LeBron gets 33 in only MSG visit, Cavs beat Knicks

By BRIAN MAHONEY, AP Basketball Writer Nov 6, 11:56 pm EST

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NEW YORK (AP)—LeBron James(notes) celebrated with the Yankees and toyed with the Knicks.

No wonder he’s bummed about the NBA schedule: only one Garden party this season.

James scored 33 points in his lone visit to New York, leading the Cleveland Cavaliers to a 100-91 victory over the Knicks on Friday night.

One night after managing just 42 second-half points in an ugly home loss to Chicago, the Cavaliers rang up 40 in the first quarter, leaving New York fans with little left to do besides cheer for the Yankees in attendance and enjoy another mesmerizing performance by James.

“The atmosphere was great,” James said. “Lot of stars in the building and like I said it’s humbling to know that you have guys like the Yankees come out and Jay-Z. It’s really, really humbling.

“You almost feel like you’re a performer sitting on the stage and they’re watching you perform.”

And he sure gives them a show.

The NBA’s MVP added nine assists and eight rebounds, but fell just shy of passing Kobe Bryant(notes) as the active scoring leader at Madison Square Garden. James improved his average to 30.4 points, with Bryant averaging 30.5 in 11 visits, according to STATS LLC.

James had scored 50 or more in two of his last three trips, joining Michael Jordan as the only visiting players with multiple 50-point games at the current building.

“LeBron was obviously LeBron,” Cleveland coach Mike Brown said. “He was spectacular but you kind of overlook his numbers because of who he is.”

Mo Williams(notes) scored 12 points for the Cavaliers, who have won six in a row against the Knicks and four straight at the Garden, where James loves to perform.

“It’s this building,” James said. “This building’s very special.”

New Yorkers are desperate for him to make it his full-time home when he becomes a free agent next summer, but the Knicks continue to offer nothing on the court that would make him consider a switch. As it is, he has as many victories at MSG this season as the Knicks, who fell to 1-5 overall.

David Lee(notes) scored 21 points and former Cavs guard Larry Hughes(notes) had 18 for the Knicks, who played their first nationally televised home game since March 19, 2006, and showed they are still miles from being ready for prime time.

James said he was still sore from a couple of falls in Thursday’s 86-85 home loss, but vowed that wouldn’t prevent him from playing the way he always does. Just to prove it, he then nearly outscored the entire Knicks team in the first quarter.

“They came off a game last night and as the leader of the team, you want to come out and be aggressive. He’s always done it that way,” Hughes said. “I did my job in making him take tough shots and he did his job in making those tough shots.”

James shot 8 of 9 in the period, with his second 3-pointer coming just before the buzzer to give him 19 points and make it 40-21. The Cavs made 16 of 22 shots (73 percent), closing the quarter with a 17-2 run that basically wrapped it up early.

“LeBron’s first eight minutes were ridiculous,” said Knicks coach Mike D’Antoni, who expected this from James with Cleveland’s poor performance Thursday and its lone MSG visit Friday. “That’s why he’s the MVP and that’s why New York’s a special place.”

Before the second quarter started, the Yankees fan then went to the sideline and joined the crowd that included his pal Jay-Z in a standing ovation for Alex Rodriguez and six other members of the World Series champions who came onto the court.

James said he was able to congratulate a few of the players during the game.

“I thought if we could have kept the Yankees at halftime a little bit longer, we might have caught them. He was having a good time with those guys,” D’Antoni joked.

James said before the game he wouldn’t think about free agency until July, believing his team could contend for a title this season. The Cavs haven’t been showing that yet, coming to New York with only a 3-3 record.

They looked like championship material against the Knicks, whose defensive effort had to be disheartening to Charles Oakley, Anthony Mason and Larry Johnson, who were in the crowd. They played for the franchise back when defense was their trademark.

The Knicks did cut it to single digits with under 4 minutes to play, but James set up Williams for a basket, then knocked down a turnaround jumper to make it 95-82 with 2:47 remaining.

NOTES: Former Cleveland ace CC Sabathia and Mark Teixeira were among the Yankees who came on the floor after the first quarter. The team celebrated its title with a parade through Lower Manhattan earlier Friday. James said he was asleep and didn’t watch. Former Yankees outfielder Bernie Williams, now a musician who has been nominated for a Latin Grammy, played the national anthem on his guitar, and Reggie Jackson also was in the crowd. … J.J. Hickson made his first start of the season at forward for the Cavaliers, with Anderson Varejao coming off the bench for the first time.

Updated Nov 6, 11:56 pm EST
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Sun Nov 22, 2009, 1:00 pm EST

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81 Comments

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  1. fritzel
    81. Posted by fritzel Mon Nov 9 8:25am EST

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    soon..watch it out
  2. bluemoon
    80. Posted by bluemoon Sun Nov 8 10:42pm EST

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    hate to say it to you clevland fans lebron is gone next year, he love new york it is his dreram to play for new york ,i mean he wore a yankee blue logo a week ago , that just show you how much he want to play for new york!lebron is as as gone after this season ,if you cleveland fans knows he is gone by next year would trade lebron to new york for 2 first draft choice if you know he not coming back this year by mid or three quarter of the year gone and cleveland can't win it thia year year
  3. Steven
    79. Posted by Steven Sun Nov 8 10:04am EST

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    daniel just watch gossip girl with 50 cent and that gay ass soulija boy.
  4. fritzel
    78. Posted by fritzel Sun Nov 8 1:25am EST

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    lebron kobe team up,unbeatable
  5. daniel
    77. Posted by daniel Sun Nov 8 12:48am EST

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    hey little timmy boy your man lbj cant win a championship if you gave it to him on a silver platter, kobes the best along with mj check out the history dumb ass, i didnt see your man who just as much loves to hog the ball as anyones else, you could tell from the begining of the game that he wanted to break kobes 61 point game at the garden but he got benched and knew he couldnt do it, only man that can is kobe remember when kobe beat dallas in 3 quarters of play, 62 to 61 lets see if your man can do it , NOT, and by the way kobes was not guilty of any crime dont you watch the news, guess not cause your head is so far up lebrons ass thats why, i bet if lebrons wanted to rape you you would say yes LOL, try a new sport to follow there timmy boy cause you just dont know @#$% about this game.
  6. jaymee
    76. Posted by jaymee Sat Nov 7 4:13pm EST

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    #61....you hit it right on the nose. he could average 50 a game and cruise to the nba championship and I will still say good riddance when he leaves at year end. he throws words around like 'humbling' yet is fast becoming one of the most arrogant pro athletes to (as you say) ever lace 'em up in that or any other sport. I'll start attending cavs games again after he departs. they might not win as many but they'll be playing as a TEAM once again.
  7. Steven
    75. Posted by Steven Sat Nov 7 4:09pm EST

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    michael f you just jealous of him because everybody likes him and he is rich while you just hang out in your car on the computer every day.
  8. kevinc
    74. Posted by kevinc Sat Nov 7 4:07pm EST

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    Cleveland is a s-hole city but there is no way he signs with New York. What a pathetic franchise. Maybe they had an outside shot, some hope around this time last year but this game showed the pitiful desperation of their fan base. Just look at some of the pictures that accompany this story, these Knicks fans are CLOWNS. They show it every year at the NBA Draft. New York is just a tacky city full of attention-whore loudmouths. WOW LOOK AT ME I DRESSED UP LIKE A MORON AND WROTE OUT A SIGN AND ALREADY PIECED TOGETHER A MAKESHIFT LEBRON JAMES JERSEY AT HOME HE'S GOING TO BE SO IMPRESSED THIS IS DEFINITELY GOING TO SEAL THE DEAL.
  9. cali native
    73. Posted by cali native Sat Nov 7 4:03pm EST

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    get em lebron
  10. hot shot
    72. Posted by hot shot Sat Nov 7 3:49pm EST

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    even though i am a celtic fan i say if lebron's jumper gets better he will be unstoppable bt he first need to win a nba finals then he will be in the talk witl larry bird and micheal jordan
  11. matt
    71. Posted by matt Sat Nov 7 3:31pm EST

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    wow # 70... u just wake up from hibernating or are u just stupid..or both..lol
  12. evelyn
    70. Posted by evelyn Sat Nov 7 3:11pm EST

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    hey I just heard that Shaq is going to play for the cavalers so now Labron wants to leave can't stand a little compation. I love the cavalers my daughter works for danny gilbert.
  13. <i>janice1201</i>
    69. Posted by janice1201 Sat Nov 7 2:33pm EST

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    The Knicks horrible. However, Lebron will fall fast because he basically always wants to show out and be the star of the team like he's the only one who can shoot threes. He passses only when extremely needed and sometimes he barely cares. Lets get serious the only reason we won yesturday is because Jay-z (his Bestfriend) and the yankees (his favorite team) were in the audience cheering him on. It has notin to do with wanting to score for the garden. he put on this show and this win for his friends. And for who ever left a post about cleveland never winning anything i bet we a beat ya mama's ass!!!!
  14. <i>jlp518jcu</i>
    68. Posted by jlp518jcu Sat Nov 7 2:25pm EST

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    the only reason NY wins anything is because they throw a huge amount of money at a bunch of greedy players (too bad for the knicks on that one-thank god for a cap) oh and your city is filled with a bunch of snobby rude people that make the city trash - ya please I want to live there!
  15. MarkK
    67. Posted by MarkK Sat Nov 7 2:02pm EST

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    Can't believe he only scored 33 against a horrible Knicks team. Just because James might go to New York doesn't mean he's going to win anything. He's going to need more help than what they have there now. He better hurry up he'll be on his way down soon.
  16. MarkK
    66. Posted by MarkK Sat Nov 7 2:02pm EST

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    Can't believe he only scored 33 against a horrible Knicks team. Just because James might go to New York doesn't mean he's going to win anything. He's going to need more help than what they have there now. He better hurry up he'll be on his way down soon.
  17. <i>robbrewstir</i>
    65. Posted by robbrewstir Sat Nov 7 1:08pm EST

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    All we hear about is this love affair that New York has with LeBron......then how come these New Yorker's failed to go see his movie More Than A Game, this fall, and how come all the film critics in NY only, gave it reviews like they hadn't even seen the film? Probably because they didn't. Probably because New York really doesn't like LeBron as much as the media would like to promote. In fact, based on how really fantastic the film is and how really bad New York supported it, I think New Yorkers are closet haters of the King. Tha't's right New York, I'm calling you out..... New York or any franchise would be lucky to have LeBron, and to deserve him, means supporting him and his endeavors, whether you like him or not. the way Cleveland does. So far, LeBron has given more to yNew York, like gyms for kids, than they have given to him. You showed disrespect when you didn't support his film. It just happens to be your loss, New York, again.
  18. leryz
    64. Posted by leryz Sat Nov 7 12:49pm EST

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    there is no doubt lebron is one of the best if rated in their rookie years. He is like a red hot chilli pepper, instant hot. But if you surrounded him with teammates who don't have the heart to win, sad to say he probably end up like barkley who always looking up the stars waiting where to fall to catch them. Total package wise he is. the best. Teammates wise he is unfortunate.
  19. benard
    63. Posted by benard Sat Nov 7 12:38pm EST

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    After losing a game to Obama's home team the chicago bulls,LeBron came back breathing fire with 33 points to help the cavs beat the Newyork Knicks
  20. Texas_Hurricane
    62. Posted by Texas_Hurricane Sat Nov 7 11:54am EST

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    Congratulations Cleveland Fans,

    Your Team Beat The Worst Team In The NBA!

    Hold Your Heads Up High And Be Proud....
  21. Cublover21
    61. Posted by Cublover21 Sat Nov 7 11:43am EST

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    LeBron James care more about his image, and being world known, more than any "superstar" that has laced them up.
  22. Antigua108
    60. Posted by Antigua108 Sat Nov 7 11:13am EST

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    Impressive win? In the last two or three years the only team that has a right to call a win over the Knicks impressive should be Memphis. The Cavs are supposed to beat "no Talent" team like the Knicks with regularity. "King" James can only muster 33 points? What's that about? The little cry baby "king James" sure is racking up those wins now that Shaq is there... The Cavs had its best year... and I'm not sure it was last year either.
  23. Daniel
    59. Posted by Daniel Sat Nov 7 10:43am EST

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    your the best idol James
  24. Shizhong
    58. Posted by Shizhong Sat Nov 7 10:29am EST

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    23i llike you but i love 24more
  25. Michael F
    57. Posted by Michael F Sat Nov 7 10:27am EST

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    Chris Rock bout as funny as a rubber crutch.
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Top Performers

 Top Performers
 Cleveland
L. James LeBron James
12-17,  33 Pts
8 Rebs, 9 Assists
 New York
L. Hughes Larry Hughes
7-13,  18 Pts
5 Rebs, 4 Assists

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