LeBron feels love in return to Cleveland
CLEVELAND — LeBron James felt only love at home.
Making his first trip back to Cleveland since leaving for the second time as a free agent, James was welcomed like a hero on Wednesday night and rallied the Los Angeles Lakers to a 109-105 win over the Cavaliers, who played an inspired game against their former teammate but couldn’t stop him when it mattered most.
James finished with 32 points, 14 rebounds and seven assists. He also scored or assisted on 11 straight points as the Lakers overcame a 99-91 deficit in the fourth quarter.
The Cavs had a chance to tie late, but Kyle Korver missed a wide-open threepointer with 17 seconds left and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope made four free throws in the final 15 to seal it for Los Angeles.
From the moment he stepped back onto Quicken Loans Arena floor, his home court for 11 seasons, James was treated like a returning champion.
On the night before Thanksgiving, Cleveland said thanks to the Northeast Ohio son, the one who ended the city’s 52year championship drought.
“We recognize the fact that certainly this is a big night for the city of Cleveland,” Cavs coach Larry Drew said before tipoff, “because a hero has come back.”
The Cavs, who came in an NBA-worst 2-13, didn’t roll over against James and played one of their best games this season. They seemed in control up 99-91 before James, as he did some many times for Cleveland, took over and scored or assisted on 11 straight points to give the Lakers the lead.
Jordan Clarkson had 20 points and Tristan Thompson 14 and 15 rebounds for Cleveland.
James was the last Lakers player introduced before the game, presented with a line familiar to all Cavs fans: “A 6-foot-8 forward from St. Vincent-St. Mary High School,” said arena announcer Sean Peebles. “Welcome home! LeBron James.”
The crowd roared and stood as James walked out and huddled with his new teammates.
Unlike that ugly night of Dec. 2, 2010, when James returned with the Miami Heat and was subjected to non-stop booing, profane chants and a toxic, charged atmosphere of hatred unlike anything seen before or since, this was a night for celebration – and maybe more closure. James has moved on. Cleveland, too.
Lowry leads Raptors
ATLANTA (AP) — Kyle Lowry scored 21 points during his first triple-double of the season and the Toronto Raptors never trailed while beating the reeling Atlanta Hawks 124-108 on Wednesday night despite a career milestone from Vince Carter.
Lowry had 17 assists and 12 rebounds for his 13th career triple-double.
A jam by Carter with less than a second remaining pushed him past 25,000 career points. He became the 22nd NBA player to reach the milestone. Carter began the night 13 points shy of the mark. The Hawks were pulling for Carter, in his 21st season, to reach the milestone against his former Toronto team.