James, Cavs crush Knicks

Larry Hughes and Zydrunas Ilgauskas added 16 points apiece for the Cavs, who rebounded from a quick two-game skid, and have now won nine of 11 to pull to within 1 1/2 games of Detroit for first place in the Central Division, and for the top playoff seed in the Eastern Conference. Detroit fell to San Antonio on Friday.

Eddy Curry finished with 27 points and nine rebounds for the Knicks, who fell a game and a half behind Indiana and Orlando, who are tied and currently hold the seventh and eighth playoff spots in the East. The New Jersey Nets, who lost to Orlando on Friday, are one-half game behind the Magic and the Pacers.

Renaldo Balkman added 12 points for New York.

The Cavs opened the second half with a 13-2 run, blowing open a double-digit lead that they never relinquished. James kicked off the run with a three-point play, Sasha Pavlovic and Hughes drilled threes, and Drew Gooden finished it off with consecutive baskets to put Cleveland ahead 59-40 with 7:37 left.

Cleveland led 76-50 after three quarters, and New York never threatened down the stretch, as the Cavs led by as many as 24 points on the way to the win.

"We’re struggling offensively," said Knicks head coach Isaiah Thomas. "I give the guys a lot of credit for competing and trying as hard as they’re trying right now but we’ll get it together."

The Knicks kept it close early, and a Curry layup pulled New York to within 15-14 with 3:07 left. James converted a three-point play on the next possession, though, kicking off a 10-0 run. Ira Newble capped the stretch with a trey to boost the Cavs to a 25-14 lead with 1:38 left.

Cleveland led 25-17 after the first quarter

A Curry hook shot pulled the Knicks to within 43-38 late in the second quarter, but Hughes hit a three with 15 seconds left, and the Cavs took a 46-38 lead into the break.

"We had a real professional attitude today," said James. "We dropped the last two, so we just wanted to come in here and take care of home court. We took care of business."

Game Notes

New York shot 41 percent from the field, but only made 2-of-14 from behind the arc (14 percent), and 12-of-24 free throws (50 percent)...Cleveland made 9- of-17 threes (53 percent).