LOS ANGELES: LeBron James produced a 39-point masterclass as the Cleveland Cavaliers rallied to overhaul the Los Angeles Clippers in an overtime thriller on Friday.
James added 14 rebounds and six assists to his 39 point tally while Kevin Love grabbed 25 points to power the Cavs to a 118-113 overtime victory at the Quicken Loans Arena.
The win helped cement Cleveland’s climb in the Eastern Conference standings, with the 2016 NBA champions now at 9-7 after reeling off four straight wins.
But the Cavs did it the hard way, repeatedly allowing the Clippers to open up sizeable leads before reeling them in.
The Clippers were unable to ram home their advantage after leading 92-82 with 8:51 left in the fourth quarter and 101-93 with just under five minutes on the clock.
The Clippers had also led by 81-66 with 3:14 remaining in the third quarter only to see the lead evaporate after James’ commanding performance.
Dwyane Wade was the only other Cleveland player to crack double digits, with 23 points, 11 rebounds and five assists.
Los Angeles meanwhile spread their scoring more evenly, with Blake Griffin leading with 23 and DeAndre Jordan adding 20.
Four other Clippers players also reached double figures for the night, but it was enough.
The Clippers now have lost seven straight, a dip in form that has seen them slump to 5-9 for the season.--AFP