Mike Miller went 7-for-8 from 3-point range to score 21 points for the Cavaliers, who bounced back from their most lopsided loss of the season Thursday against Atlanta. Kyrie Irving added 16 points while Kevin Love was held to six points on 1-of-10 shooting but grabbed 14 rebounds and blocked three shots.
Joe Johnson poured in 26 points to lead the Nets, who lost point guard Deron Williams to a strained right calf in the first half. Mason Plumlee collected 14 points and nine rebounds, Jarrett Jack added 13 points and Sergey Karasev had a career-high 12 for Brooklyn.
Johnson hit a 3-pointer to pull the Nets within 94-91 with 41 seconds left and Brooklyn made a defensive stop to earn a chance to tie, but Kevin Garnett's 3-point attempt was off the mark. James pulled down the rebound and hit one of two free throws with 1.3 seconds left to seal it.
The Cavaliers trailed by as many as 11 in the first quarter but buckled down defensively in the second, putting together a 15-0 run to take a 54-49 lead into the break. Brooklyn led 69-68 after Johnson's jumper with 3:19 left in the third quarter, but James fed Shawn Marion for a dunk and added a bucket of his own to make it 72-69 and the Cavaliers never trailed again.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Miller had scored 19 points all season before Friday. … James (23,776) passed Charles Barkley for 23rd on the NBA's all-time scoring list. … The Nets have topped 100 points once in their last 14 games.
Brooklyn | Cleveland | |
Joe Johnson 26 | Scoring | LeBron James 22 |
Joe Johnson 5 | Assists | LeBron James 9 |
Mason Plumlee 9 | Rebounds | Kevin Love 14 |
Mason Plumlee 4 | Free Throws Made | LeBron James 6 |
Alan Anderson 2 | Steals | LeBron James 2 |
Mason Plumlee 3 | Blocks | Kevin Love 3 |
Team | Points | FG% | 3PM-3PA | FTM-FTA | Assists | Rebounds | Blocks | Steals | Turnovers |
Brooklyn | 91 | 47.4 | 9-24 | 8-12 | 23 | 37 | 8 | 8 | 16 |
Cleveland | 95 | 40.3 | 9-24 | 24-29 | 22 | 44 | 4 | 7 | 16 |