James, Cavs rout 'Wolves

Apr 4, 2007, 3:30 GMT

Minneapolis, MN - LeBron James knocked down a game-high 31 points in leading the Cleveland Cavaliers to a 101-88 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves at the Target Center.

James, who missed the last game for the Cavs with tendinitis in his right knee, converted 13-of-24 from the field and was a perfect 5-of-5 at the free- throw line as the team won for the second time in the last three outings. Playing almost 42 minutes, James also registered 12 rebounds, six assists and four steals, while Drew Gooden posted a double-double as well with 20 points and a game-high 13 rebounds.

'It felt pretty good, it's still not 100 percent,' James noted about his ailing knee. 'I'd say it's about 80-85 percent right now. I still felt it a couple of times, I just got to keep doing treatment.'

With the win the Cavs remained the second seed in the Eastern Conference playoff race and 3 1/2 games behind the Detroit Pistons for the top spot in the Central and the conference.

Aleksander Pavlovic contributed 13 points, while Daniel Gibson and Larry Hughes accounted for 11 points apiece, with the latter handing out a game-high 10 assists as well.

Kevin Garnett once again led the Timberwolves (31-43) with 22 points and 12 rebounds, but was also responsible for five of the unit's 18 turnovers on the night as well. The rest of the starting lineup for Minnesota, losers of four of the last five outings, combined for a mere 18 points, while reserves Randy Foye (18 points), Rashad McCants (14) and Craig Smith (12) tried to shoulder some of the load.

Scoring six of the first 11 points for the Timberwolves, Garnett's assist on a three-pointer by Davis put the home team ahead by four points just over four minutes into the first quarter, 14-10. But from there the Cavs took control as they ran off 15 unanswered points, eventually leading to a 33-23 advantage at the end of the first for the visitors.

Cleveland saw it's lead dip to a mere four points in the second frame, but a 10-2 run late allowed the Cavaliers to hit the break with a 55-47 edge.

Through the first four and a half minutes of the third Minnesota knocked down just four free throws, without a single two-point basket to it's credit, allowing the Cavaliers to seize control and cruise to the 13-point road win.

Frustrated for much of the game, Garnett couldn't hide his feelings for the lack of fouls called in favor of the Timberwolves. 'We couldn't get a call to save our life tonight. I nearly got my eye taken out...but that didn't cost us the game, you know.'

Game Notes

Cleveland has now won three straight in the series with the Timberwolves, but has still lost five of the last eight meetings nonetheless...Minnesota, now 20-16 at home this season, is 12 games under .500 on the campaign and is five games behind the Clippers for the final playoff spot in the West with a mere eight games remaining...The Cavs dominated the glass, 48-36, and limited the TWolves to just six rebounds at the offensive end of the floor.

© 2007 The Sports Network

Game Notes

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