CLEVELAND: LeBron James scored 24 points, Jae Crowder made a go-ahead 3-pointer with 1:21 left and the Cleveland Cavaliers began a long stretch without injured All-Star Kevin Love by holding off the Miami Heat 91-89 on Wednesday night.
The Cavs rebounded from a troubling loss at Detroit — Cleveland gave up 125 points to the undermanned Pistons — and prevented the Heat from overtaking them for third place in the Eastern Conference standings.
Cleveland played its first game since Love broke his left hand against the Pistons. The five-time All-Star is consulting with surgeons in New York, and it’s possible he’ll undergo an operation as early as Thursday. Love, who could miss two months, already has screws in the hand from a previous procedure after he broke it in 2009 with Minnesota.
While he’s out, the Cavs have to hold themselves together.
Goran Dragic scored 18 and Josh Richardson 15 to lead the Heat, who went just 3 of 28 on 3-pointers.
Miami had a last chance after Cleveland’s Kyle Korver made one of two free throws with seven seconds left, but Heat forward James Johnson, harassed by James on the baseline, couldn’t get off a shot before the horn sounded.
The Cavs have been enveloped in drama all season. There have been injuries, blowout losses, persistent trade rumors and more story lines than a day-time soap opera.
“As The Land Turns,” coach Tyronn Lue said with a sigh following his pregame media availability.
The chaos could continue, but for at least one night things didn’t get any worse for the Cavs, who went 6-8 in January and have been plagued by shoddy defense.
It was the first time they’ve held a team under 90 points since Nov. 20.
Despite going just 1 of 16 on 3-pointers, Miami overcame a 14-point deficit to take a 50-48 lead at halftime.
LeBron James, Cavaliers squeeze past Heat
LeBron James, Cavaliers squeeze past Heat
American Tien beats Belgian Blockx to win Next Gen ATP Finals title
- Tien, who won his first trophy on the tour at the Moselle Open last month, held his nerve and made only 12 unforced errors while Blockx had 23, as the American won the match in just under an hour
- Tien: I’m really happy. I knew it was going to be a tough match. I don’t think (Blockx) missed a serve for the first set-and-a-half
JEDDAH: American Learner Tien overpowered Belgian opponent Alexander Blockx 4-3(4) 4-2 4-1 to win the Next Gen ATP Finals on Sunday, the year-ending exhibition tournament between the eight highest-ranked players on the tour aged 20 and under.
The tournament uses a modified format, where a player needs to win four games to clinch a set, and winning one point at deuce is enough to take the game.
Tien, who won his first trophy on the tour at the Moselle Open last month, held his nerve and made only 12 unforced errors while Blockx had 23, as the American won the match in just under an hour. “I’m really happy. I knew it was going to be a tough match. I don’t think (Blockx) missed a serve for the first set-and-a-half. He’s been playing great in these conditions all week,” said Tien, who lost last year’s final to Joao Fonseca.
Blockx, who served seven aces while his opponent had only one, made his intentions clear from the start, attacking the left-handed Tien’s backhand with a fast serve and running up to the net to apply pressure. Tien, ranked 28th in the world, pushed Blockx back with a well-placed lob before winning the point with a drive volley and although Blockx, ranked 116th, saved a break point and pushed the first set into a tiebreaker, top seed Tien outplayed his fellow 20-year-old.
Tien won the second set with a decisive break, using his powerful forehand to push Blockx back until the under-pressure Belgian second seed hit over the baseline. The American, who has clinched five victories over top-10 ranked players this year including a straight-sets win over Alexander Zverev in February, got another break in the third set to go 3-1 up, leaving Blockx with little chance of fighting back.
“What a year you’ve had,” Blockx told Tien at the trophy presentation ceremony. “There are not a lot of days I feel helpless on court but today was one of them. You’re just too good.”
