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Lakers stumble along, fall to Cavaliers, Irving

 
The Cavaliers’ Kyrie Irving, right, in his first game back after missing 11 with a broken finger, shoots against the Lakers’ Jordan Hill (27) and Metta World Peace on his way to 28 points.
The Cavaliers’ Kyrie Irving, right, in his first game back after missing 11 with a broken finger, shoots against the Lakers’ Jordan Hill (27) and Metta World Peace on his way to 28 points.
Published Dec. 12, 2012

CLEVELAND — Kyrie Irving scored 28 points in his return after missing 11 games with a broken finger, leading the Cavaliers to a 100-94 win over the Lakers, who dropped to a new low Tuesday night in a tumultuous season.

Irving added 11 assists in 39 minutes and showed off his dizzying array of moves as the Cavs ended a five-game losing streak.

Kobe Bryant scored 42 points and Dwight Howard had 19 points and 20 rebounds, but it wasn't enough to stop the Lakers from losing for the eighth time in 11 games and to a Cleveland team that entered with four wins.

C.J. Miles scored 28 in his first start this season for the Cavs.

Los Angeles was without starting forward Pau Gasol, who missed his fifth straight game with knee tendinitis, and point guard Steve Nash, still sidelined with a broken leg. Nash told USA Today on Monday he would be out "at least another two weeks."

The Lakers fell behind by 16 in the third quarter, and despite Bryant's attempt to rescue them, they opened a four-game road trip with a loss that could sting for a while.

As the final seconds ticked off, Bryant stood at halfcourt, his right hand on his hip, looking disgusted. When the horn sounded, he handed the ball to an official and gave a brief hug to Irving and a long one to Cavs coach Byron Scott, who whispered something in his ear.

Before the game, Lakers coach Mike D'Antoni bemoaned his team's defense and said the Lakers seemed to be missing a "spirit" to win.

GAME HIGHLIGHTS: Carmelo Anthony scored a season-high 45 points, Jason Kidd made the tiebreaking 3-pointer with 24 seconds left and the visiting Knicks rallied from an early 17-point hole to beat the Nets 100-97. … Jordan Crawford scored 26 points and the Wizards spoiled the return of 2012 overall No. 1 pick Anthony Davis, beating the host Hornets 77-70. Davis, who missed 11 games with a stress reaction in his left ankle, had 13 points and seven rebounds.

Magic questions D'antoni: Magic Johnson says new Lakers coach Mike D'Antoni's uptempo system "doesn't fit the talent the Lakers have." Kobe Bryant is the only player who can run, so the team should focus on its inside game, led by Pau Gasol, the Lakers great said at a Dodger Stadium appearance. D'Antoni's first question in taking over the team for fired Mike Brown last month should have been to ask Gasol where he wanted the ball and then given it to him, Johnson said.

Cavaliers 100, Lakers 94

L.A. LAKERS (94): World Peace 5-12 1-4 13, Hill 1-6 0-0 2, Howard 3-9 13-22 19, Duhon 1-2 0-0 2, Bryant 16-28 7-10 42, Meeks 2-6 2-2 7, Morris 0-1 0-0 0, Jamison 3-10 2-2 9, Ebanks 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 31-75 25-40 94.

CLEVELAND (100): Gee 6-14 3-4 17, Thompson 0-3 1-4 1, Varejao 8-13 4-7 20, Irving 11-21 2-3 28, Miles 10-18 3-4 28, Zeller 2-6 2-2 6, Gibson 0-3 0-0 0, Pargo 0-3 0-0 0, Casspi 0-3 0-2 0, Samuels 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 37-84 15-26 100.

L.A. Lakers 23 16 23 32— 94

Cleveland 29 25 14 32— 100

3-Point GoalsL.A. Lakers 7-27 (Bryant 3-9, World Peace 2-6, Meeks 1-4, Jamison 1-6, Ebanks 0-1, Duhon 0-1), Cleveland 11-27 (Miles 5-10, Irving 4-6, Gee 2-5, Casspi 0-1, Varejao 0-1, Gibson 0-2, Pargo 0-2). Fouled OutNone. ReboundsL.A. Lakers 63 (Howard 20), Cleveland 54 (Thompson 10). AssistsL.A. Lakers 11 (Howard 3), Cleveland 24 (Irving 11). Total FoulsL.A. Lakers 22, Cleveland 26.

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Knicks 100, Nets 97

NEW YORK (100): Brewer 0-4 0-0 0, Anthony 15-24 10-11 45, Chandler 2-5 1-2 5, Felton 3-12 1-2 8, Kidd 6-9 0-1 18, Smith 7-15 2-2 16, White 0-0 0-0 0, R.Wallace 3-7 0-0 8, Prigioni 0-1 0-0 0, Novak 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 36-78 14-18 100.

BROOKLYN (97): G.Wallace 5-8 7-8 17, Evans 2-4 1-3 5, Blatche 9-13 5-6 23, Williams 6-16 5-6 18, Johnson 7-14 0-0 16, Stackhouse 0-1 0-0 0, Humphries 0-0 2-4 2, Brooks 4-7 1-1 9, Watson 3-5 0-0 7. Totals 36-68 21-28 97.

New York 16 33 25 26— 100

Brooklyn 30 23 26 18— 97

3-Point GoalsNew York 14-28 (Kidd 6-8, Anthony 5-7, R.Wallace 2-2, Felton 1-3, Novak 0-1, Prigioni 0-1, Brewer 0-2, Smith 0-4), Brooklyn 4-18 (Johnson 2-6, Watson 1-1, Williams 1-6, Blatche 0-1, G.Wallace 0-2, Brooks 0-2). Fouled OutNone. ReboundsNew York 40 (Chandler 7), Brooklyn 45 (Evans 18). AssistsNew York 20 (Felton 7), Brooklyn 21 (Williams 10). Total FoulsNew York 21, Brooklyn 21.

Nuggets 101, Pistons 94

DENVER (101): Gallinari 3-13 2-2 9, Faried 0-1 3-8 3, Koufos 4-7 1-2 9, Lawson 9-17 7-8 26, Iguodala 3-12 5-7 12, Randolph 0-2 0-0 0, McGee 6-9 0-2 12, Brewer 6-11 0-0 15, A.Miller 4-4 3-3 11, Mozgov 2-4 0-2 4. Totals 37-80 21-34 101.

DETROIT (94): Prince 4-9 0-0 8, Maxiell 6-11 6-10 18, Monroe 1-9 4-6 6, Knight 8-16 2-2 20, Singler 4-12 1-2 9, Stuckey 5-12 5-5 17, Drummond 3-4 1-2 7, Villanueva 1-4 0-0 3, Maggette 2-4 2-4 6, Bynum 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 34-81 21-31 94.

Denver 17 31 24 29— 101

Detroit 25 17 24 28— 94

3-Point GoalsDenver 6-17 (Brewer 3-5, Lawson 1-2, Gallinari 1-4, Iguodala 1-6), Detroit 5-13 (Stuckey 2-3, Knight 2-5, Villanueva 1-2, Prince 0-1, Singler 0-2). Fouled OutKoufos, Stuckey. ReboundsDenver 50 (Iguodala 8), Detroit 63 (Monroe 12). AssistsDenver 22 (A.Miller, Lawson 7), Detroit 18 (Knight 5). Total FoulsDenver 19, Detroit 28. Flagrant Fouls—Maxiell.

Wizards 77, Hornets 70

WASHINGTON (77): Webster 0-4 2-3 2, Singleton 1-7 0-0 2, Okafor 3-4 0-0 6, Crawford 9-24 6-8 26, Beal 6-12 2-2 15, Martin 2-10 0-0 6, Nene 3-8 4-4 10, Livingston 0-5 2-2 2, Seraphin 3-7 2-2 8, Vesely 0-1 0-2 0. Totals 27-82 18-23 77.

NEW ORLEANS (70): Aminu 2-8 2-2 6, Anderson 7-21 0-0 17, Lopez 1-3 0-0 2, Vasquez 2-14 1-2 5, Rivers 5-8 1-4 11, Miller 0-2 0-0 0, Davis 5-10 3-3 13, Smith 1-4 3-4 5, Roberts 2-6 2-4 6, Mason 1-4 2-3 5, Thomas 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 26-80 14-22 70.

Washington 11 25 20 21— 77

New Orleans 22 20 18 10— 70

3-Point GoalsWashington 5-19 (Martin 2-5, Crawford 2-8, Beal 1-4, Singleton 0-1, Webster 0-1), New Orleans 4-16 (Anderson 3-12, Mason 1-2, Rivers 0-1, Vasquez 0-1). Fouled OutNone. ReboundsWashington 61 (Nene 10), New Orleans 61 (Anderson 11). AssistsWashington 14 (Crawford, Beal 4), New Orleans 14 (Vasquez 5). Total FoulsWashington 22, New Orleans 28. TechnicalsNene, Vasquez, New Orleans defensive three second.