CLEVELAND – LeBron James displayed his usual dominance and got the rest of the Cleveland Cavaliers playing that way too.
James had 32 points, seven assists and seven rebounds to help the Cleveland Cavaliers win their fourth straight game with a 100-87 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers last night.
“He looked like the All-Star, the Olympian that he is right now,” Trail Blazers coach Nate McMillan said. “He got everyone involved in the first half and took over the game in the second. He just overpowered us.”
So did his teammates, who have taken some of the burden off their superstar this season. The Cavaliers have started the season 6-2 for the second straight year – a first for the franchise – and own the best record in the Eastern Conference.
Cleveland has been dominant, outrebounding its opponents in all eight games and shooting 48 percent over the winning streak.
The Cavaliers trailed only briefly in the second quarter and led by as many as 20 late in the third as they easily handled the injury-riddled Trail Blazers, who looked tired after losing Tuesday night at Minnesota.
James didn’t take a shot in the first quarter, then led Cleveland on a 10-0 run in the third that put Portland away. He showed his versatility, hitting a running jumper, a three-point play and a 3-pointer during the run.
Drew Gooden scored 17 points and Eric Snow added a season-high 13 on 6-of-6 shooting for Cleveland.
Zach Randolph led the Trail Blazers with 26 points and 11 rebounds, but struggled from the line, shooting 12-of-20 (60 percent). He entered the game shooting 89 percent.
“Zach is tough,” James said. “We tried to double him, but he was still getting the ball. Right now, he’s playing like an All-Star.”
The Blazers, who played without Joel Przybilla, Raef LaFrentz and rookie Brandon Roy, lost their third straight.
LaMarcus Aldridge’s three-point play made it 89-79 with under five minutes left, but Cleveland made enough free throws to keep it from getting any closer.
“That team is just much stronger than we are,” McMillan said.
Travis Outlaw scored 16 points, Juan Dixon 14 and Aldridge finished with 13.
The Cavaliers got a scare when guard Larry Hughes bruised his right leg and left with 6:20 to play in the second quarter. Hughes tried to make a steal from Martell Webster and got tangled up going for the loose ball.
He winced in pain on the floor, but was able to get up and slowly walk to the locker room. The Cavaliers said that X-rays were negative and the injury was not considered to be serious.
“The good part about this is that it’s not my ankle. I didn’t roll it,” said Hughes, adding that he would ice it all night and reevaluate it Thursday.
Damon Jones scored seven points and was 0-of-5 from 3-point range. He didn’t have the same shooting touch as he did Monday night when he scored 29 and was 7-of-10 from behind the arc in a win against the New York Knicks.
