CAVS TOP NETS FOR 10TH STRAIGHT WIN

LeBron James posted a ‘double/double’ as all five Cleveland Cavalier starters scored in double figures to pace a workmanlike 98-87 home victory over the New Jersey Nets on Wednesday night.  The Cavs have now won ten straight games overall, as well as ten straight at home as they improved their record at the Quicken Loans Arena to a NBA best 33-1.  The Western Conference leading Los Angeles Lakers are the only team that has been able to beat Cleveland at home this season.

The victory also represented a franchise record 58^th victory for the season—a mark that will certainly be permanently shattered with 11 games remaining before the playoffs start.   After the game, LeBron noted that this team had the earmarks of greatness all along:

"I could tell that we were going to be really good. I knew we could make this into something special -- and we've been able to do that."

LeBron and the Cavs have bigger goals than regular season records, however, and at this point are just trying to keep their momentum heading into the post season.  James posted another impressive all around performance in the victory with 22 points and 11 assists, along with 8 rebounds.  He also became only the second player in NBA history to have 2,000 points, 500 rebounds and 500 assists in at least four seasons.  Oscar Robertson was the only previous player to earn this mark, placing James in very prestigious company indeed.  Afterwards, James gave what has become his stock response in a season where records are surpassed almost every game:

"It seems like I've been saying the same speech a lot. We should all be proud as a franchise. I have no problem answering the same question when we're breaking records and setting records. It's unbelievable what we've been able to do, but we have to continue."

Anderson Varejao, Zydrunas Ilgauskas and Mo Williams each scored 16 points for Cleveland, with Varejao adding 11 rebounds for his own ‘double/double’.  Delonte West just missed a ‘double/double’ of his own with 13 points and 9 assists to complete the Cavs double digit scoring assault.  New Jersey was led by Vince Carter’s 20 points, with Jarvis Hayes adding 18 off the bench.  Bobby Simmons (12) and Kenyon Dooling (11) also scored in double digits for the Nets.

Cleveland will play their next three games at home, with Minnesota coming to town on Friday, Dallas on Sunday and Detroit on Tuesday.  New Jersey will host the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday night, head to Minnesota for a game on Sunday and return home to face the Milwaukee Bucks on Monday.