LeBron gets last laugh
LeBron James picked apart his old team, finishing with 38 points before sitting out the fourth quarter.
CLEVELAND » He tuned out the boos. He smiled at the derisive chants. He embraced all the negativity Cleveland could muster.
LeBron James wasn’t fazed by anything.
He brought his talents back home and reminded everyone — even the haters — why he’s missed.
Returning as a villain to his native state and the city he scorned this summer, James scored 38 points — 24 in a virtuoso third-quarter performance — to lead the Miami Heat to a 118-90 win last night, turning his hostile homecoming into another embarrassing moment for the Cavaliers.
By halftime, James was the one having fun. By the fourth quarter, he was watching from the bench as Cavs fans headed into the cold for a disappointing drive home.
This wasn’t the payback they waited five months to inflict.
James simply wouldn’t allow it.
As he did so many times during seven seasons for the Cavs, the two-time league MVP did anything he wanted on the floor. In the third quarter, he made 10 of 12 shots, hit jumpers from every angle and taunted Cleveland’s bench after draining a seemingly impossible baseline jumper.
"I know this court. I’ve made a lot of shots on this court," he said. "Just wanted to be aggressive, just try to keep them out of the game. I knew they were going to try to make a run in the third quarter, but we were able to get stops and we were able to get some shots."
With security guards forming a human barricade to line his entrance, James came hopping out of the tunnel and into the electrically charged atmosphere inside Quicken Loans Arena, as more than 20,000 fans, the same ones who once adored him, turned their fury on James.
It was rowdy, but thankfully not violent. There were a few minor incidents in the stands.
Just in case, Moondog, the Cavs’ fuzzy mascot, wore a bulletproof vest.
Booed every time he touched the ball, James scored 14 points in the first half as the Heat opened a 59-40 lead, and threatened to turn the highly anticipated game into a blowout.
James quickly made certain of one.
Miami outscored Cleveland 36-25 in the third to open a 95-65 lead, prompting Heat coach Erik Spoelstra to pull his superstar. James spent the final 12 minutes as a spectator, glancing at the scoreboard and into the stands at so many familiar faces.
Suns 107, Warriors 101
Jason Richardson scored 25 points against his former team and Grant Hill added 24 in leading Phoenix over host Golden State.
Steve Nash added 13 points and matched his season high with 16 assists as the Suns beat Golden State for the ninth time in 11 tries.
Heat 118, Cavaliers 90
MIAMI
James 15-25 6-9 38, Bosh 6-11 3-5 15, Ilgauskas 0-0 0-0 0, Arroyo 3-9 0-0 6, Wade 10-16 2-3 22, Anthony 1-1 2-2 4, Chalmers 3-5 0-0 9, Howard 3-6 0-0 6, Jones 6-8 1-2 18, House 0-1 0-0 0, Dampier 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 47-83 14-21 118.
CLEVELAND
Graham 2-5 0-0 4, Hickson 3-9 0-0 6, Varejao 1-4 2-2 4, M.Williams 2-8 6-8 11, Parker 1-4 0-0 3, Jamison 4-10 2-2 11, Hollins 0-2 4-6 4, Gibson 6-14 5-7 21, Moon 1-3 0-0 2, Sessions 2-5 7-8 11, J.Williams 3-8 0-0 6, Powe 2-4 3-4 7. Totals 27-76 29-37 90.
| Miami | 31 | 28 | 36 | 23 | — | 118 |
| Cleveland | 23 | 17 | 25 | 25 | — | 90 |
3-Point Goals–Miami 10-24 (Jones 5-7, Chalmers 3-4, James 2-7, House 0-1, Wade 0-1, Bosh 0-1, Arroyo 0-3), Cleveland 7-19 (Gibson 4-6, Parker 1-2, M.Williams 1-2, Jamison 1-3, Hickson 0-1, Graham 0-1, J.Williams 0-2, Moon 0-2). Fouled Out–None. Rebounds–Miami 49 (Wade 9), Cleveland 51 (Varejao 8). Assists–Miami 30 (Wade 9), Cleveland 21 (Sessions 7). Total Fouls–Miami 28, Cleveland 19. Technicals–House, Gibson. A–20,562 (20,562).
Suns 107, Warriors 101
PHOENIX
Hill 9-11 6-6 24, Barron 1-4 0-0 2, Frye 3-8 3-4 10, Nash 4-9 5-5 13, Richardson 10-15 2-2 25, Turkoglu 4-9 0-0 9, Warrick 2-4 2-2 6, Dragic 3-5 0-0 7, Dudley 2-4 3-3 7, Childress 2-4 0-0 4. Totals 40-73 21-22 107.
GOLDEN STATE
D.Wright 4-13 0-0 10, Lee 10-17 5-6 25, Biedrins 2-5 0-0 4, Curry 4-10 0-0 9, Ellis 16-27 3-7 38, Williams 3-4 0-0 8, Carney 1-3 1-2 4, Adrien 1-1 1-2 3, Bell 0-1 0-0 0, Lin 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 41-82 10-17 101.
| Phoenix | 31 | 21 | 23 | 32 | — | 107 |
| Golden St. | 20 | 29 | 23 | 29 | — | 101 |
3-Point Goals–Phoenix 6-18 (Richardson 3-4, Turkoglu 1-3, Frye 1-3, Dragic 1-3, Childress 0-1, Dudley 0-2, Nash 0-2), Golden State 9-18 (Ellis 3-5, Williams 2-2, D.Wright 2-7, Carney 1-1, Curry 1-3). Fouled Out–None. Rebounds–Phoenix 41 (Frye 10), Golden State 41 (D.Wright 10). Assists–Phoenix 25 (Nash 16), Golden State 27 (D.Wright, Ellis, Curry 7). Total Fouls–Phoenix 16, Golden State 21. Technicals–Golden State defensive three second. A–18,328 (19,596).
