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James dazzles as Cavs hold off Bobcats

Mar 17, 2008 - 1:59 AM By Jeff Brewer PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

CLEVELAND (Ticker) - LeBron James hit a twisting layup with 10 seconds to play and it proved decisive as the Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the Charlotte Bobcats, 98-91, for their seventh straight home win.

James finished with 33 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds to help Cleveland survived a fourth-quarter scoring flurry from Charlotte's Jason Richardson.

Cavaliers center Zydrunas Ilgauskas, returning to action for the first time in seven games due to a strained back, collected 16 points and nine rebounds.

Richardson's 3-pointer in James' face cut the deficit to 92-91, but Delonte West answered with a 16-footer to give the Cavaliers a three-point lead with 57 seconds left.

Richardson had another chance to get the Bobcats closer, but he came up short on a reverse layup on the next possession to set up James' final basket.

"We almost waited too long as a staff to put (James) on Jason Richardson," Cleveland coach Mike Brown said.

"If we want to be a good team, I'm going to have to (challenge) defensively," said James, who has scored 20 or more points in 44 straight games.

Richardson scored 14 of his 33 points in the fourth.

"Our second unit came in and gave us a lot of energy and got us back in the game," Richardson said. "Once I got back in, the shots went down and we just tried to do everything we could to win the game."

Raymond Felton had 14 points and nine assists for Charlotte, which has dropped seven meetings in a row at Quicken Loans Arena.

"(Cleveland) was going to the hole, we were going to the hole, they shoot how many free throws and we shoot a lot less," Charlotte coach Sam Vincent said. "We've played a lot of real close, real tough games - and this team has really grown and matured."

The Bobcats also fell to 0-23 on the road when trailing after three quarters.