CAVS (38-11) 114, LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS (20-27) 89
at Quicken Loans Arena
Sunday
TV: Fox Sports Ohio
RADIO: WTAM

WHAT HAPPENED: The following are the records set or tied in Sunday's game:
* LeBron James tied Cavs record for 3s in a quarter (he was 5 of 6 in the first Q)
* Cavs tie franchise mark for points in a Q (46 in the first)
* Cavs tie NBA record and set team record for 3s in a Q (11 of 13 in first)
* Cavs set franchise marks with 13 3s in a half (13 in first half)
* James ties The Q mark for points in a Q (23 in first)
* Two teams set record for 3s made in a half (17)

It was a record-breaking night for the Cavs, who made 16 of 27 from behind the arc.

James didn't attempt a 3 after the first quarter when he was 5 of 6. Daniel Gibson was 4 of 5 from behind the arc. Jamario Moon and Jawad Williams were each 2 of 5.

They dished out 28 assists on 40 baskets.

They received 42 points from their bench, as Moon and Williams had 12 points and Anderson Varejao added 11.

The Clippers haven't beaten the Cavs since Dec. 3, 2005. The Cavs have won eight in a row over the Clippers, as well as 11 of the last 14 since LeBron James entered the league.

PROJECTED STARTING LINEUPS
SF LeBron James vs. Rasual Butler
PF J.J. Hickson vs. Marcus Camby
C Shaquille O'Neal vs. DeAndre Jordan
SG Anthony Parker vs. Eric Gordon
PG Daniel Gibson vs. Baron Davis
INACTIVES
Cavs - G Mo Williams (sprained left shoulder), G Delonte West (broken left ring finger), F Leon Powe (left knee surgery).
Clippers - F Blake Griffin (stress fracture of left patella), G Sebastian Telfair (strained right groin), C Chris Kaman (sprained left ankle).
OFFICIALS
Ron Garretson, Pat Fraher, Marat Kogut

CAVS (37-11) 94, INDIANA PACERS (16-31) 73
at Conseco Fieldhouse
Friday
TV: Fox Sports Ohio
RADIO: WTAM

WHAT HAPPENED: Forward LeBron James was too much for the Pacers to handle. He flirted with his third triple-double of the season, but fell one rebound short. He ended with 22 points, nine rebounds, 13 assists, four blocks and two steals. He also had five turnovers.

He completely set the tempo of the game.

The last Cavs player with nine or more assists in the first quarter was Andre Miller with nine on Dec. 18, 2001, vs. Chicago.

The last NBA player to do it was New Orleans' Chris Paul on Feb. 27, 2009, vs. Milwaukee.

The last Cavs player with 10 or more assists in the first half was James vs. Dallas on Nov. 11, 2009. He had 11.

NOTES: The Pacers' 73 points was a season low points for a Cavs' opponent.

-- Their nine points in the fourth quarter was also a season low for an opponent.

-- The Cavs' 11 blocks was a season high. James had four blocks, center Zydrunas Ilgauskas three and center Shaquille O'Neal three.

-- Cavs guard Anthony Parker had a season-high eight rebounds.

-- Their 61 total rebounds were a season high. They outrebounded the Pacers, 61-38.

-- Guard Cedric "The Entertainer" Jackson scored his first NBA point in the fourth quarter. He's in the NBA Encyclopedia.

-- Guard Delonte West was listed as out and he doesn't appear to be anywhere near being close to playing.

-- The Cavs have won their last three against the Pacers, including a 105-95 decision on Nov. 19 at Conseco Fieldhouse.

PROJECTED STARTING LINEUPS
SF LeBron James vs. Dahntay Jones
PF J.J. Hickson vs. Danny Granger
C Shaquille O'Neal vs. Roy Hibbert
SG Anthony Parker vs. Brandon Rush
PG Daniel Gibson vs. Earl Watson
INJURY REPORT
Cavs - G Mo Williams (sprained left shoulder), F Leon Powe (left knee surgery), G Delonte West (broken left ring finger) are out.
Pacers - F/C Jeff Foster (sore lower back) is out; F/C Tyler Hansbrough (inner ear infection) is day-to-day.
OFFICIALS
Bennett Salvatore, Marc Davis, Haywoode Workman (Workman has worked both Cavs-Pacers games this year in Indiana; he's a former Pacers guard)

CAVS (36-11) 109, MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES (9-38) 95
at Quicken Loans Arena
Wednesday
TV: Fox Sports Ohio
RADIO: WTAM

WHAT TO LOOK FOR: The Cavs' defense has been suffocating in the last week. They've held three of their last four opponents under 40 percent shooting (the Los Angeles Lakers, Oklahoma City and Minnesota). The Wolves shot just 38.9 percent from the field.

They are now 11-0 when they hold opponents under 40 percent shooting.

They came into the game leading the league in opponents' field goal percentage at 43.5.

Guard Delonte West has been fitted for a splint on his left ringer finger (his shooting hand). He's still day-to-day. The Cavs are hoping for Friday in Indiana.

NOTES: Daniel Gibson has averaged 13.7 points in his three starts at point guard. He dished out three assists against the Wolves.

-- LeBron James recorded his 900th career steal with 6.9 seconds left in the Miami game on Monday. No one in the league has more steals than James since he entered the NBA in 2003.

-- The Wolves are 1-7 against the Eastern Conference this season on the road, 0-4 vs. the Central Division.

-- The Cavs have won nine in a row against the Wolves in the series. Minnesota has lost four in a row overall and have the worst record in the Western Conference. The Cavs have won six in a row overall and have the best record in the NBA. They've won 21 of their last 25 games.

-- The Cavs are now 18-3 at home.

-- Last summer at James' bike-a-thon in Akron, he showed up with Timberwolves rookie point guard Jonny Flynn. Everyone wondered why he was in Akron. It turns out, James was recruiting Flynn to join his agent, Leon Rose.

-- University of North Carolina coach Roy Williams was in attendance. He had three former Tar Heels playing in the game: Cavs forward Jawad Williams and guard Danny Green and Wolves guard Wayne Ellington.

PROJECTED STARTING LINEUPS
SF LeBron James vs. Damien Wilkins
PF J.J. Hickson vs. Ryan Gomes
C Shaquille O'Neal vs. Al Jefferson
SG Anthony Parker vs. Corey Brewer
PG Daniel Gibson vs. Jonny Flynn
INACTIVES
Cavs - G Delonte West, F Leon Powe, G Mo Williams.
Timberwolves - G Alando Tucker, C Nathan Jawai, C Mark Blount.
OFFICIALS
Derrick Stafford, Tony Brown, Sean Corbin

CAVS (35-11) 92, MIAMI HEAT (23-21) 91
at AmericanAirlines Arena
Monday
TV: NBA TV, Fox Sports Ohio
RADIO: WTAM

WHAT HAPPENED: LeBron James probably flew home with a pounding headache. He probably never felt better, however.

He got kicked in the head with about 4 seconds left in Monday's game. He was still able to make two free throws for the game-winning points.

Then, he defended Dwyane Wade on the last play, a missed 20-foot jumper.

"I have a headache right now," James said. "I was able to get up and knock down the two free throws."

Coach Mike Brown thought about double-teaming Wade on the last play. James would have nothing to do with it. He said he was guarding him.

"To get a stop on the road or at home, those are backbreaking plays," he said. "I hadn’t guarded D-Wade all night. On that last possession, I had to guard him."

He's averaging almost 35 points in his last nine games.

"I’ve played some great basketball in my career," he said. "I don’t look at how I’m playing, just so it results in wins. Right now I’m playing pretty good basketball."

He loves going against Wade. Both players finished with 32 points.

"The competitive nature comes out in all of us," James said. "We enjoy going against each other and trying to lead our team to a victory. I don’t look at it as extra motivation."

NOTES: The Cavs have the best record in the NBA. They are off to their third best start after 45 games in franchise history. They are 23-6 in their last 29 games, best in the league.

-- Forward Jamario Moon, who had missed the previous nine games with an abdominal strain, returned for the Cavs. "I feel pretty good," he said. "It felt like I was out six months."

-- In other injury news, guard Delonte West will be fitted with a splint. He could be available for Wednesday's game against Minnesota.

-- The Cavs have won five in a row. They've beaten the Heat four times in a row, including the last three in Miami.

STARTING LINEUPS
SF LeBron James vs. Quentin Richardson
PF J.J. Hickson vs. Michael Beasley
C Shaquille O'Neal vs. Jermaine O'Neal
SG Anthony Parker vs. Dwyane Wade
PG Daniel Gibson vs. Rafer Alston
INJURY REPORT
Cavs - G Mo Williams (sprained left shoulder), F Leon Powe (left knee surgery) and G Delonte West (fractured left ring finger) are out; F Jamario Moon (left abdominal strain) is questionable.
Heat - none.
OFFICIALS
Tom Washington, Leroy Richardson, Zach Zarba

CAVS (34-11) 100, OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER (24-20) 99
at Quicken Loans Arena
Saturday
TV: Fox Sports Ohio
RADIO: WTAM

WHAT HAPPENED: Defense is the name of the game for the Cavs, who held the Thunder to 38.4 percent shooting and used a gigantic block by LeBron James on Kevin Durant with 2.9 seconds left.

James had six turnovers, but he carried the Cavs on his back in the second half.

He's now the leading scorer in the league at 29.9 points per game.

The Cavs struggled in the backcourt, as they were playing without point guards Mo Williams and Delonte West. Neither player will likely play against Miami, either, on Monday.

The Cavs have won the last five meetings against the Thunder at The Q. They've also beaten Oklahoma City the last four times they've played, including on Dec. 13, 102-91.

Durant scores with such ease. At 6-10, he's a nightmare to cover.

"He’s one of the toughest covers in the league," Cavs coach Mike Brown said. "He’s able to shoot the 3 ball with range. They set a lot of screens for him."

NOTES - Forward Jawad Williams had a career-high 12 points.

-- Recently signed Cedric "The Entertainer" Jackson made his NBA debut in the first half. He played two scoreless minutes.

-- The Cavs are now 17-3 at home this season.

-- Forward J.J. Hickson has averaged 11.5 rebounds in his last two games.

-- The Cavs have outrebounded their last 19 opponents.

-- Forward Jamario Moon is active tonight, but didn't play. He's expected to play in Miami on Monday.

STARTING LINEUPS
SF LeBron James vs. Kevin Durant
PF J.J. Hickson vs. Jeff Green
C Shaquille O'Neal vs. Nenad Krstic
SG Anthony Parker vs. Thabo Sefolosha
PG Daniel Gibson vs. Russell Westbrook
INACTIVE LIST
Cavs - G Mo Williams (left shoulder sprain), G Delonte West (fractured left ring finger, F Leon Powe (left knee surgery).
Thunder - G Kyle Weaver (shoulder surgery), F/C D.J. White (fractured right thumb), G/F Matt Harpring (knee).
OFFICIALS
James Capers, Mark Ayotte, Curtis Blair

CAVS (33-11) 93, LOS ANGELES LAKERS (32-10) 87
at Quicken Loans Arena
Thursday
TV: TNT
RADIO: WTAM

WHAT HAPPENED: The Cavs were playing without point guard Mo Williams. But it didn't affect their defense that was suffocating. The Lakers were held to 39 percent shooting, 33 percent in the second half.

The Cavaliers continue their mastery over the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers and have now swept them in three of the last four seasons.

The Cavs have won seven of their last nine meetings with the Lakers, including five of the last six at The Q.

The Cavs are 41-9 (.820) since the beginning of the 2008-09 season against the Western Conference. They are 15-5 (.750) against the West this season and have won 12 consecutive games against Pacific Division clubs.

The Lakers are 11-2 against the Eastern Conference. Their only two losses were to the Cavs. They are 4-1 against the East on the road.

NOTES: The Cavs are now 16-3 at home and have won 18 of their last 22 games overall.

-- They are 14-1 in their last 15 home games.

-- The Cavs have outrebounded 18 consecutive teams.

STARTING LINEUPS
SF LeBron James vs. Ron Artest
PF J.J. Hickson vs. Pau Gasol
C Shaquille O'Neal vs. Andrew Bynum
SG Anthony Parker vs. Kobe Bryant
PG Delonte West vs. Derek Fisher
INACTIVES
Cavs - G Mo Williams, F Leon Powe, F Jamario Moon.
Lakers - G/F Adam Morrison
OFFICIALS
Joe DeRosa, Sean Wright, Gary Zielinski

CAVS (32-11) 108, TORONTO RAPTORS (21-21) 100
at Quicken Loans Arena
Tuesday
TV: Fox Sports Ohio
RADIO: WTAM

WHAT HAPPENED: The Cavs have won 10 in a row over the Raptors at The Q. The Raptors had won 10 of their last 13 games coming into Tuesday's encounter. But even though they are one of the top offensive teams in the league, they just don't defend.

That's why they're not going to be taken seriously in the playoffs just yet. But they are fun to watch and have many weapons in their arsenal, including Chris Bosh, Andrea Bargnani and rookie DeMar DeRozan.

The Raptors had a streak of six consecutive games where they'd scored at least 101 points snapped. In the end, it's defense that usually wins out.

NOTES: The Cavs are 15-3 at The Q, including 17 of their last 21 overall.

-- The last time two players on the same team each had 20 points and 10 assists occurred last season on Jan. 27, 2009, when LeBron James had 23 points and 11 assists and Mo Williams added 43 points and 11 assists against the Kings. Of course, both players did that on Tuesday.

-- The Cavs have outrebounded 17 teams in a row.

-- The Cavs are 10-0 when they dish out 25 or more assists.

STARTING LINEUPS
SF LeBron James vs. Hedo Turkoglu
PF J.J. Hickson vs. Chris Bosh
C Shaquille O'Neal vs. Andrea Bargnani
SF Anthony Parker vs. DeMar DeRozan
PG Mo Williams vs. Jarrett Jack
INACTIVES
Cavs - F Leon Powe, F Jamario Moon.
Raptors - F Reggie Evans, G Sonny Weems
OFFICIALS
Mark Wunderlich, Brent Barnaky, Tony Brothers

CAVS (31-11) 102, LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS (17-21) 101
at Staples Center
Saturday
TV: Fox Sports Ohio
RADIO: WTAM

WHAT HAPPENED: The Cavs thought they might have to play without point guard Delonte West, who missed the shootaround with the stomach flu. But he ended up playing 28 minutes and had 14 points and five rebounds.

The Cavs have won seven in a row over the Clippers, including their last four meetings on the road.

The Clippers have now lost three in a row overall. They didn't look like the team that lost by 40 points to the Lakers on Friday.

The Cavs looked like a team on the last leg of a five-game, 10-day road trip. They need some home cooking.

Forward LeBron James finished with 32 points, four rebounds and four assists. He made 12 of 20 from the field, 4 of 6 from behind the arc.

The Cavs were fortunate to win after allowing the Clippers to shoot 59.7 percent from the field (37 of 62). That's a season high for a Cavs' opponent this year.

The Clippers haven't gotten a win in the lopsided series since Dec. 3, 2005. They have lost 10 of the last 13 meetings to the Cavs.

NOTES: Cavs forward/center Anderson Varejao is averaging a near double-double in his last eight games: 10.9 points and 9.3 rebounds. He leads the NBA in plus/minus ratio with an average of +8.7. Teammate LeBron James is second at +8.1. They have two other players in the top 25: guard Anthony Parker is 19th at +3.8 and center Zydrunas Ilgauskas 24th at +3.7.

-- Clippers point guard Baron Davis scored nine points to top the 12,000-point barrier in his career. There are 27 active players with more than 12,000 points. He became the 40th player in in NBA history to surpass that total.

STARTING LINEUPS
SF LeBron James vs. Rasual Butler
PF J.J. Hickson vs. Marcus Camby
C Shaquille O'Neal vs. DeAndre Jordan
SG Anthony Parker vs. Eric Gordon
PG Mo Williams vs. Baron Davis
INJURY REPORT
Cavs - F Jamario Moon (left abdominal strain) and F Leon Powe (left knee surgery) are out.
Clippers - F Blake Griffin (stress fracture of left patella) and G Kareem Rush (torn right ACL) are out; C Chris Kaman (sore lower back) is questionable.
OFFICIALS
Scott Foster, Brian Forte, David Guthrie

UTAH JAZZ (22-17) 97, CAVS (30-11) 96
Thursday
at Energy Solutions Arena in Salt Lake City
TV: TNT
RADIO: WTAM

WHAT HAPPENED: Jazz guard Sundiata's 3-pointer at the buzzer shocked the Cavs.

The Jazz are 8-0 at home vs. Eastern Conference opponents this season. But the Cavs have no one to blame but themselves after falling to 2-2 on the five-game West Coast trip.

They might have recorded their worst quarter of the season in the third when they were outscored, 15-13. They weren't much better for much of the fourth, either.

When forward LeBron James went on one of his patented runs in the fourth, it was fun to watch.

He finished with 36 points, including 20 in the fourth quarter.

James fueled a 20-2 run in the fourth. The Cavs had a six-point lead with 32 seconds remaining before things fell apart.

They missed three free throws in the last 22 seconds, two by guard Anthony Parker. Center Zydrunas Ilgauskas split two free throws with 5.6 seconds left, which left the door open for Gaines.

Gaines made his first career 3 and is playing on a 10-day contract. Most of the fans watching the game - and maybe some of the Cavs - probably didn't know who he was.

James took over the game in the fourth, but failed to finish the job. Why he wasn't taking some of the free throws down the stretch is baffling.

For the Cavs (30-11) to allow the Jazz to come back is inexcusable.

Furthermore, Jazz starters Deron Williams (wrist) and forward Andrei Kirilenko (knee) were knocked out of the game with injuries. It didn't prevent the Jazz from scrapping and playing harder than the Cavs for long stretches of the game.

The Cavs conclude the West Coast trip on Saturday at the Staples Center against the Los Angeles Clippers.

NOTES: James owns the second-highest individual scoring average all-time against the Jazz at 30.2 points per game, trailing only Michael Jordan (32.7).

-- Cavs center Shaquille O'Neal had scored in double figures in 10 consecutive games before he managed just five points against the Jazz. He was in foul trouble and made just 2 of 4 from the field.

STARTING LINEUP
SF LeBron James vs. Andrei Kirilenko
PF J.J. Hickson vs. Carlos Boozer
C Shaquille O'Neal vs. Mehmet Okur
SG Anthony Parker vs. Ronnie Brewer
PG Mo Williams vs. Deron Williams
INJURY REPORT
Cavs - F Leon Powe (left knee surgery) and F Jamario Moon (abdominal strain) are out.
OFFICIALS
Derrick Stafford, Leon Wood, Sean Wright

CAVS (30-10) 117, GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS (11-25) 114
at Oracle Arena in Oakland, Calif.
Monday
TV: Fox Sports Ohio
RADIO: WTAM

WHAT HAPPENED: The Cavs used a near triple-double by forward LeBron James to nip pesky Golden State on Monday.

The Cavs are the first NBA team to reach 30 victories this season. They are also 2-1 on their five-game West Coast trip that resumes in Utah on Thursday.

James fired in a game-high 37 points, 11 assists and eight rebounds. He also blocked four shots.

The Cavs (30-10) rejected 10 shots in the game.

Their bench play was phenomenal and combined for a season-high 52 points and 23 rebounds. Anderson Varejao had 15 points, nine rebounds, two blocks and a steal for the Cavs.

Rapidly emerging forward Jawad Williams had a career-high 11 points.

NOTES: The Cavs’ 30 wins are the most in the NBA, and the team’s +6.8 point differential is the third largest margin in the NBA (Boston, L.A. Lakers).

-- After nipping Golden State on Monday, the Cavs have the third best mark in franchise history after 40 games. The best two records in team history are 32-8 (.800) last season and 31-9 (.775) 20 years earlier in 1988-89.

-- The Cavs have won their last four games against the Warriors and at Oracle Arena.

-- Swingman Corey Maggette had a team-high 32 points for the Warriors (11-25). He was 17 of 18 from the foul line.

-- The Cavs beat the Warriors at The Q on Nov. 17, 114-108.

-- James recorded a season-high 45 minutes against Portland on Sunday. He played 42 on Monday (87 in the back-to-back games).

-- Guard Monta Ellis has scored at least 30 points in nine of the Warriors' last 12 games. He's sixth in the NBA in scoring at 26.1 points per game.

STARTERS
SF LeBron James vs. Corey Maggette
PF J.J. Hickson vs. Vladimir Radmanovic
C Shaquille O'Neal vs. Rony Turiaf
SG Anthony Parker vs. Stephen Curry
PG Mo Williams vs. Monta Ellis
INJURY REPORT
Cavs - F Leon Powe (left knee surgery) and F Jamario Moon (abdominal strain) are out.
Warriors - F/C Anthony Randolph (left ankle sprain) is doubtful; G Kelenna Azubuike
(left patellar tendon injury), G Raja Bell (left wrist surgery) and F Brandan Wright (shoulder surgery) are out.
OFFICIALS
Eddie F. Rush, Pat Fraher, Kevin Cutler

I'm looking for Cavs' season-ticket holders who are willing to talk about renewing in March before they know the fate of LeBron James' free agency.

Send comments and email addresses to: rfinnan@news-herald.com

CAVS (29-10) 106, PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS (23-16) 94
at Rose Garden
Sunday
TV: ESPN, Fox Sports Ohio
RADIO: WTAM

WHAT HAPPENED: LeBron James recorded his 38th career 40-point game, as the Cavs won their sixth consecutive contest against the Blazers.

James made his first nine shots en route to his 41 points, 31 in the first half and 20 in the opening quarter.

The Cavs (29-10) have now won 14 of the last 17 contests. They are now 1-1 on their five-game West Coast trip. They’ve won six of their last seven on the road.

NOTES: Center Shaquille O’Neal had his fifth double-double of the season with 11 points and 11 rebounds.

-- Guard Mo Williams fired in 16 points, while forward Anderson Varejao added 12 points and eight rebounds.

-- The Cavs’ streak of 28 consecutive games holding their opponent under 50 percent shooting was snapped by Portland on Sunday. The Blazers shot 51.4 percent, only the second team to shoot above 50 percent this season against the Cavs.

--Since the NBA introduced the 3-point arc in 1979-80, only one other team has featured three players to shoot at least 45 percent. The 1996-97 Charlotte Hornets had Ricky Pierce, Glen Rice and Tony Delk), who all shot 45 percent or better. The Cavs are ranked second in the NBA in 3-point shooting and feature G Anthony Parker (48.2 percent), G Daniel Gibson (47.1 percent) and G Mo Williams (44.9).

STARTERS
SF LeBron James vs. Martell Webster
PF J.J. Hickson vs. LaMarcus Aldridge
C Shaquille O'Neal vs. Juwan Howard
SG Anthony Parker vs. Brandon Roy
PG Mo Williams vs. Andre Miller

OFFICIALS
Joe Crawford, Tony Brothers, Phil Robinson

DENVER NUGGETS (23-13) 99, CAVS (28-10) 97
at Pepsi Center
Friday
TV: ESPN
RADIO: WTAM

WHAT HAPPENED: The Cavs came into the game having won 13 of their previous 15 games. However, they were quite sloppy with the ball against the Nuggets. They turned the ball over 19 times, which led to 23 points for Denver.

The Nuggets were playing without high-scoring forward Carmelo Anthony, who has a bruised knee, and slick rookie guard Ty Lawson. Melo leads the league in scoring at 30 per game.

This was the first leg of a five-game West Coast trip. There are no pushovers on this one. They play at Portland on Sunday.

Forward LeBron James led all scorers with 35 points, but he had eight of the Cavs' 18 turnovers.

Forward Anderson Varejao was a monster on the boards with a season-high 15 rebounds. He added nine points and two blocks. But he made just 5 of 10 from the foul line.

The Cavs' 19 turnovers proved costly, as did their 18 of 29 performance from the foul line.

STARTERS
SF LeBron James vs. Joey Graham
PF J.J. Hickson vs. Kenyon Martin
C Shaquille O'Neal vs. Nene
SG Anthony Parker vs. Arron Afflalo
PG Mo Williams vs. Chauncey Billups
OFFICIALS
Mark Wunderlich, Bennie Adams, Michael Smith

NBA commissioner David Stern moved quickly on the Gilbert Arenas affair on Wednesday.

Arenas, who had guns in his possession at the Verizon Center, was suspended indefinitely by Stern on Wednesday.

“Although it is clear that the actions of Mr. Arenas will ultimately result in a substantial suspension, and perhaps worse, his ongoing conduct has led me to conclude that he is not currently fit to take the court in an NBA game,” Stern said in a prepared statement. “Accordingly, I am suspending Mr. Arenas indefinitely, without pay, effective immediately pending the completion of the investigation by the NBA.”

Stern said having guns at an NBA arena is of the “utmost concern” to the league.

“I initially thought it prudent to refrain from
taking immediate action because of the pendency of a criminal investigation involving the office of the United States Attorney for the District of Columbia and the Metropolitan Police Department, and the consideration of this matter by a grand jury sitting in the District of Columbia,” he said.

“For the same reason, I directed the Wizards to refrain from taking any action. Wizards personnel continue to be interviewed by law enforcement
authorities, some are scheduled for appearance before the grand jury and the investigation is proceeding with the intensity that one would expect for such a serious incident.”

CAVS (28-9) 121, WASHINGTON WIZARDS (11-22) 98
at Quicken Loans Arena
Wednesday
TV: Fox Sports Ohio
RADIO: WTAM (1100 AM)

WHAT HAPPENED: The Cavs-Wizards rivalry has fizzled.

"It was nothing personal," Cavs forward LeBron James said. "That’s over and done with as far as being personal with those guys."

Without star guard Gilbert Arenas, suspended by the NBA before the game, the Wizards are a distant memory.

They should blow up this team before the deadline.

NOTES: F Jawad Williams said he didn't sweat out the Jan. 10 deadline for guaranteeing contracts. The player in the next stall in the locker room, Coby Karl, was a roster casualty on Wednesday.

Players who remain on the roster past Jan. 10 will have their contract guaranteed for the rest of the year. Players had to be jettisoned by Wednesday so they could clear waivers by Friday.

Two other players with non-guaranteed deals, Darnell Jackson and Danny Green, will likely hang around for the rest of the year. Jackson, Green and Williams will have their contracts guaranteed for the rest of the season.

"I never paid attention to it," Williams said. "There are some things you can’t control."

-- James hit a shot from the baseline that went directly over the backboard. He was asked if he had any more trick shots in his arsenal.

"I got a few more," he said. "I’ll save them for the West Coast trip."

-- Don't be shocked if Arenas is gone for the rest of the season.

-- The Cavs were never in the running for guard Rafer Alston, who has agreed to a contract with the Miami Heat.

Many think it would have been a good fit for the Cavs. Sources say New Jersey and the Heat worked out a deal before Alston was bought out.

Alston, a high-scoring point guard, never really hit the open market.

-- The Cavs have won their last 7 games against the Wizards at The Q.

STARTING LINEUPS
SF LeBron James vs. Caron Butler
PF J.J. Hickson vs. Antawn Jamison
C Shaquille O'Neal vs. Fabricio Oberto
SG Anthony Parker vs. Nick Young
PG Mo Williams vs. Earl Boykins
INACTIVES
Cavs - F Jamario Moon, F Leon Powe
Wizards - G Gilbert Arenas, G Mike James, G Javaris Crittenton
OFFICIALS
Bennett Salvatore, Tommy Nunez Jr., Gary Zielinsky

CHARLOTTE BOBCATS (14-18) 91, CAVS (27-9) 88
at Quicken Loans Arena
Sunday
TV: Fox Sports Ohio
RADIO: WTAM (1100 AM)

WHAT HAPPENED: The Cavs lost to the Bobcats for the first time in 11 tries at The Q. The Bobcats are a terrible matchup for the Cavs, especially with forward Gerald Wallace (19 points, 12 rebounds) and guard Stephen Jackson (22 points, four rebounds).

The Bobcats have won two of three games against the Cavs this year.

Jackson drained two free throws with 2.5 seconds left for the go-ahead points.

"I make love to pressure," he said.

CALLING ALL BIG FELLAS: Where the heck was Cavs center Shaquille O'Neal? He was 4 of 5 from the field and nothing but an afterthought the entire game. Even when he was being defended by 6-8 Boris Diaw, the Cavs failed to get him the ball. Why?

Feed him.

With the media standing in front of his locker after the game, he sent someone out to gather his clothes and fur coat. That was the signal that he wasn't talking. In fact, he hasn't been available in post-game in three of the last four games.

In the one game he did make himself available, he goofed on the media and told them he bought LeBron James a Rolls Royce Phantom for his birthday. It's not true, despite what you might have read on the Internet.

NOTES: Guard Mo Williams was one point shy of his season high. He ended with 27 points, six assists and five rebounds. He was 5 of 9 from behind the arc. He's topped the 20-point barrier in six of his last eight outings

Williams is averaging 22.3 points in his last eight games. He's shooting 50 percent from the 3-point line in that span (23 of 46).

-- The Cavs are 33-8 over the last two seasons when James and Williams both score 20 or more points.

STARTERS
SF LeBron James vs. Gerald Wallace
PF J.J. Hickson vs. Boris Diaw
C Shaquille O'Neal vs. Nazr Mohammed
SG Anthony Parker vs. Stephen Jackson
PG Mo Williams vs. Raymond Felton

INACTIVES
Cavs - Leon Powe, Coby Karl, Danny Green
Bobcats - Tyson Chandler, Alex Ajinca

OFFICIALS
Joe Crawford, Curtis Blair, James Capers

CAVS (27-8) 94, NEW JERSEY NETS (3-30) 86
at Izod Center
TV: Fox Sports Ohio
RADIO: WTAM (1100 AM)

GUNS AND ROSES: Cavs forward LeBron James was quizzed by a New York reporter about the Gilbert Arenas situation. He understandably didn't want to comment about the possible gun standoff Arenas reportedly had with a Wizards teammate.

"I can’t (comment on it)," James said after Saturday's game in New Jersey. "I wasn’t there. It’s a very serious matter."

He was asked if players should be able to own guns. One player said as many as 75 percent of all NBA players own guns.

"I’m not sure," James said. "I don’t know enough about the whole Gilbert Arenas thing."

He was asked if he carries a gun, but he didn't answer the question.

"Most of the time you do it to protect your family," James said. "A lot of it depends on what kind of celebrity status you have and what kind of security you might need. I live in Akron, Ohio, which is my home town. I don’t travel with security. One thing I do is make sure my family is always safe."

Sources say he doesn't carry a weapon. However, the Cavs have a full-time security person with them at all times. He is probably packing heat.

WHAT HAPPENED: The Nets' starting five is quite good. The problem is when they go to the bench. They played very well for most of the game on Saturday before the Cavs pulled away.

The Cavs outscored them, 25-18, in the third quarter, which might have been the difference.

NOTES: F/C Anderson Varejao recorded his fifth double-double of the season with 15 points and 12 rebounds.

-- This is only the third game the Nets have had their starting lineup intact since Oct. 30.

-- The Nets have dropped their last six games to the Cavs.

-- James had two chasedown blocks on the day. "It can deflate certain teams, especially when they get a run-out and I’m able to erase that," he said. "For me to do the things I’m able to do can really help our team."

-- Of course, James can't come to the New York/New Jersey area without being asked about free agency. "I’m too focused on what’s happening with our team and trying to win an NBA championship," he said.

DEBUNKING RUMORS
-- The Nike (I Love New York) shoes that have been all over the Internet are fake. Nike sent out an email saying they were fake.
-- Also, Cavs center Shaquille O'Neal didn't purchase a Rolls Royce Phantom for James' birthday. He was just pulling everyone's leg.

PROJECTED STARTERS
SF LeBron James vs. Chris Douglas-Roberts
PF J.J. Hickson vs. Yi Jianlian
C Shaquille O'Neal vs. Brook Lopez
SG Anthony Parker vs. Courtney Lee
PG Mo Williams vs. Devin Harris
INACTIVES
Cavs - Leon Powe, Coby Karl, Daniel Green
Nets - Jarvis Hayes, Eduardo Najera, Sean Williams
OFFICIALS
Scott Foster, Derrick Collins, Brian Forte