James’ 44 points lead Cavaliers over Thunder

Published 4:00 am Monday, December 14, 2009

OKLAHOMA CITY — LeBron James got Cleveland back into the game with a flurry of three-pointers. Then Mo Williams one-upped him with an even more important shot for the Cavaliers.

James scored a season-high 44 points and Williams connected from halfcourt in the fourth quarter to help the Cavs close out a 102-89 win against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday night.

Williams tracked down the ball after Thabo Sefolosha had tipped it into the backcourt, then turned and fired a 48-footer with coach Mike Brown yelling to him as the shot clock ran down. The shot earned him a look of disbelief and a congratulatory hand slap from James, and it gave Cleveland its largest lead to that point at 94-87.

“The three that he hit from halfcourt was spectacular,” Brown said. “When it left his hand — and I had a great view and look at it — I felt it was good.

“It’s a tribute to me being the halfcourt shooting coach.”

James wanted in on the credit, too.

“He practices with me every day on them halfcourt shots, and sometimes it pays off,” he said. “That was a huge shot.”

Williams said he couldn’t hear Brown shouting to him because he was in the moment and focused on the shot. After it went in, the stunned Thunder didn’t score again for 3 1/2 minutes as the Cavs put the game away.

“It’s definitely deflating. Any shot like that is deflating,” said Williams, who scored half of his 22 points in the fourth quarter.

Kevin Durant led Oklahoma City with 29 points and Jeff Green scored a season-high 26. Russell Westbrook added 10 points.

The Thunder were up 75-68 with a minute and half left in the third quarter before James scored seven straight points to tie it. He answered Durant’s free throw with a 26-foot three-pointer that gave the Cavs the lead heading into the fourth.

“It’s tough to guard a guy who’s that quick, that strong, that’s making shots that deep,” Green said. “He’s one of the top players in the NBA. He turned it on when his team needed it the most.”

Then, when James went to the bench and Oklahoma City evened the score again, Williams took over.

James’ fellow All-Star teamed with Jamario Moon to hit three-pointers on three straight possessions to keep Cleveland out front while James rested. After his three-pointer from the left corner made it 91-87, the Thunder didn’t score for the next 6 minutes.

Also on Sunday:

Grizzlies 118

Heat 90

MIAMI — Rudy Gay scored a career-high 41 points, Marc Gasol made all seven of his shots on the way to a 16-point, 15-rebound effort, and Memphis enjoyed a rare road blowout. Gay made 15 of 28 shots, topping his previous career best by five points.

Hawks 130

Nets 107

ATLANTA — Maurice Evans scored 22 points, and Joe Johnson added 21 points and 10 assists to help Atlanta win its fourth straight. Devin Harris, who started despite a sprained left pinky finger, scored 23 points for the Nets.

Raptors 101

Rockets 88

TORONTO — Chris Bosh led Toronto with 27 points, Hedo Turkoglu had a season-high 23, and Jarrett Jack added 17 points, eight rebounds and eight assists. Carl Landry scored 25 points for Houston, and Luis Scola had 21 points and 15 rebounds.

Spurs 115

Clippers 90

LOS ANGELES — Tim Duncan scored 21 points before sitting out the fourth quarter, Richard Jefferson and Manu Ginobili each had 17, and San Antonio beat Los Angeles.

Duncan left with 1:48 left in the third quarter after he was accidentally elbowed on the right side of the head by teammate Matt Bonner while trying to rebound a missed layup by Sebastian Telfair with the Spurs leading 83-73.