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Jamison, Irving lead Cavs over Pistons

Feb 22, 2012 - 4:32 AM Cleveland, OH (Sports Network) - Antawn Jamison scored a game-high 32 points with 10 rebounds and the Cleveland Cavaliers snuck past the Detroit Pistons, 101-100, on Tuesday night.

Kyrie Irving added 25 points and a career-high eight assists, while Alonzo Gee chipped in 16 points and pulled down 11 boards to give the Cavaliers their third win in four games.

Brandon Knight paced Detroit with 24 points and Greg Monroe finished with a double-double, scoring 19 points and grabbing 11 rebounds as the Pistons saw their three-game win streak come to a halt.

"I thought they took it from us," said Pistons head coach Lawrence Frank. "You have to give them credit. I don't think we gifted them the win. I don't think we didn't compete and didn't play hard. I don't think we gave them the game. I think you have to give credit to Irving and those guys."

Trailing by six in the fourth, the Cavaliers ripped off seven straight, capped by a Jamison trey, to take an 86-85 lead, their first since leading 35-34 at the 8:20 mark of the second.

After two Rodney Stuckey free throws, Irving sparked another 7-0 run with a triple and then a layup, as the Cavaliers took a 93-87 edge with just over three minutes to play.

The Pistons responded with the next five points, getting a three-pointer from Ben Gordon to cut the deficit to one, 93-92, with 1:31 left in the final frame.

Irving converted a layup the next time down, but Knight drilled a trey to tie the game at 95.

After a mad scramble for the rebound, Gee came up with the loose ball and flushed it home to give the Cavs a 97-95 lead with 25.4 ticks left on the clock.

Knight then drove the lane but was too strong with his layup and Jamison wrestled down the rebound.

Irving and Gibson each went 2-of-2 from the charity stripe and an insignificant Gordon three counted at the buzzer as Cleveland held on for the one-point victory.

Cleveland head coach Byron Scott said he told his guys at the end of the third quarter, "We are going to get a score and then we'll be nine down. It's a three possession game. It's all about the defensive end."

Scott then added, "I don't know if it was one particular play, or one instance that really turned it around. I think it was just more of a team being a little bit more aware of what was going on and what they had to do."

The Cavaliers utilized the long ball in the first, connecting on 3-of-3 shooting from three-point range to take a slim 30-29 advantage after the first quarter.

Cleveland failed to score a bucket from the field for the first seven-plus minutes of the second, allowing the Pistons to take a 55-44 advantage into the locker room.

The Cavs would get no closer than nine in the third as the Pistons took an 11- point edge, 77-66, into the final frame.

Irving hit two three-pointers in an 8-1 Cavs spurt to pull the home team within four, 80-76, with just over nine minutes remaining in the tilt.

Game Notes

Both teams play on Wednesday before the All-Star break with the Pistons visiting Toronto and the Cavaliers hosting the Hornets...Gee's 11 rebounds set a new career high...Monroe finished with seven assists, setting a new career high...The Pistons outscored the Cavaliers 20-8 in second chance points.