Bobcats 86, Cavaliers 80: Michael Kidd-Gilchrist scored 16 points as Charlotte handed Cleveland its first home loss of the season.

Kidd-Gilchrist shot 6-of-9 from the field while adding eight rebounds to pace the Bobcats, who climbed back above the .500 mark. Josh McRoberts scored 13 points while Kemba Walker added 12 points, seven assists, five rebounds and five steals.

Kyrie Irving, playing with a displaced nasal fracture, took to the court wearing a protective mask and finished with 18 points and 10 assists for the Cavaliers. Tristan Thompson had 15 points and 10 rebounds while Earl Clark also scored 15 in defeat.

After limiting the Bobcats to 5-for-19 shooting in the opening quarter, Cleveland stretched its lead to double digits on an Alonzo Gee mid-range jumper with 9:52 remaining in the second. Kidd-Gilchrist's six points in a 2:35 span closed Charlotte to within three, but Thompson made two short jumpers in the final 45 seconds to send Cleveland into the half with a 37-33 advantage.

The Cavaliers used a 9-2 run to go up by double digits early in the third, but back-to-back McRoberts 3s kept the Bobcats within striking distance and Charlotte limited Cleveland to two field goals over the final six minutes of the quarter to trim the deficit to one entering the fourth. The Bobcats surged ahead on Anthony Tolliver's 3-pointer, and Kidd-Gilchrist put up eight points over the final 10 minutes to help put the game away.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Cavaliers SG Dion Waiters missed the game due to illness. ... Brothers Cody and Tyler Zeller faced off for the second time as pros. Cavaliers C Tyler - who completed a three-point play in the first quarter after being fouled by his brother - finished with five points and a pair of blocks, while Cody had eight points and four rebounds. ... Irving shot just 5-for-16 from the field while committing six turnovers.