• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

James, Ilgauskas lead Cavaliers over Bucks

Dec 18, 2007 - 4:57 AM CLEVELAND (Ticker) -- LeBron James needed all the help he could get against the feisty Milwaukee Bucks.

James scored 31 points to help the Cleveland Cavaliers post a 104-99 double-overtime victory over the Bucks on Monday night.

Zydrunas Ilgauskas scored six of his 24 points in the second extra session and reserve Devin Brown contributed in a big way for Cleveland, which picked up just its second win in the last 10 games.

James hit a driving layup in the second overtime with 26 seconds left and added a pair of free throws with 14 ticks to play which iced the game.

The Cavaliers had 11 turnovers for the game, but only three in the second half and two overtimes.

"We defended a lot better in the second half," James said. "We did a great job of not turning the ball over."

Brown, who sent the game into the first overtime with a putback with 16 seconds left in regulation, scored 11 points with nine rebounds and six assists off the bench.

"I've been in a search mode," Cleveland coach Mike Brown said. "I've wanted to try to give guys opportunities to play. I just felt it was Devin's turn today."

Ilgauskas, who opened the second overtime by hitting his first three shots, added 11 rebounds.

"(Ilgauskas) really fed off LeBron," Brown said.

"I know where to put the ball to his hands so he's ready to shoot," James said.

In a back-and-forth affair that featured 21 lead changes and 14 ties, Ilgauskas' third straight jumper gave Cleveland a 99-96 lead with 1:28 left.

After a pair of free throws from Mo Williams, James drove the lane and scored to make it 101-98 with 26 seconds left. The 22-year-old superstar then hit a pair of free throws and Daniel Gibson added another for the final margin.

Michael Redd carried Milwaukee, which used a 6-0 run to take a 93-91 lead with 40 seconds left in the first overtime. However, Brown grabbed a rebound off a miss from Ilgauskas and muscled his way in for a putback that tied the game at 93-93 with 16 seconds to play.

"(Coach Mike Brown) wanted to see what my mind was going to be like," Brown said. "It was a test. When your number is called you have to go out and play hard." Redd had 22 points and nine assists and Mason added 15 points for Milwaukee. Six Bucks scored in twin figures.

"We did everything we should have done to win the game and it's tough when you play on the road," Redd said. "I'm not mad at our team at all. We played extremely well."

The Bucks have played nine of their last 12 on the road, including a five-game West Coast trip.

"We've played about as many road games as you possibly can play at this point in this season," Milwaukee coach Larry Krystkowiak said. "I know some of these (officials' calls) coming down the stretch, it hasn't been the most favorable for us."

The Bucks beat the Cavaliers, 111-107, in Cleveland on November 20.

"We battled for almost five quarters and held them to 40-percent shooting," Krystkowiak said. "When we jumped out to trap (James) they spaced the floor pretty well, and we were slow in getting to Ilgauskas, and he made a number of open jumpers."