Nets overcome James’ triple-double, beat Cavaliers
Brooklyn Nets’ Rondae Hollis-Jefferson (24) defends Cleveland Cavaliers’ LeBron James (23) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, Oct. 25, 2017, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
NEW YORK — Spencer Dinwiddie made the go-ahead 3-pointer with 43 seconds left while starting for the injured D’Angelo Russell, and the Brooklyn Nets overcame LeBron James’ first triple-double of the season to beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 112-107 on Wednesday night.
James had 29 points, 13 assists and 10 rebounds in his 56th triple-double, but he missed two free throws — the second intentionally — with the Cavaliers trailing by two with 7.6 seconds remaining. DeMarre Carroll
then hit a free throw and the Cavs’ long inbounds pass intended for James went out of bounds.
Dinwiddie scored 22 points for the Nets, who blew a 14-point lead in the final quarter but recovered to
improve to 3-2 — the same record as the defending Eastern Conference champion Cavaliers.
Rondae Hollis-Jefferson and Allen Crabbe added 19 points apiece and Carroll scored 18 for the Nets, who fell just shy of becoming the first NBA team in 32 years to open a season with five straight 115-point games.
James appeared in his 772nd game with the Cavs, passing former teammate Zydrunas Ilgauskas for most in team history. But it turned into a frustrating night.
He started at point guard for the second straight night with Derrick Rose still nursing a sprained left ankle and Dwyane Wade joining him after bruising his left knee in Tuesday’s victory over Chicago.
He ran the offense fine but his long-range shooters couldn’t convert enough of his passes. Kevin Love finished 4 for 13 from the floor and J.R. Smith was 1 for 9, missing all five 3-point attempts.
The Nets led by 14 when Quincy Acy made a 3-pointer to open the scoring in the fourth, but James led the Cavs on a 13-0 run that gave them a 94-92 lead on Love’s 3-pointer. The teams traded narrow leads from there.
Russell, the Nets’ leading scorer, sat out after spraining his right knee in Tuesday’s loss at Orlando.
TIP-INS
Cavaliers: Lue said he hoped Rose could play Saturday at New Orleans. … The Cavs had won the last four meetings.
Nets: The Nets are 3-0 at home for the first time since 2002-03. … The last team with five straight 115-games to open a season was the 1985-86 Pistons. The Nets came in leading the NBA with 123.5 points per game.
BRONX BOMBERS IN BROOKLYN
Aaron Judge, CC Sabathia and Dellin Betances of the New York Yankees watched from a sideline seat.
UP NEXT
Cavaliers: Visit New Orleans on Saturday.
Nets: Visit New York on Friday.
