NEW ORLEANS – Losses to powerhouses like Golden State and San Antonio were a little easier to shake off. But Monday night’s result with New Orleans All-Star Anthony Davis in street clothes was tougher to take.
“We’re not very good right now,” James said. “A lot of it is energy and effort.”
Terrence Jones filled in brilliantly for injured Davis, tying a career high with 36 points, grabbing 11 rebounds and blocking James’ dunk attempt late in the fourth quarter as the Pelicans held on for a 124-122 victory against the late-charging Cavs.
“I just wanted help my team get a win and I think that’s what I did,” Jones said.
Jrue Holiday added 33 points and 10 assists for the Pelicans, and Langston Galloway capped a 12-point night with a clean steal on James’ drive in the final minute, preventing the Cavs from erasing a deficit they had trimmed from 22 late in the first half to three with 1:32 left in the game.
In Miami, Dion Waiters’ 3-pointer with 0.6 seconds left capped his 33-point effort as the Miami Heat beat Golden State 105-102 on Monday night to end the Warriors’ seven-game winning streak.
The Heat wasted a 10-point lead in the final 4 minutes, and Kevin Durant tied the game on a dunk with 11.7 seconds left. With no timeouts, Waiters walked the ball up the court and drilled what became the game-winner over Klay Thompson.
Golden State star Stephen Curry missed a corner jumper as time expired, though referee Brian Forte signaled his attempt was a two-point try anyway.
Goran Dragic scored 19 points for Miami (15-30), while Luke Babbitt added 11, and Hassan Whiteside had 10 points and 15 rebounds.
Durant scored 27, Thompson had 22 and Curry added 21 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists for the Warriors (38-7).
In other results, it was Washington 109, Charlotte 99; L.A. Clippers 115, Atlanta 105; Sacramento 109, Detroit 104; San Antonio 112, Brooklyn 86; Milwaukee 127, Houston 114; New York 109, Indiana 103; Oklahoma City 97, Utah 95.
Kyrie Irving scored 35 of his 49 points in the second half, but Cleveland fell to its fifth loss in seven games. James had 26 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds, and Kevin Love scored 22 points for the Cavaliers, who could not quite keep pace with a Pelicans squad that tied a season high for 3-pointers with 16 and shot 49.4 percent (43 of 87).