Irving scores 23 to help Cavaliers to win over Rockets
Cleveland Cavaliers guard Kyrie Irving (2) drives around San Antonio Spurs guard Tony Parker during the first half of an NBA basketball game Thursday, Jan. 14, 2016, in San Antonio. San Antonio won 99-95. (AP Photo/Darren Abate)
HOUSTON — Kyrie Irving scored 23 points, LeBron James added 19 and the Cleveland Cavaliers wrapped up their longest road trip of the season with an easy 91-77 victory over the Houston Rockets on Friday night.
The Cavaliers capped six games away from home and were playing for the second straight night, but it was the Rockets who looked tired and listless as Cleveland built a double-digit lead by halftime and pushed it to 20 in the third.
Cleveland got back on track after a loss to San Antonio on Thursday night that snapped an eight-game winning streak before the team’s showdown with Golden State on Monday.
Dwight Howard had 14 points and 11 rebounds for the Rockets, who scored a season low to end their season-best, five-game winning streak. James Harden had just 11 points on 2-for-10 shooting and missed all five of his 3-point attempts.
Cleveland ended a six-game losing streak to the Rockets with its first win in Houston since March 26, 2006.
Houston had 18 turnovers which led to 19 points for the Cavaliers and was outrebounded 49-40.
The Cavaliers, who haven’t played at home since Jan. 4, will play five of their next six in Cleveland.
Cleveland led by 11 at halftime and quickly pushed its lead to 52-37. Trevor Ariza cut it to 12 with a 3-pointer with about 5 1/2 minutes left in the third quarter, but the Cavaliers scored the next nine points, capped by four from James, to make it 66-45 about three minutes later.
The Rockets missed six shots and had a turnover in that stretch to help Cleveland pad the lead.
Cleveland led by 17 entering the fourth quarter and an 8-2 spurt early in the quarter extended it to 76-55 with about 9 1/2 minutes left.
Houston finally got a little something going after that, using a 9-4 run to close the gap to 80-64, but it was too little, too late.
The Cavaliers scored five points in a row later in the quarter, with the first three from James followed by a dunk by Tristan Thompson to make it 90-70 with about three minutes left. James and the rest of Cleveland’s starters went to the bench soon after that.
The Cavaliers led 46-35 at halftime.
