Cleveland Cavaliers’ LeBron James (23) passes around Milwaukee Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo (34), from Greece, and Khris Middleton (22) in the first half of an NBA basketball game Thursday, Nov. 19, 2015, in Cleveland. AP
CLEVELAND, Ohio—LeBron James scored 27 points, Kevin Love added 22 points and 15 rebounds and the Cleveland Cavaliers beat the Milwaukee Bucks 115-100 on Thursday night.
Cleveland snapped a two-game losing streak and avenged a double-overtime loss in Milwaukee on Saturday night. The Cavaliers lead the Eastern Conference at 9-3.
Giannis Antetokounmpo scored a career-high 33 points for Milwaukee, and the Bucks rallied from a 21-point deficit in the second quarter to cut the lead to 84-79 late in the third.
Anderson Varejao, who came off the bench to score nine points, helped Cleveland build the lead to 97-84. James scored six points and Love had a three-point play in that stretch.
J.R. Smith added 18 points for Cleveland.
Antetokounmpo was 12 of 15 from the field and made all eight of his free throws. Greg Monroe scored 17 points, and Khris Middleton added 15 for Milwaukee.
James and Cavaliers coach David Blatt were critical of the team’s toughness after losing to the Bucks and Detroit Pistons, a game in which Cleveland blew a 10-point lead in the fourth quarter.
James set the tone early when he tore a rebound away from Antetokounmpo and went up for an easy basket.
Cleveland used a 27-11 run to take a 63-42 lead late in the second quarter. The Bucks cut into the lead throughout the third quarter, but the Cavaliers regrouped.
Jabari Parker returned after missing a game because of a sprained right foot and scored 14 points.
Cavaliers point guard Mo Williams missed the game because of a sore right leg and center Timofey Mozgov strained his right shoulder in the second quarter and didn’t return.