Irving, James Lead Cavs 103-95 Over Pistons
By NOAH TRISTER/AP Sports Writer
AUBURN HILLS, Mich. (AP) - Kyrie Irving matched his season high with 38 points and LeBron James added 32 to lift the Cleveland Cavaliers to their seventh straight victory Tuesday night, 103-95 over the Detroit Pistons.
The Cavs avenged a 23-point home loss to Detroit late last month. That game was part of a seven-game winning streak for the Pistons, but now Detroit is struggling to overcome the loss of Brandon Jennings, who ruptured his left Achilles tendon last weekend and will miss the rest of the season.
James fell to the floor near the basket during the final seconds of the third quarter and got up grimacing, apparently concerned about at least one of his wrists. He went to the bench, but only briefly. His two-handed breakaway dunk early in the fourth put Cleveland up 80-68.
Greg Monroe had 17 points and 12 rebounds for the Pistons, who pulled within eight and had the ball late in the fourth quarter, but Kentavious Caldwell-Pope was unable to connect from 3-point range. James drew a foul at the other end and made both free throws to make it 88-78 with 2:56 to play.
Caldwell-Pope was fouled by James while shooting a 3-pointer with 2:00 remaining, and that trio of free throws made it 90-83. The Pistons got the ball back, but Andre Drummond missed a layup, and Irving connected from beyond the arc at the other end.
D.J. Augustin, Detroit's starting point guard now in Jennings' absence, had 19 points and nine assists.
Detroit led 19-17 after a first quarter in which the teams combined to shoot 1 for 16 from outside the paint. Cleveland shrugged off that rough start and reached 100 points for the eighth straight game.
Irving was 6 of 10 from 3-point range. The rest of the Cavs went 3 of 24.
Cleveland outscored Detroit 50-48 in the paint. Drummond had 12 points and 17 rebounds but shot just 6 of 17.
TIP-INS
Cavaliers: Cleveland had won its last four games by double digits before Tuesday's game. ... The Cavs are without big man Anderson Varejao, who like Jennings ruptured his left Achilles tendon.
Pistons: Detroit had 18 turnovers while Cleveland committed only nine.
UP NEXT
Pistons: Play at Philadelphia on Wednesday night.
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