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James scores 31 as Cavaliers beat Hornets
(AP)
Updated: 2005-11-03 11:18
CLEVELAND - LeBron James hardly needed any assistance from the hired help.
Cleveland's All-Star forward, playing his first regular-season game with new
teammates brought in to help get him to the playoffs, made six 3-pointers and
scored 31 points as the Cavaliers beat the New Orleans Hornets 109-87 in their
season opener Wednesday night.
James made five straight 3-pointers —
four in a row during a 1:44 span over Hornets forward Bostjan Nachbar — and
scored 24 points in the first half as the Cavs built a 21-point lead and buzzed
the Hornets, who won their opener on Tuesday over Sacramento.
But New Orleans couldn't contain James, who had lost his first game in his
two previous NBA seasons.
The Cavaliers, whose collapse down the stretch cost them a playoff spot last
season, spent $150 million in free agency this summer, signing Larry Hughes,
Donyell Marshall, Damon Jones and re-signing Zydrunas Ilgauskas to make sure
James is never absent from the postseason again.
The quartet combined for 52 points, 22 rebounds and 10 assists, but it was
James' deadeye outside shooting that put the game out of reach early and helped
rookie Cleveland coach Mike Brown win his debut.
Speedy Claxton led the Hornets with 16 points, J.R. Smith added 15 and rookie
Chris Paul had 13.
James, who came into the league with the rap of being a lousy outside
shooter, promised during the preseason that he would wait until the regular
season to unveil a new wrinkle in his game.
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