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February 6, 2010

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Home » Sports » Basketball

Cavaliers brush aside Heat to earn 10th straight victory

Source: Agencies | February 6, 2010, Saturday | Print Edition

THE Cleveland Cavaliers took their winning streak into double figures with a 102-86 victory over a slumping Miami Heat on Thursday, LeBron James sparking the 10th straight triumph with a 36-point haul.

Daniel Gibson also made a telling contribution in the second half after visiting his pregnant fiancee in hospital. He started the third quarter and finished with 12 points.

Cleveland (40-11) held a 56-52 lead at halftime before the National Basketball Association leader pulled clear with a 10-0 run that spanned the end of the third quarter and start of the fourth.

Miami's Dwyane Wade scored 18 points in the first half but could only add six more in the second, losing a third straight duel against James, who also tallied eight assists and seven rebounds.

"We did not make any adjustments (on Wade), we just tried to be aware of where he is at all times and we did double him occasionally," Cavaliers coach Mike Brown told reporters. "We just tried to keep the lane crowded and stay in front of him."

The defeat was a fourth in a row for Miami (24-26), which has now dropped six of its last seven games.

In the day's only other NBA game, the Trail Blazers edged the San Antonio Spurs 96-93 in Portland.

In Cleveland, Ohio, the Heat remained in contention in the first half as Wade and James waged a duel. James had 19 in the first two quarters that were reminiscent of their previous match-up on January 25 when each tallied 32 in a one-point Cleveland win.

This time James had his way, making 9-of-16 shots from the field and 17-of-21 free throws.

With guards Mo Williams and Delonte West both sidelined through injury, James has had to take on the added role of ball-handler for Cleveland. Relishing the responsibility, he has averaged 11.6 assists per game in his last five games for the Cavaliers.

"The disadvantage is I can't run down the court and get ahead of the ball," James added. "It's a sacrifice I have to make with our point guards being out. I have no choice but to handle the ball at certain points of the game -- I'll do whatever it takes for our team to win."

Shaquille O'Neal added 13 points and eight rebounds in 21 minutes for Cleveland, yet another strong, efficient performance from the big man who has stepped his game up of late.

Meanwhile, Mike Dunleavy has been relieved of his head coaching duties by the Los Angeles Clippers to allow him to focus on personnel matters like trades and free agency, the team said on Thursday.

Kim Hughes, the Clippers' assistant coach, will assume the role of interim head coach for the rest of the season, the team said in a statement.

Dunleavy, the franchise's all-time leader in wins with 215, said the decision was reached mutually and that he expects to be active in the draft, trade and free agent fronts.

The Clippers are 21-28 and have lost six of their last eight games.
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