James steers Cleveland to fifth straight win

NEW YORK (Reuters) – LeBron James scored 36 points,
including the go-ahead basket in overtime, as the Cleveland
Cavaliers beat the Houston Rockets 104-102 for their fifth
straight National Basketball Association win on Sunday.

The Cavaliers improved to 41-29 with the victory in Houston
and now sit fourth in the Eastern Conference standings, 10
games ahead of ninth-place Chicago, with 12 games left to play.

Those numbers put Cleveland on the verge of clinching its
first playoff spot since 1998, leaving Cleveland coach Mike
Brown pleased with where his team is and how the club played
Sunday.

“Going through games like this should really help us to be
able to close it the right way,” Brown told reporters.

“To execute it offensively and defensively at the end is
huge.”

Cleveland never trailed in overtime after James forced the
extra period with a lay-up with 22 seconds left, followed by a
free throw after he was fouled by Yao Ming.

Yao then had a chance to win the game in the dying seconds
of regulation, but he lost the ball outside the lane while
under heavy pressure.

James was 0-5 against Houston in his career before the win
and turned in another stellar performance just four days after
hitting the game-winning basket in a 120-118 overtime win over
the Charlotte Hornets.

Houston led after all of the first three quarters, taking a
47-45 lead at the half and enjoying a three-point lead heading
to the fourth quarter, but still lost for the seventh time in
its past eight games.

Damon Jones added 22 points for the Cavs, who also got 21
points and eight rebounds from Zydrunas Ilgauskas, who did a
strong job covering Yao for most of the game as well.

Donyell Marhall chipped in with 12 points for the
Cavaliers, who won despite shooting just 43 percent from the
field to 49 percent for the Rockets.

Yao had 27 points and seven rebounds to lead the Rockets,
who sit 12th in the Western Conference and appear set to miss
the post-season this year.

Rafer Alston had 22 points, eight assists and seven
rebounds for the Rockets, while Keith Bogans added 18 points.

In Indianapolis, Stephen Jackson scored 23 points as the
Indiana Pacers beat the Philadelphia 76ers 92-79.

Peja Stojakovic scored 18 points and Danny Granger added 17
points for the Pacers.

Allen Iverson scored 26 points and Chris Webber added 24
points for the 76ers.

In Milwaukee, Michael Redd scored 35 points as the Bucks
beat the Toronto Raptors 125-116 in overtime.

Charlie Bell scored 18 points and had 11 assists and Joe
Smith scored 19 points for the Bucks.

Rookie Charlie Villanueva scored 48 points and Mike James
added 11 points and had 10 assists for the Raptors.

In Minneapolis, Kevin Garnett scored 26 points and had 15
rebounds as the Minnesota Timberwolves beat the New York Knicks
98-94.

In Boston, Luol Deng scored 20 points as the Chicago Bulls
beat the Celtics 101-97.