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James, Cavaliers look to keep pace with high-scoring Jazz

Nov 7, 2007 - 4:24 PM Cleveland (2-2) at Utah (2-2) 10:30 pm EST

SALT LAKE CITY (Ticker) - After a slow start to the season, LeBron James has begun to heat up.

James and the Cavaliers aim for a second straight win when they visit Carlos Boozer and the Utah Jazz on Wednesday.

James filled up the stat sheet to the tune of 24 points, 14 rebounds and nine assists in leading the Cavaliers to a 108-104 win over the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday.

The 23-year-old struggled to open the season, shooting just 2-of-11 from the floor and scoring just 10 points in a 92-74 loss to the Dallas Mavericks.

Since that point, James has averaged 32.0 points, 7.5 assists and 8.6 rebounds in three games.

James' most impressive play on Tuesday came when he passed out of a triple team to Zydrunas Ilgauskas, who found Daniel Gibson for a game-clinching 3-pointer with 19 seconds left.

The Cavaliers will need James to continue to score, as well as be the main playmaker if they are going to keep up with Boozer and Deron Williams, who have the Jazz leading the league with an average of 113.5 points per game.

Boozer, who spent two seasons in Cleveland before signing a six-year, $68 million offer sheet in 2004, is averaging 24.3 points and 13.3 rebounds. The six-year veteran has averaged 15.5 points and 12.0 rebounds in two games against his former team, but Utah has lost both games.

Meanwhile, Williams is averaging 24.5 points and 9.3 assists, and has 56 points and 16 assists in the last two games.

The duo will likely be angry after the Jazz were outscored, 38-27, in the fourth quarter of a 119-109 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers on Saturday.

Cleveland has won seven of the last nine meetings, including three of four here.