Irving, Cavs add to Lakers’ misery
Star guard returns from injury, scores 28
CLEVELAND — There had to be a low point. The Los Angeles Lakers can only hope they’ve reached it. This chaotic season has gotten worse. Kyrie Irving scored 28 points in his return after missing 11 games with a broken finger, leading the Cleveland Cavaliers to a 100-94 win over Kobe Bryant and the Lakers, who look nothing like a team projected to win an NBA title.
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“This is one of the most challenging stretches of my 17 years and the most baffling, too,” a puzzled Bryant said after the Lakers (9-13) lost for the eighth time in 11 games. “We have the talent and personnel to do it, but we’re not, and it’s baffling. It’s extremely frustrating.
“It doesn’t make any sense. We’re still finding ways to lose games.”
Irving added 11 assists in 39 minutes and showed off his dizzying array of moves as the Cavs, who came in with four wins, ended a five-game losing streak.
Bryant scored 42 points, and Dwight Howard had 19 points and 20 rebounds, but it wasn’t enough to stop the Lakers, who still were missing Pau Gasol and Steve Nash, from opening a four-game trip with a stinging loss.
“We have to stop the bleeding somehow,” said Howard, who forced a trade this summer from Orlando to join the Lakers and maybe win some championships. “We can’t let this kill our spirits too much. This is tough on all of us.
“We want to win. We’re sick of losing. We all understand that situations like this don’t last forever.”
C.J. Miles scored 28 in his first start this season, Anderson Varejao had 20 points and Alonzo Gee 17 for the Cavs.
Los Angeles fell behind by 16 points in the third quarter, and despite Bryant’s valiant attempt to rescue them — he scored 16 in the fourth quarter — the Lakers dropped to 1-10 in games the superstar scores 30 or more points.