CLEVELAND: LeBron James is still soaring — across the court and up the record books. Both facts are important and pleasing to the Cavaliers.
James scored 24 points to move into 12th place on the NBA’s all-time scoring list in the Cavs’ 107-87 win over the Brooklyn Nets on Thursday. James, who also passed for 11 assists, now has 26,689 career points to move ahead of Dominique Wilkins. He remains just 21 points behind Oscar Robertson for 11th place and can surpass him Friday when the Cavs play at the Atlanta Hawks.
James is still soaring elsewhere. He raised eyebrows in November when he said it was a goal to play in all 82 games this season, which he won’t, but it wasn’t because of injury. James has been held out of four games to rest and will likely sit at least one more.
The fact that he has been so healthy and productive has been a pleasant surprise, particularly after playing in a career-low 69 games last season. He changed his diet and workout regimen, received an injection in his back during the preseason and never looked back.
“I’m always hardheaded about sitting out games. Especially when I know how great I felt this year, knowing I could play 82 if I needed it,” James said. “But I trusted the guys here. I trusted Coach Lue and the coaching staff and also the training staff and I went with it. It’s benefited me personally — both physically and mentally. I’ve been able to go every game this year and that’s a great feeling for myself. Knowing how many miles I’ve put on my body, how many minutes I’ve put on my body throughout my career and know that physically, I’ve felt great for this season. So, I’m OK with it.”
James showed off his legs in the first half Thursday when he stole a pass and sprinted the length of the floor for an easy dunk, then glided back down the floor with arms outstretched as the crowd roared.
Even when he wasn’t in top physical form, James dragged the Cavs within two wins of a championship. He could tell early that this season would be much, much different.
“With my body, it’s continued to get better every month,” he said. “But I think just setting that goal [of playing in all 82] and having your mind ready for it, sometimes it’s mind over matter. I think the mind is the most powerful thing. And what you tell yourself you can accomplish, you can go out and do.”
Kevin Love had 19 points and 10 rebounds and Channing Frye scored 13 points off the bench Thursday for the Cavs, who lost to these Nets last weekend on the road. They moved 2½ games ahead of the idle Toronto Raptors for homecourt advantage throughout the Eastern Conference playoffs. Kyrie Irving scored 10 points and J.R. Smith had eight after both missed the morning shootaround and were considered questionable because they were sick.
The Cavs outscored the Nets 25-6 when James re-entered the game in the second quarter to extend their lead to 63-39 at halftime. They led by as many as 32 in the second half, allowing James and the rest of the starters to sit the entire fourth quarter.
Jason Lloyd can be reached at jlloyd@thebeaconjournal.com. Read the Cavs blog at www.ohio.com/cavs. Follow him on Twitter www.twitter.com/JasonLloydABJ.