No Redemption for the Lakers over the Cavs

The Cavaliers have done it again as LeBron James scored 37 points plus 12 straight down the stretch, Playing their first game without Mo Williams, they have beaten again Kobe and the Lakers 93-87 on Thursday night at Quicken Loans Arena, Cleveland.

A lot can happen between now and then, but the win gave Cleveland confidence it might be able to survive despite losing Williams, their All-Star point guard who will miss at least one month with a shoulder sprain. Williams scored a team-high 28 in Cleveland's Dec. 25 win at Staples Center.

 J.J. Hickson grabbed a career-high 14 rebounds and Anderson Varejao made three free throws in the final 20 seconds as Cleveland swept the season series between the league's top two teams.
 Bryant surpassed 25,000 career points in the first half, but he was unable to match James in the fourth quarter as both teams turned to their superstars.
 James hit a 3-pointer from the left side with the score tied 80-all, and after a miss by Bryant, the reigning MVP dropped another jumper to put Cleveland ahead by five.
 Ron Artest hit a big 3 for the Lakers and Bryant made two free throws and a quick jumper to tie it 87-87 with 1:32 remaining.
 James blasted down the left side for a layup with 40.5 seconds to go, while the Quicken Loans crowd chants for ``M-V-P''. After Gasol missed two free throws that would have tied it, the Cavs called a timeout.
 James and Bryant both hit jumpers in the final 1:33 of the quarter, which ended with Bryant and Gasol exchanging in a somewhat heated conversation as they returned to the bench. Bryant stayed seated for the first 6:37 of the fourth, and when he returned the Lakers trailed 83-80. Bryant went just 11 of 25 from the floor.
 Shaquille O'Neal scored 13 and Hickson, who had just two points in the first meeting with L.A., had 11 and was the difference inside.
 Bryant finished with 31 points but was only 4-of-15 in the second half as the Lakers lost the opener of an eight-game road trip. Pau Gasol scored 13 for Los Angeles.

Bryant is the 15th player to surpass 25,000 points. Up next for Bryant at No. 14 on the list is Lakers legend Jerry West (25,192). James was the leading vote getter in fan balloting for next month's All-Star game. He received 2,549,693, becoming the first player get at least 2.5 million votes three times. Bryant was second with 2,456,224, pacing Western Conference players.