LeBron's late-game heroics leads Cavs past T-Wolves in OT thriller
The Cleveland Cavaliers needed a win in the worst way, and The King made it happen.
LeBron James led his slumping team to a 140-138 overtime victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday night. The four-time MVP notched a monster triple-double of 37 points, 15 assists, and 10 rebounds, and stepped up when it mattered most.
After blowing a chance to put the game away in regulation, James single-handedly staved off a second overtime. He rejected Jimmy Butler's game-winning attempt before drilling a turnaround fadeaway jumper of his own at the buzzer.
It marks just the sixth win James has picked up in 18 head-to-head matchups with Butler, who held his own in the thriller.
| MIN | PTS | FG | 3FG | REB | AST | STL | BLK | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| James | 48 | 37 | 16-22 | 5-7 | 10 | 15 | 1 | 1 |
| Butler | 46 | 35 | 14-21 | 4-5 | 5 | 6 | 2 | 0 |
Their teams combined to hit 40 total 3-pointers - a new single-game record - on 54 percent shooting.
The outing also James saw claim another franchise record, as he passed Zydrunas Ilgauskas (5,904) for No. 1 all time in rebounding.
With his 8th rebound tonight, LeBron James became the Cavaliers all-time leader in rebounds, points and assists.
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) February 8, 2018
He's the 3rd player in NBA history who currently lead a franchise in all three categories. pic.twitter.com/pdz3A5eNpc
With the win, Cleveland snapped a two-game losing skid and remains third in the East. The 2016 champs, who've lost 13 of their last 20 games, have been linked in rumors to several trade candidates ahead of Thursday's deadline.