James inspires big win for Cavaliers over Wizards

NEW YORK (Reuters) – LeBron James scored a season-high 37
points and Larry Hughes added 22 points against his former team
to lead the Cavaliers to a 114-99 win against the Washington
Wizards in Cleveland on Tuesday.

The streaking Cavaliers (6-2) won their fifth straight game
and improved to 4-0 at home, while the surprising Wizards lost
for just the second time this season to slip to 5-2.

Hughes, who joined the Cavs in the off-season as a free
agent, dished out eight assists and scored 12 of his points in
the final five minutes to help fend off a Washington comeback
bid.

Donyell Marshall added 16 points for the Cavaliers, while
Zydrunas Ilgauskas chipped in with 12 for Cleveland.

The Cavaliers blew open the game by scoring 35 points in
the third quarter to take a 12-point lead after three quarters.

Hughes’s hot shooting late in the fourth held off a Wizards
rally attempt.

Antawn Jamison led the Wizards with 26 points, while
Gilbert Arenas added 18, 10 below his season average.

Caron Butler chipped in with 14 points for the Wizards.

In Orlando, Dwight Howard scored 21 points and had 20
rebounds as the Magic beat the Charlotte Bobcats 85-77.

DeShawn Stevenson scored 16 points and Tony Battie scored
11 points and had 12 rebounds for the Magic.

Keith Bogans scored 18 points and Sean May scored 15 points
and had 10 rebounds for the Bobcats.

In Philadelphia, Alan Iverson scored 34 points and had 12
assists as the 76ers beat the winless Toronto Raptors 104-92.

Chris Webber scored 28 points and had 16 rebounds for the
76ers fifth straight win.

Charlie Villanueva scored 27 points and had 13 rebounds and
Chris Bosh scored 19 points and had 17 rebounds for the Raptors

(0-7).

In Miami, Dwayne Wade scored 25 points and had 10 rebounds
as the Heat the beat the New Orleans Hornets 109-102 in
overtime.

Antoine Walker scored 21 points and Alonzo Mourning added
10 points and 11 rebounds for the Heat.

P.J. Brown scored 24 points and had 12 rebounds, Chris Paul
scored 16 points and had 10 assists and David West scored 16
points and had 10 rebounds for the Hornets.

In Auburn Hills, Chauncey Billups scored 25 points and had
10 assists as the Detroit Pistons beat the Boston Celtics
115-100.

Richard Hamilton added 25 points and Rasheed Wallace scored
20 points and had 14 rebounds for the Pistons, a perfect 7-0 to
start the season.

Ricky Davis scored 31 points and Paul Pierce added 23 for
the Celtics.

In East Rutherford, Nenad Krstic scored 25 points as the
New Jersey Nets beat the Seattle SuperSonics 109-99.

Richard Jefferson added 19 points and had 11 rebounds for
the Nets.

Rashard Lewis scored 29 points and Ray Allen added 19
points for the Sonics.

In Minneapolis, Tracey McGrady scored 25 points as the
Houston Rockets beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 94-89.

Yao Ming and Rafer Alston added 13 points each for the
Rockets.

Kevin Garnett scored 25 points and Wally Szczerbiak added
12 points for the Timberwolves.

In San Antonio, Manu Ginobili scored 24 points as the Spurs
beat the Atlanta Hawks 103-79.

Tim Duncan added 23 points for the Spurs.

Al Harrington scored 23 points and Joe Johnson added 12
points for the Hawks.

In Dallas, Dirk Nowitzki scored 35 points as the Mavericks
beat the Denver Nuggets 83-80.

Marquis Daniels added 17 points for the Mavericks.

Carmelo Anthony scored 24 points and Andre Miller scored 17
points for the Nuggets.