LeBron posts 69th triple-double as Cavs trample lowly Suns

PHOENIX — LeBron James earned his 69th career triple-double, and 14th this season, leading the Cleveland Cavaliers to a wire-to-wire 129-107 win over the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday night (Wednesday Manila time).

James, averaging a triple-double over his last 15 games, had 28 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists for his second triple-double in 10 days.

Kyle Korver added 22 points on 6-of-7 shooting — making 5 of 6 3s — for the Cavaliers, who bounced back from a couple of losses in Los Angeles to the Clippers and Lakers with a dominating victory. Jordan Clarkson scored 23 for the Cavs, including 6 of 10 3s.

T.J. Warren and Josh Jackson scored 19 apiece and Devin Booker added 17 for the Suns, losers of six straight and 21 of their last 23. Phoenix became the first team to lose 50 games this season.

Cleveland led from the opening basket. The Cavs scored nine straight to go up 23-8 on Larry Nance Jr.'s dunk, and Phoenix never got the lead to single digits again.

The Suns shot just 26 percent, including 1 of 9 on 3-pointers, and trailed 38-18 after one quarter.

Korver scored five as the Cavaliers opened an early 13-2 lead. A technical foul against the Suns' Marquese Chriss started a 7-0 run to end the first quarter for Cleveland. Clarkson's 3-pointer capped the spurt and made it a 20-point lead after one quarter.

J.R. Smith's 3-pointer gave the Cavs their largest lead of the half, 59-37, with 3:55 left in the half. Jackson's two free throws cut the lead to 59-47 before Cleveland ended the half with a 9-3 run to lead 68-52 at the break.

The Cavs, who made 17 of 35 3-pointers, led by as many as 27 in the second half, the highlight of which was a breakaway, one-handed windmill dunk by James after a Phoenix turnover in the third quarter.