James Scores 38 As Cavaliers Hand Celtics Second Loss

Wednesday, November 28th 2007, 8:00 am

By: News On 6

CLEVELAND (AP) - LeBron James scored 38 points, hitting a crucial 3-pointer and all six free throws in overtime as the Cleveland Cavaliers won their fourth straight 109-104 over the Boston Celtics and their heralded NBA trio on Tuesday.

James, playing the best basketball of his career, scored 11 points in OT as the defending Eastern Conference champions dropped the Celtics' record to 11-2 with one of their best all-around performances of the early season.

James added 13 assists and finished 14-of-15 from the line. Drew Gooden scored a season-high 24 points and Zydrunas Ilgauskas had 15 with 14 rebounds for Cleveland as the Cavs' top threesome outscored Boston's Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen and Paul Pierce 77-64.

Allen led the Celtics with 29 points on 10-of-25 shooting.

Heat 110, Bobcats 90

At Miami, Ricky Davis and Jason Williams responded to being yanked from the starting lineup with strong games off the bench to lead struggling Miami past Charlotte.

Davis equaled a season high with 23 points, while Williams totaled 11 points and eight assists.

Rookie reserve Daequan Cook added a season-high 19 points while missing only two shots. The Heat shot a season-high 58 percent, and their point total was also a season best.

Miami, still last in the Southeast Division, improved to 2-5 at home. The Heat snapped a four-game losing streak against Charlotte, including two defeats this season.

Gerald Wallace, who returned to the lineup after missing one game with a strained calf, scored 16 points for the Bobcats, losers of four straight.

Grizzlies 110, Nets 103

At East Rutherford, New Jersey, Pau Gasol scored 22 points and Juan Carlos Navarro had 16 points and 11 rebounds as Memphis posted consecutive wins for the first time this season.

Mike Miller hit his first five shots and finished with 19 points for Memphis, while Damon Stoudamire added 13 and Kyle Lowery had 10, including a clutch layup with 1:42 to play after New Jersey cut an early 18-point deficit to 99-98.

Vince Carter scored a season-high 32 points and Jason Kidd added 12 points, 12 assists and 15 rebounds in posting his 91st career triple-double. Richard Jefferson added 27 points for the Nets, who had a three-game winning streak snapped.

76ers 114, Bucks 99

At Milwaukee, Andre Iguodala, Samuel Dalembert and Kyle Korver combined for 62 points and Philadelphia snapped Milwaukee's five-game winning streak.

The 76ers' win also snapped the Bucks' 6-0 mark this season at the Bradley Center, leaving just Boston (7-0) and San Antonio (8-0) as the league's perfect teams at home.

For a change, everything went right for Philadelphia, which lost seven of its previous eight in its worst start since 1995, even after squandering a 14-point lead.

Dalembert had 22 points and eight rebounds and Iguodala had 20 points and 11 assists. Korver, who missed the previous four games with a strained groin, went 8-of-13 from the field and 4-of-5 from 3-point range to finish with 20 points.

Michael Redd started slow before finishing with 17 points for the Bucks. Charlie Villanueva had 16, Mo Williams 14 and rookie Yi Jianlian 13.

Bulls 90, Hawks 78

At Chicago, Luol Deng scored 22 points, Ben Gordon added 21, and Chicago snapped its four-game losing streak.

The Bulls desperately needed the win after a 1-5 trip left them with the worst record in the Eastern Conference, and it came against a team they've dominated in recent seasons. The victory was the Bulls' 12th straight over Atlanta, a longtime doormat that is showing signs of an awakening.

Atlanta got 21 points from Joe Johnson, but he had little help. Josh Smith scored 12 but was just 2-of-14 from the field.

Pacers 112, Nuggets 110

At Denver, Mike Dunleavy scored 30 points, Shawne Williams had 21 and Indiana held off Denver.

The Pacers led 106-97 with a minute left but didn't secure the win until J.R. Smith missed a free throw with 2.7 seconds left and Indiana leading 111-110.

The Nuggets put together a furious rally to nearly steal another victory from the Pacers. Dunleavy's 3-pointer gave Indiana the nine-point lead, but Allen Iverson and J.R. Smith hit back-to-back 3s to pull to 107-103.

After Jamal Tinsley hit a free throw, Iverson's layup made it 108-105. Williams hit two free throws, and Smith hit another 3 to pull to 110-108 with 12.5 seconds left.

Williams' free throw with 11.4 seconds left made it a three-point lead, but Dunleavy fouled Smith on 3-point attempt to put him on the line. Smith hit the first two foul shots, but the third bounced off the rim.

Iverson had 26 points and Carmelo Anthony had 25 to lead the Nuggets, who have lost three of their last four after a six-game winning streak.