CLEVELAND: LeBron James recorded his first triple-double of the season and Kyrie Irving matched his season high with 32 points in the Cavaliers’ 120-100 victory against the reeling Sacramento Kings on Monday.
James had 21 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists for his 40th career triple-double, while Irving matched a career high with 12 assists.
The stumbling Kings have lost their last four games and eight of their last nine.
They conclude the first half of the season Wednesday at Philadelphia and coach George Karl could be fired at any time between now and the break.
J.R. Smith scored 22 points and has now made six 3-pointers in consecutive games and 17 in his last three. The Cavs’ starting backcourt outscored the Kings’ backcourt 54-15.
Karl, who previously coached Smith in Denver where the two dealt with a rocky relationship, praised Smith’s ability to stay out of trouble with the Cavs.
“Wow, is he playing great,” Karl said. “I think he’s done a good job of taking out the bad. It seems like LeBron has calmed him down and brought solid and simple to his game.”
The Cavs controlled the game Monday from the opening tip, led by 16 at the half and extended it to 24 in the third quarter.
James capped the triple-double with his 10th rebound in the final minute of the third.
The best sign for the Cavs may have been the play of Irving, who is still trying to rebuild his leg strength after missing the first two months of the season following knee surgery.
Irving began the night shooting less than 26 percent from 3-point range, but ended Monday 5-of-8 from deep and shot 13-of-21 overall. Coach Tyronn Lue has made it clear in recent days he isn’t worried about Irving’s playmaking, and he just wants the former All-Star point guard to attack whenever he has the ball.
Irving has been listening, totaling 61 points in the Cavs’ last two games.
“Just me as a competitor and as the point guard of the team, I think there’s a mental block sometimes where I want to play in between,” Irving said recently. “I come off pick-and-rolls and [Lue] wants me to just attack every single time.
“I’m coming off just trying to make plays and finding that in-between game and finding that rhythm between us two, as point guard and coach. We’re still getting there. We’re still developing that. I just try to come to the sideline as much as possible, coming out of halftime asking what he wants from me. He keeps telling me be aggressive, be aggressive.”
The Cavs have won seven of their last nine and improved to 7-3 under Lue.