Cleveland’s James a Standout in Win

LeBron James has helped make the Cleveland Cavaliers’ transformation from worst in the league to playoff contender a quick one.

James had 24 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds and Zydrunas Ilgauskas added 29 points, and Cleveland beat the Milwaukee Bucks, 106-97, at home Saturday night to put them in a three-way tie with Boston and Miami for the final two playoff spots in the East.

“It’s just all about us coming together,” James said. “We’re putting four quarters together in one game.”

The Bucks were led by Michael Redd with 18 points and Brian Skinner with 15. Damon Jones had 13 points and 10 assists.

Philadelphia 97, Chicago 88 -- Kenny Thomas of the 76ers had a season-high 27 points and 11 rebounds in the home victory. Eddy Curry scored 24 and Jamal Crawford and Antonio Davis 16 each for the Bulls, the second-worst team in the NBA.

San Antonio 107, Phoenix 86 -- The Spurs’ Rasho Nesterovic had 22 points and 13 rebounds, Malik Rose 19 points and Tony Parker 17 points at Phoenix. Amare Stoudemire topped the Suns with 23 points, the 11th straight game he has been the team’s top scorer.

Detroit 97, Denver 66 -- The Pistons held the Nuggets without a field goal for 12:28 during a stunning 40-5 run spanning the second and third quarters at Denver to win for the sixth time in seven games. Denver shot 32% and became the first team since the shot clock was implemented in 1954-55 without a player scoring in double figures.

Portland 91, Utah 70 -- Zach Randolph scored 23 points for the Trail Blazers at home in a game marred by a fourth-quarter scuffle between the teams. The conflict came when Shareef Abdur-Rahim stole the ball from Raja Bell. Bell appeared to try to pull Abdur-Rahim to the ground, then the Blazers’ Ruben Patterson jumped in and knocked Bell to the ground. Bell, Abdur-Rahim and Patterson were charged with technical fouls. Bell was ejected for a flagrant foul.

*

Miami Heat Coach Stan Van Gundy was fined $7,500 by the NBA on Saturday for verbally abusing game officials and failing to leave the court in a timely manner after his team lost to Toronto.

Heat assistant coach Bob McAdoo was fined $5,000 for verbal abuse of the officials at the end of Miami’s 89-86 defeat Tuesday night.