Boston ? LeBron James returned from a first-half ankle injury to score 26 and become the youngest player in NBA history to reach the 10,000-point milestone, but his Cleveland Cavaliers lost to the Boston Celtics 92-87 yesterday.

Ray Allen scored 22 points and Kevin Garnett 18 with 11 rebounds for Boston to help the NBA?s top team win its third straight and improve to 2-2 for the season against the defending Eastern Conference champions.

James sprained his ankle just before halftime but X-rays were negative and he was back for the start of the second. But James? performance couldn?t help Cleveland close what was a double-digit deficit for most of the game.

He reached the 10,000-point milestone at 23 years, 59 days. It took him 368 games to do it ? the ninth-fastest in league history.



Bulls 113,

Pacers 107

At Indianapolis, Larry Hughes had 29 points and Drew Gooden added 10 points and 15 rebounds, helping Chicago to a victory.

Mike Dunleavy had 25 points, Travis Diener scored 22 and Troy Murphy chipped in 19 for slumping Indiana.



Knicks 113,

Bobcats 89

At New York, Nate Robinson scored 22 points, Jamal Crawford added 20, and New York matched its most lopsided victory of the season.

The Knicks, usually suffering the hidings, blew by banged-up Charlotte after a slow start, getting 25 fast-break points and shooting 51 percent from the floor.

Other Games: 76ers 101 vs Magic 89; Raptors 107 vs Wolves 85; Hawks 123 vs Kings 117; Hornets 120 vs Suns 103; Jazz 103 vs Pistons 95; Nuggets 138 vs Sonics 96; Blazers 82 vs Clippers 80. /AP