LeBron scores 33 as Cavaliers hold off Pacers 100-96

“Doesn’t matter (if) they want to rest guys”, Wizards head coach Randy Wittman said.

However, the Cavs were the team that appeared sluggish and hungover from their close loss in Toronto on Friday night.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Russell Westbrook tallied his ninth triple-double of the season before the end of the third quarter, and he finished with 20 points, 15 assists and 13 rebounds as Oklahoma City blitzed Sacramento.

The Cavs recovered with a solid all-around effort, but were pushed to the final seconds by the Pacers.

Defensively speaking, IN was able to keep the Cavs’ shooting percentage much lower than what the Blazers shot just a night before, and Cleveland was almost silent from behind the arc early on.

LeBron James led Cleveland with 33 points, and Kyrie Irving chipped in 22.

When head coach Tyronn Lue was asked if he had enough playmakers on this team, he cleverly sideswiped the question and instead informed us that James, Irving and Matthew Dellavedova are the team’s three creators.

“We were going to come out with a lot of intensity whether LeBron played or not”, Wall said.

Wall took over for the Wizards in the second quarter.

Drummond registered his 51st double-double of the season by scoring 15 points and collecting 18 rebounds to help the Pistons to a fourth consecutive win. But if they’re watching Steph Curry celebrate from the comfort of their couches after being sent home in the Eastern Conference playoffs by Toronto (or, god forbid, Miami), don’t be surprised if those changes to involve either Kevin Love or Kyrie Irving’s massive, long-term contracts.

Cleveland made only 9-of-29 3-point attempts. “When you come out and Otto Porter hits three back-to-back-to-back threes, it’s definitely deflating, but you have to have a more positive outlook and a different attitude coming out of halftime even if they are making shots”.

John Wall handles the ball against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Irving is averaging 18.9 points per game for the Cavaliers, who are mired in a two-game losing streak. The Pistons allow 100.5 points per game which adds to the embarrassment of the lose. LeBron James led all scorers at the half with 21 points, while Monta Ellis led the Pacers with 8 at the break. He played in the fourth quarter and scored eight points.

“Any time you (make) that kind of move, it kind of lets the guys down a little bit”, Lue said.

Cavaliers: Lue offered no excuses for his team’s poor performance at Washington, saying his team needs to be mentally stronger at this point in the season. Whatever the issue, and there’s certainly more than one, the Cavs are in trouble, at least according to the team’s more outspoken players. “What we’re trying to do, trying to win a championship, you can’t have days like that”, he said. “We can’t play basketball like this going down the stretch”. 0-3 0-0 0, Hickson 1-1 0-0 2, Gooden 0-3 0-0 0.