Espiritu joins tour’s two-time champs

CLEVELAND (AFP) - LeBron James scored 32 points and the Cleveland Cavaliers defeated Detroit 88-82 here Sunday, trimming the Pistons' lead in the National Basketball Association semi-final series in half.
 
James, who made 12-of-21 shots from the field, grabbed nine rebounds and made nine assists as Cleveland cut Detroit's edge in the best-of-seven Eastern Conference final to 2-1 and can equalize by winning game four here Tuesday.

James scored 12 points in both the second and fourth quarters, including a key driving jump shot to put Cleveland ahead 86-82 after Detroit went on a 6-0 run to trim an 84-76 deficit.

"I wanted to be aggressive. I kept the ball and made a big shot," James said. "I just wanted to be aggressive. They were keeping the offense off balance. In order for us to win I have to be aggressive like this."

Lithuanian center Zydrunas Ilgauskas scored 16 points for Cleveland while Rasheed Wallace scored 16 points and Chris Webber added 15 points and seven rebounds to lead Detroit as Chauncey Billups and Richard Hamilton struggled.

"We have to continue to win, hold down home court and match their intensity," James said. "If we do that we will continue to have a chance to win."

The Cavaliers, 5-1 at home in the playoffs, trailed Detroit 2-0 in last year's playoffs but won all three home games and pushed the Pistons to the brink of elimination before falling in a seventh-game showdown.

Either Cleveland or Detroit will play in next month's NBA Finals against the winner of the Western Conference. The San Antonio Spurs lead Utah 2-1 in that series with Utah hosting the Spurs on Monday with a chance to level the series.