CLEVELAND (AP) -LeBron James scored 33 points and shut out Kobe Bryant when the two superstars guarded each other in the final 2:23, leading the Cleveland Cavaliers to a 94-90 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday night.
James, the NBA’s leading scorer, added 10 rebounds and five assists. But it was his pressure on Bryant in the final minutes that helped the Cavs bounce back from a dismal defensive effort in a loss at New York on Wednesday night.
Bryant finished with 21 points, but missed two shots with James chasing him and the Lakers went 0-for-8 from the floor in the final 4 minutes.
Daniel Gibson added 15 points, and Zydrunas Ilgauskas had 12 to help the Cavs win for just the third time in 12 games.
Lamar Odom added 19 points for the Lakers. Andrew Bynum had 17 points, but missed two free throws with 11.9 seconds left that would have tied it at 92.
Nuggets 112, Rockets 111, 2OT
DENVER (AP) – Anthony Carter hit a floater in the lane with 0.8 seconds left in double overtime to give Denver a win over short-handed Houston.
Carmelo Anthony scored 37 points and had a career-high 16 rebounds, and Allen Iverson had 36 points and nine assists for Denver, which ended a two-game losing streak.
Yao Ming had 26 points and 19 rebounds, and Luther Head scored a season-high 22 for the Rockets, who have lost three straight and five of six. Houston was without leading scorer Tracy McGrady, who sat out with a sore left knee.
Nets 107, Heat 103, OT
MIAMI (AP) – Vince Carter scored 31 points, Richard Jefferson added 29 and New Jersey overcame a seven-point deficit late in regulation before winning in overtime.
Carter was 10-for-10 from the line, including four in overtime.
Former Miami forward Malik Allen scored a season-high 18 points on 9-for-11 shooting, Jason Kidd had 11 rebounds and 10 assists, and Josh Boone scored five of his 11 points in overtime for the Nets.
Dwyane Wade had his second season-high scoring effort in two nights for Miami – and saw both wasted in overtime losses. He scored 41 points on 15-for-23 shooting Thursday, one night after scoring 37 points in defeat at Atlanta.
Udonis Haslem had 18 points and 12 rebounds, including the overtime-forcing basket for Miami. The Heat dropped to 3-9 at home and, at 7-19 overall, are 12 games under .500 for the first time since the end of the 2002-03 season.
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