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LeBron scores 32, Love returns with big night in 111-104 win over Knicks

NEW YORK: For two days now, LeBron James has been asked about Carmelo Anthony. It’s only fitting, given the trade rumors swirling around both of these franchises. For two days, James has maintained the same answer: He just wants his good friend to be happy.

It’s difficult to see how Anthony can be pleased with the state of the Knicks, who remain on the cusp of playoff contention but so far away from title contention. LeBron James scored 32 points and passed for 10 assists, Kevin Love returned with 23 points and 16 rebounds and the Cavs beat the Knicks 111-104 Saturday night at Madison Square Garden.

The Cavs led by as many as 27 in the third quarter before they grew distracted in the fourth, as usual, and let the Knicks climb within 106-101 in the final minute before Love’s corner 3-pointer iced the game. They have squandered big leads in fourth quarters throughout the season and Saturday was no different.

The Cavs were without Kyrie Irving and the Knicks were without Derrick Rose. Irving missed the game with a sore right quadriceps muscle, while Rose was scratched with an ankle injury. Love, meanwhile, returned after missing two games with back spasms. It was the seventh time this season he scored at least 20 points and grabbed at least 15 rebounds while playing like someone the Knicks would want in a trade.

That is, of course, because trade talks between these two teams over their stars just won’t go away.  Anthony scored 17 points, but shot just 6 of 20, while Brandon Jennings scored 23 points thanks to a big second half. James defended his friend Saturday even when people within the Knicks seem to be questioning how much Anthony has left.

“He had 25 in one quarter this year. Very recently,” James said. “So you tell me? I mean, how many guys do that?”

James made clear last season he would like to play with Anthony at some point in his career, along with friends Chris Paul and Dwyane Wade. Cavs coach Tyronn Lue refuses to engage in the trade rumors and says he has not addressed it with Love, who has been the target of trade speculation for the last year and for years before joining the Cavs in Minnesota. Not even winning a championship and coming up with the biggest defensive stop of the Finals last year has shielded Love from the speculation this year.

“I predicted that, though,” Love said Friday. He did not address reporters Saturday before the game. “It doesn't matter if I have an All-Star year … it's always going to be there, right?”


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