Clippers are a little short again

CLEVELAND -- The Cleveland Cavaliers’ plan for success this season is pretty basic: When LeBron James plays, good things usually happen.

James scored 28 points Saturday night after sitting out a game because of a sprained right ankle, leading the Cavaliers to a 98-84 victory over the Clippers.

James missed Cleveland’s 101-95 loss in Seattle on Thursday after injuring the ankle the previous night against Portland. James, the NBA’s leading scorer, went through a hard workout on the court Saturday and the Cavaliers announced he would start about 45 minutes before the game.

“I knew I could go out there and give my best effort,” James said. “I’m not as strong as I want to be right now, but I knew I could play well. My ankle’s been better, but it didn’t get worse, and that’s a good thing.”

Cleveland (26-20) is 0-6 this season in games James hasn’t played. He missed five games in late November and early December after spraining his left index finger. The Cavaliers were 9-3 during the previous two years when James was sidelined.

James’ return provided even more bad news for the Clippers, who played their fourth straight game without leading scorers Corey Maggette and Chris Kaman. Both were out because of flu, and Los Angeles dressed nine players.

“Cleveland is a good team and they have a great player,” said Al Thornton, who led the Clippers with 23 points but made only seven of 21 shots.

Zydrunas Ilgauskas had 22 points and 13 rebounds for Cleveland, his 21st double-double this season. Ilgauskas was especially effective in the fourth quarter, when he scored eight points, making all four shots with eight rebounds.

“Sometimes Z is unbelievable,” James said. “When he wants the ball in the post we give it to him, and when he wants the ball on the perimeter we give it to him.”

The Clippers’ lack of depth proved to be a problem, just as it was Friday night in Minnesota, when they led by four at halftime but scored 27 points in the final two quarters of a 104-83 loss.

The Clippers, who got 19 points from Cuttino Mobley, took a 47-42 lead late in the second quarter before Daniel Gibson’s three-pointer cut the lead to two at halftime.