James ties career-high with 17 assists, as Cavs beat Hawks 123-114
CLEVELAND (AP) -- LeBron James had 25 points and tied a career-high with 17 assists, and the Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the Atlanta Hawks 123-114 on Tuesday night.
James was 11 of 13 from the field, had seven rebounds and was given a standing ovation when he was removed from the game with 2:34 remaining .
Cleveland won for the 15th time in 16 games. The Cavaliers hit a season-high 20 3-pointers, including nine in the first quarter. Cleveland had a season-high 35 assists.
Kyle Korver had 19 points, including six 3-pointers. Kevin Love, returning after missing a game with a hip injury, scored 17 points, all in the first half. Love had 11 points in the first quarter after sitting out Saturday's game against Philadelphia. He had 12 rebounds.
Atlanta fell to 6-21, the worst record in the league. Taurean Prince scored 24 points while Kent Bazemore had 20.
Cavaliers guard Dwyane Wade missed the game because of a sore left knee. He is averaging 11.5 points and shooting 46 percent.
The Cavaliers built a 24-point lead in the fourth quarter and set a team record with 10 or more 3-pointers in 17 consecutive games.
Cleveland closed the first half on a 14-4 run that included 3-pointers by Love, Korver and Jae Crowder to lead 62-48. James scored six points and Jose Calderon hit a 3-pointer in the first 4 minutes of the third quarter, forcing Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer to call time out.
The Hawks defeated the Cavaliers 117-115 in Cleveland on Nov. 5, which was Atlanta's second win of the season. Atlanta had beaten Cleveland three of the last four games dating to last season.
Dennis Schroder scored 14 points after sitting out the final 8:14 of the Hawks' loss in New York on Sunday.
CAVALIER RETURN
Center Tristan Thompson, playing for the first time since Nov. 1 when he strained his left calf, was scoreless and didn't have a rebound in 6 minutes. Thompson is on limited minutes and didn't play in the second half.
NEW EXPERIENCE
Rookie center Tyler Cavanaugh, who is on a two-way contract, made his first NBA start for Atlanta, scoring 11 points with nine rebounds n 28 minutes.
TIP-INS
Hawks: F John Collins (sprained left shoulder) practiced with Atlanta's G-League team -- the Erie BayHawks -- at Quicken Loans Arena earlier in the day, but missed his sixth straight game. ... C Mike Muscala (sprained left ankle) did not travel with the team, while C Dewayne Dedmon (left leg stress reaction) missed his seventh game in a row.
Cavaliers: Wade, who plays point guard with the second unit, missed his second game of the season. James took over most of those duties when the bench players were on the court. ... Cleveland has scored 100 or more points in 21 consecutive games. ... Cleveland has won nine straight at home.
UP NEXT
Hawks: Host Detroit on Thursday. The Pistons beat Atlanta 111-104 in Detroit on Nov. 10.
Cavaliers: Host the Lakers on Thursday. Cleveland has won the last six games in the series.
