Follow Us on Facebook Follow Us on Twitter VI Mobile College Basketball March Mayhem Picks College Basketball March Mayhem Picks VegasInsider.com VegasInsider.com
Handicapper Bios Sports Picks Free Odds Contests Sportsbook
VI Home NFL NBANHLMLBNCAA FBNCAA BKGolfAutoHorsesBoxingVI More Sports
 
NBA Scores Matchups Teams Standings Schedules Injuries News
 
 · Latest News
 · Player Updates
 · Transactions
Buy Picks Vegas Odds
 
 · Vegas Odds
 · Offshore Odds
 · Future Odds
 
Recap: Cavaliers , Suns
Date: December 21, 2009 9:00 PM EDT
  

PHOENIX (AP) -Nobody has been able to beat the Suns in Phoenix, except the Cavaliers.

LeBron James and his Cleveland teammates made it two in a row in the desert with a 109-91 triumph on Monday night.

The Suns had won 19 straight at home since Cleveland beat them there on March 12 last season. At 10-0, they were the only team in the NBA without a home loss this season.

Advertisement

Cleveland ended that run with a dominant fourth quarter.

James and Mo Williams did the offensive damage and the Cavaliers' defense stifled the Suns in a late 15-0 run.

James scored 29 and Williams 24 as the Cavs shot 53 percent one night after a tough loss at Dallas.

``Just a veteran ballclub,' James explained. ``We know how important back-to-back games are and bounce-back games. We don't let one loss linger around our team. We never have.'

Steve Nash had 18 points and 10 assists for Phoenix.

``They have a great, great player on their team,' Suns coach Alvin Gentry said. ``They play off him and really do a good job of it. They have guys that can space the floor and make shots. Contrary to what anybody may think, to get to the Eastern Conference championships, you are going to have to go through Cleveland at some point.'

Shaquille O'Neal didn't get much of a reaction from the fans in his first game in Phoenix since the Suns traded him to Cleveland, just a smattering of cheers and boos when he was introduced.

In foul trouble much of the night, O'Neal had three points and five rebounds in 19 minutes. Afterward, he brushed off the boos from the crowd.

``You have to realize nothing bothers me,' he said. ``When I'm done playing, my name will be remembered, so it doesn't matter if they cheer or they boo because that don't hurt my feelings.'

The Suns' Amare Stoudemire, also plagued by foul problems, had 14 points and 12 rebounds.

``We didn't have a real winning mentality tonight,' Nash said. ``I thought we were hesitant and a little doubtful rather than bold and aggressive and determined. I think that was the difference.'

Cleveland scored 30 points off 18 Phoenix turnovers and the usually fast-paced Suns had just four fast-break points.

``I thought our guys at the defensive end of the floor, their effort was tremendous,' Cleveland coach Mike Brown said.

After cutting the lead to 92-76, Phoenix went 6:13 without a field goal as Cleveland outscored the Suns 17-5 down the stretch.

``Defensively, we just stepped up another notch,' James said. ``That's when we make our mark, that's on the defensive end.'

The Cavaliers haven't lost two in a row since dropping the first two games of the season to Boston and Toronto.

An 11-3 run at the end of the second quarter and start of the third put Cleveland ahead 63-55. The Suns tied it for the final time at 65 on Nash's 13-footer with 7 1/2 minutes left in the third.

Cleveland responded with a 13-4 run, and an 18-footer by Zydrunas Ilgauskas put the Cavaliers ahead 78-69 with 2:04 left in the period. Cleveland led 82-75 entering the fourth.

Cleveland got significant help from its reserves. Anderson Varejao scored 13 and Delonte West had 12 points and three steals.

``It's not always about me,' James said. ``That's not how we win games and that's not why we're one of the best teams in the league, because everybody contributes when they come to the game. I get a lot of the media talk and a lot of the hoopla but at the end of the day we're a ballclub that's very good and we have some guys that know how to play the game.'

The Cavs were up 59-53 after a tight first half that featured two spectacular dunks by James, one from each side of the basket. There were 18 lead changes and 15 ties in the first two quarters.

NOTES: The Suns could have injured guard Leandro Barbosa (sprained ankle) back for their Christmas night game against the Los Angeles Clippers. ... James entered the game averaging 31.4 points per game on the road, 25.4 at home. ... In a matchup of the two best 3-point shooting teams in the league, Cleveland was 5 of 12, Phoenix 4 of 19. ... Cleveland is on a four-game road trip that climaxes with a Christmas Day game against the Los Angeles Lakers.

AP NEWS
The Associated Press News Service

Copyright 2012
The Associated Press
All Rights Reserved

 BETTING TRENDS
 Team  ML   SPR   O/U 
 CLE         
 PHO         
BT MOVEMENTS

 
 
  
GOLD Membership
Receive a 20% discount on all Daily Picks. Signup Today!
 
 
Las Vegas Travel
 
 

NFL
NFL Picks
NFL Odds
NFL Matchups
NFL Scores

NBA
NBA Picks
NBA Odds
NBA Matchups
NBA Scores

MLB
MLB Picks
MLB Odds
MLB Matchups
MLB Scores


NCAA FB
NCAA FB Picks
NCAA FB Odds
NCAA FB Matchups
NCAA FB Scores

NCAA BK
NCAA BK Picks
NCAA BK Odds
NCAA BK Matchups
NCAA BK Scores

NHL
NHL Picks
NHL Odds
NHL Matchups
NHL Scores


More Sports
Golf
Auto Racing
Horse Racing
Boxing
UFC
WNBA
Soccer

Features
Free Odds
Mobile Odds
Contests
Newsletters
VI Radio
Las Vegas Travel
Follow us on Twitter
Join us on Facebook


Sports Betting Tools
Live Odds
Parlay Calculator
Gaming Terms
TV Listings
Handicapping Records
Sportsbook Reviews

VegasInsider Info
About Us
Help Center
Privacy Policy
Terms of Use
Contact Us
User Feedback

Sportsbooks
BetOnline.ag
Bodog.ca
Bookmaker
Bovada.lv
SBG Global.eu
Sportsbook
TopBet.com

Rotation Schedules
Baseball:

 
Mar 28 - June 5

Copyright © 1997-2012, VegasInsider.com Inc., The Global Leader In Sports Gaming Information. All rights reserved.
For questions or comments, please contact us at 1-800-211-4759.