Cavaliers demolish Hornets for 5th straight victory
The Cleveland Cavaliers made quick work of the Charlotte Hornets on Friday night.
Cleveland pounded the Hornets 129-90 in a blowout victory that was over shortly after it started. The 39-point margin of victory was the Cavaliers' largest since Jan. 15, 1994, when they beat the Philadelphia 76ers by 43.
LeBron James powered the Cavaliers to a 75-40 advantage at the break - their largest halftime lead in franchise history - and they didn't let up in the second half, going ahead by as many as 49 points.
James finished with a game-high 25 points and added nine assists, six rebounds and four steals despite playing a season-low 27 minutes. Cleveland is 5-1 since James returned from an eight-game absence.
J.R. Smith was unconscious from long range, draining 7-of-11 3-pointers to finish with 21 points.
Fellow newcomer Timofey Mozgov also put in a big night, recording his third consecutive double-double with a 14-point, 11-rebound effort.
The win snapped the Hornets' three-game winning streak.
Next up for the Cavaliers is a date with Kevin Durant and the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday.