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Cavs stay hot with win over struggling 76ers

Dec 11, 2008 - 7:04 AM PHILADELPHIA (Ticker) -- It wasn't perfect, but it still was a 10 for the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday.

LeBron James scored 29 points and the Cavaliers rolled to their 10th straight win, a 101-93 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers.

Cleveland improved to 19-3 with the win, which it essentially wrapped up by outscoring Philadelphia, 36-19, in the third quarter.

"Coach got on us at the half about the way we were playing. We just didn't give a lot of effort on the defensive end and that allowed them to score the ball too much," James said. "We came out with that defensive intensity in the second half and shut them down in the third quarter and we gained the big lead. It was just a mind set that no matter what we want to win and we took care of business."

The Cavs held a 48-46 lead at the half and took control with an 18-3 run in the third. Delonte West, Mo Williams and James each hit a 3-pointer in the surge.

"There is always in a game a point of separation that allows a team to win. The third quarter was that separation," Philadelphia coach Maurice Cheeks said. "Coming back on the court down two and then at the nine minute mark, we're down 11. That was there separation that allowed them to pull away. They continued to make shots and we, obviously missed a lot of shots. We have to do better job of eliminating the separation point."

Andre Iguodala scored 27 points for Philadelphia, which has lost three of its last four.

"We didn't have good execution to start with," Iguodala said. "They did a good job of defending our plays and we didn't give good looks. That dictated our defense and we didn't get the stops we needed early in the third quarter."

Williams scored a season-high 27 points, Anderson Varejao added 15 off the bench and Ben Wallace had 10 rebounds for the Cavaliers, who are one win shy of tying the franchise record of 11 straight wins set during the 1988-89 season.

""It is not as exciting as advertised," Williams said of the streak. "We want to win every game we play and when we step out on that court and there is somebody in they way, we feel like can win it. The more we win, the more the streak goes so it is great for us and the organization. But, at the same time out goal is global; a world championship."

Cleveland led 84-65 heading into the fourth but were forced to work a bit down the stretch.

Philadelphia pulled within 95-89 after Andre Miller made a pair of free throws with two minutes remaining. But Williams' jumper and Wallace's dunk restored a double-digit lead for the Cavs, who improved to 7-3 on the road.

"It was not the best of games for both teams, that happens sometimes," Cavaliers coach Mike Brown said. "It was good for us, off of a back to back to come into somebody's building knowing that we did not play a good game and still get a win. We gave away too many transition baskets. We have to make sure that we do a better job of getting back to eliminate some of their easy baskets."

While Cleveland is cruising along, it did suffer a setback in the game as center Zydrunas Ilgauskas left the game with 9:39 left in the fourth with a sprained left ankle. He did not return.