The Sports Xchange
Nov 24, 2017
CLEVELAND - Cleveland's LeBron James notched another triple-double, Charlotte's Jeremy Lamb's final 3-point attempt missed and the Cavaliers hung on to beat the Hornets 100-99 on Friday.
James finished with 27 points, 16 rebounds and 13 assists for his 57th regular-season triple-double and second this season. He was already in double-digit points, rebounds, and assists before the fourth quarter started.
The Cavs have won seven straight overall and eight in a row over Charlotte.
The Cavs beat the Hornets 115-107 on Nov. 15. Dwight Howard scored eight points with five rebounds and took five shots in that game; Friday he led Charlotte with 20 points and 13 rebounds.
Lamb, starting for the injured Nic Batum, had a forced look at a 3 against good Cavs defense inside of five seconds left that missed.
J.R. Smith, who contributed 16 points for the Cavs, put them ahead for good with a free throw with 48.2 seconds left, making the score 100-99.
Kyle Korver scored 13 off the bench and Kevin Love added 11 points and 13 rebounds. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and Marvin Williams scored 17 each for the Hornets.
James wore a pair of his yellow Nike signature shoes in the first half, and emerged from the locker room at halftime wearing a black pair. He shot 3 of 8 in the first two quarters and then 4 of 5 in the third, and his 3-pointer with 31.5 seconds remaining put Cleveland ahead, 83-82, heading into the fourth.
James equaled his game average in assists in the first quarter, where he recorded eight of Cleveland's nine assists. He scored or assisted on 10 of Cleveland's baskets, and was an assist shy of his personal record in any quarter (nine, against Indiana on Jan. 29, 2010).
The Hornets led after one period, 28-27, and 57-54 at halftime.
NOTES: Cavs G Derrick Rose left the team to deal with a "personal matter." According to ESPN, Rose, 29, stepped away to consider his NBA future because of recurring injuries. Rose has played in just seven games this season because of complications from a sprained left ankle suffered Oct. 20. The Cavs didn't deny the report, but coach Tyronn Lue said he expected Rose to rejoin the team at some point. Rose, the NBA MVP in 2011, signed a one-year, $2.1 million contract with the Cavs in July. Lue said he texted Rose to tell him there was a still a place for him on the team. He's been gone since at least Wednesday. ... Hornets G Nicolas Batum was out for Friday's game because of an ulnar nerve contusion suffered Wednesday, but the injury is not believed to be serious. Charlotte coach Steve Clifford said the team would take Batum's absence day by day; he might even play Saturday against San Antonio. Batum missed the first 12 games this season because of an injury to the same elbow. ... Cavs F LeBron James, who has a lucrative professional relationship with Nike, said he played a small role in the design of the company's new, all black Cavs jerseys the team wore Friday night.