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