LeBron James sometimes even surprises his own coach with an electrifying play.
James scored 33 points to eclipse 12,000 for his career, but it was his block of a dunk attempt by Chris Bosh during the fourth quarter of the Cleveland Cavaliers’ 101-83 win over the Toronto Raptors that got coach Mike Brown’s attention on Tuesday night.
“That caught me off guard,” Brown said. “When he came from the weak side and got that block, I was floored. I didn’t think there was any way whatsoever that any human being could come from the weak side and contest a shot the way he did. Wow! Wow! Wow!”
James’ performance helped the Cavs win their 23rd in a row at home, breaking the club record set during the 1988-89 season.
“It’s another great thing in this season,” James said. “It’s great to put another record in the book. Every player and coach should be proud of it.”
In other NBA games Tuesday, it was: Boston 100, Philadelphia 99; Minnesota 116, Indiana 111; New Jersey 99, Milwaukee 85; Houston 107, Chicago 100; and Denver 104, San Antonio 96.
teau. At 24 years, 35 days, he did it quicker than Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant, who was 25 years, 220 days.
“He’s still going to get better,” Brown said. “That’s the scary thing.”
James, who did not make a field goal in the second half, helped put Toronto away with his free throws and defense.
First, he was fouled on a drive and made both free throws. On the Raptors’ next trip, James thwarted Bosh’s dunk before being fouled again and making both free throws – he finished 13-of-13 from the line – to build the lead to 12.
James, the Eastern Conference’s player of the month in January, now heads to Madison Square Garden on Wednesday after Bryant set a new MSG scoring mark.
Bryant scored 61 on Monday night against the Knicks, and New York coach Mike D’Antoni is well aware that James could rewrite the record book quickly.
“We set the bar up high for him. He’d have to play really well,” D’Antoni said.
But James isn’t going to New York intent on breaking records.
“I just go out and play my game,” he said. “I’m not a video game where you can just expect me to go out there and score 60 or 70.”
He seemed that way in the first quarter Tuesday, when he outscored the Raptors 16-15. James made his first six shots and set the tone as the Cavaliers beat the Raptors for the ninth straight time at home.
st time he has done it. It won’t be the last. He was very aggressive. I guess he really started feeling it. He fired up a couple of 3s and those went in. He was really rolling to start the game.”
Celtics 100, 76ers 99
At Philadelphia, Ray Allen took a perfect pass from Paul Pierce and buried a baseline 3-pointer with 0.5 seconds left to give the Celtics their 12th straight victory.
Kevin Garnett missed his second straight game with the flu. Pierce scored 29 points, Allen had 23 and Glen Davis had 12 points and 11 rebounds.
Andre Iguodala scored 22 points and Andre Miller had 21 for the 76ers.
Timberwolves 116, Pacers 111
At Indianapolis, Randy Foye scored 19 points to help Minnesota snap a three-game skid.
Sebastian Telfair and Ryan Gomes each scored 16 points, Kevin Love had 15 points and 11 rebounds and Al Jefferson had 12 points and 15 rebounds for the Timberwolves.
Danny Granger scored 28 points for the Pacers, who have lost back-to-back home games.
Rockets 107, Bulls 100
At Houston, Yao Ming scored 28 points, and Luis Scola scored 13 points and matched a career high with 18 rebounds for the Rockets.
Aaron Brooks scored 18 and Tracy McGrady added 16 in Houston’s sixth straight win and 11th in their last 12 games against the Bulls.
Luol Deng scored a season-high 28 and Ben Gordon added 20 for Chicago.
Nets 99, Buck 85
ast Rutherford, N.J., Vince Carter had 15 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds for his fifth-career triple double, and the Nets spoiled Richard Jefferson’s homecoming.
It was the first time back in New Jersey for Jefferson, who spent his first seven seasons with the Nets, after being dealt for Bobby Simmons and Yi Jianlian this past summer.
Although he started off the night by missing his first three shots, Jefferson finished by hitting 7-of-16 from the field to lead Milwaukee with 27 points.
Nuggets 104, Spurs 96
At Denver, Carmelo Anthony scored 35 points and the Nuggets nearly frittered away a 17-point lead before hanging on to beat a Spurs team playing without Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili.
Ginobili has a bruised hip, and coach Gregg Popovich said he decided to give Duncan and Parker the night off in Denver following the Spurs’ overtime win at Golden State on Monday night.
Anthony went to the bench with Denver comfortably ahead but had to come back into the game with 8:47 left and the Nuggets clinging to an 80-78 lead. His return had an immediate impact as the Nuggets went on a 9-0 run to regain control.
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