Cavs open February with convincing win over Timberwolves

Los Angeles (AFP) – The Cleveland Cavaliers broke out of their January doldrums in a big way on Wednesday, crushing the Minnesota Timberwolves 125-97 with the help of 27 points from superstar LeBron James.

James added 12 assists and teammate Kyrie Irving handed out a career-high 14 assists to go with 14 points as the NBA Champions notched a convincing victory after going 7-8 in January.

“After having a bad month like that, pride kicks in at some point,” Cavs head coach Tyronn Lue said in a brief in-game television interview.

It was the most points scored by the Cavaliers since a December 7 home win over the Knicks.

They have won three of their last four to help settle the unease raised by James’s dissatisfaction with management’s failure to fill an open roster spot and his rumbling war of words with former NBA player turned commentator, Charles Barkley.

Tristan Thompson scored 18 points and pulled down 14 rebounds for Cleveland. Channing Frye, starting in place of injured Kevin Love, scored 18 and Kyle Korver came off the bench to contribute 20.

“We had a game plan and we executed it,” James said, praising “unbelievable playmaker” Irving.

James shrugged off the noise surrounding the champions, who held a free-agent work out on Wednesday that included Mario Chalmers, Lance Stephenson, Kirk Hinrich and Jordan Farmar as they consider their options for adding talent with an eye toward a title repeat.

James had ripped Barkley as a “hater” after the player turned TV analyst labelled him “whiny” in calling on Cavs ownership to boost the Cavs’ talent level.

Barkley said Wednesday he stuck by his remarks — and so did James.

“I know what I said and I meant it,” James said. “I don’t know what he said (in response). I don’t get involved with it.”

The young Timberwolves team were quick out of the blocks, but the Cavaliers had built a 20 point lead in the third quarter.

Irving’s layup from a pass from James pushed the lead to 90-70 with four minutes left in the third and Cleveland weren’t seriously pressured again.

Karl-Anthony Towns scored 26 points and pulled down 12 rebounds and Andrew Wiggins scored 23 points against the team that drafted him number one overall in 2014 but traded him.