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Find out the scoop on the CAVS from award-winning sports writer Bob Finnan.

Saturday, March 14, 2009

LBJ fails to get triple-double

Poor LeBron James. He wasn't able to get a triple-double. He had to settle for a mere 51 points instead.

He added nine assists and four rebounds. He was 16 of 30 from the field en route to his third 50-point game of the season and eighth of his career.

The Cavs (52-13) earned their first Central Division title since the 1975-76 season, and second in franchise history.

They trailed by 14 points after three quarters, 98-84. That was after they allowed the Kings (14-51) rang up 39 points in the third quarter.

James had 22 points in the fourth quarter and overtime periods.

Forward/center Anderson Varejao added 18 points and 12 rebounds for the Cavs, while Wally Szczerbiak had 12 points and six rebounds.

The Cavs have won four in a row and eight of their last nine.
James split two free throws with 23 seconds left, which knotted the score at 116 apiece. Kings guard Kevin Martin, who had a team-high 34 points, missed a shot at the end of regulation.

Cavs coach Mike Brown was ejected with 8:15 left in the second quarter. He earned three technical fouls in the last two games.

Assistant coach John Kuester took over on the hot seat after Brown’s second ejection of the season.

SOME NUMBERS:
-- James is tied with Hornets G Chris Paul with six triple-doubles this season. James became just the 12th player in history to record three triple-doubles in a row (Jason Kidd and Grant Hill are the only active players). The last player to register four consecutive triple-doubles was Bulls guard Michael Jordan, who had seven in a row, in March and April, 1989.

-- James has scored at least 20 points in 34 consecutive road games.

-- The Cavaliers lead the Central Division race by 18.5 games, and join this year’s Lakers (18-game lead in the Pacific Division) as the only teams to have a lead of at least 17 games in their division this late in the season since the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls.

-- The Cavs’ 52 wins gives them the fourth- highest victory total in franchise history. The 1988-89 and 1991-92 teams each won 57 games, while they won 54 games in 1992-93.

--The Kings are now 0-25 against the Eastern Conference this season.

--The Cavs have won six in a row over the Kings, and are 22-4 against the Western Conference this season.

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