Feb 04 2009
LeBron Nets Triple-Double at MSG
New York has struggled in its past two home games. Every visiting player is motivated to play at Madison Square Garden, one of the most renowned sporting venues in the world.
Monday, Kobe Bryant scored 61 points as the L.A. Lakers defeated the host Knicks, 126-119. Tonight, LeBron James played a better all-around game as Cleveland defeated New York, 119-114. James amassed 52 points and also 11 assists and 10 rebounds.
Wilt Chamberlain scored more than 52 points in a 1968 game while earning a triple-double. However, James’s point total is the second-highest among players with a triple-double–double figures in three different statistical categories.
More importantly, the Cavaliers won the game and kept pace with Boston at the top of the Eastern Conference standings. With All-Star guard Jameer Nelson suffering a torn labrum Tuesday, Orlando is likely to slip from its lofty status among the NBA’s elite. About 35 games remain for each team but Cleveland, Boston and Los Angeles are establishing themselves as the teams to beat.
