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LeBron James didn’t make the grade in the disappointing season-opener but bounced back with flying colours a night later. |
James poured in 36 points, including his team’s first eight in overtime, and the visiting Cleveland Cavaliers beat the Chicago Bulls 114-108 on Friday, giving David Blatt his first career NBA coaching victory.
“The best thing about last night was tonight,” said Blatt, a 22-year international coaching icon. “We were determined to come out and play good basketball.”
James played horribly, finishing with 17 points on 5-of-15 shooting in Thursday’s 95-90 stunner to the New York Knicks, in his highly-emotional homecoming following four years in Miami, where he helped the Heat win two NBA Championships.
But James looked like the two-time league most valuable player, in an early season showdown of Eastern Conference powerhouses.
“I’m my biggest critic and last night I gave myself an ‘F,’” James said. “I played passive but played my game and was aggressive from the start and into overtime tonight.
“The great thing about this league is that you get an opportunity the next night to redeem yourself.”
Kyrie Irving scored 23 points, Kevin Love had 16 with as many rebounds while Tristan Thompson also finished with 16 and 13 boards, including a team-record 12 on the offensive glass.
“I’m here to get my team more rebounds and more possessions,” Thompson said.
Derrick Rose and Kirk Hinrich scored 20 points apiece while Spaniard Pau Gasol added 15 for the Bulls, who had bashed the Knicks, 104-80 in Tuesday’s season opener.
“Every game against them is going to be high expectation and an opportunity for both teams to make a statement and gain ground on each other,” Gasol said.
Rose didn’t appear in the final quarter or overtime after trying to play through a left ankle sprain suffered in the second quarter, when the speedy guard landed awkwardly on a drive to the basket.
“I’m walking around so I think everyone can breathe easy,” said the former league most valuable, who played in just 10 games last season before a devastating knee injury in November. “It’s part of the process. God is testing me now.”
The Bulls stormed from nine down in the fourth quarter behind Hinrich’s eight straight points, including a pair of triples to go ahead 98-93 with 47 seconds left. But James hit two free throws and Irving’s three-point play forced overtime.
Cleveland dominated the extra session, with James running off his team’s first eight points, including a three-point play en route to the win.
“We took a step back last night but two steps forward tonight,” James said. “Tonight, was an example of how good we can be but we have a lot of work to do.”
Elsewhere, Blake Griffin exploded for 39 points, Jamal Crawford had 22 off the bench, and Clippers dropped their fellow-Staples Centre tenants Lakers 118-111 for the eighth time in the last nine meetings.
Jordan Hill had 23 points and Kobe Bryant added 21 for the Lakers, who fell to 0-3 to start the season for just the fifth time in franchise history.
Newcomer Isaiah Thomas scored 10 of his 23 points in the fourth quarter, Markieff Morris had 20 with 11 boards, and the Suns (2-0) surprised the reigning NBA champion Spurs 94-89.
Trailing 92-89, San Antonio (1-1) had a chance to tie the game but was whistled on a five-second violation, when Boris Diaw couldn’t get the ball inbounds with 6.5 seconds remaining.
Frenchman Tony Parker topped visiting San Antonio (1-1) with 19 points but Argentine Manu Ginobili finished with just two.
Zach Randolph had half his 22 points in a 26-2 third-quarter run to go along with 13 rebounds, Spaniard Marc Gasol netted 20, and the visiting Grizzlies beat the injury-ravaged Pacers 97-89 to open at 2-0 for just the third time in franchise history.
Rudy Gay erupted for 40 points, Darren Collison added 17 with eight assists and as many rebounds, carrying the Kings (1-1) past the visiting Trail Blazers 103-94 for their first win of the season.
LaMarcus Aldridge scored 22 points for Portland, which beat Oklahoma City in their opener.
O.J Mayo dropped in 10 of his game-high 25 points in the final quarter, prize-rookie Jabari Parker had 11 with 10 rebounds in his home-debut, and the Bucks held the visiting Sixers 93-81 scoreless for the final eight minutes 21 seconds to give Jason Kidd his first win coaching win in Milwaukee.