Cleveland Cavs beat Lakers

Cavs rely on balance, not LeBron, vs. Lakers
Associated Press

CLEVELAND - LeBron James finally doesn’t have to do it all — all the time — for the Cavaliers.

James deferred to less-heralded teammate Sasha Pavlovic, who scored 13 of his 21 points in the fourth quarter, and Cleveland clamped down on Kobe Bryant when it mattered most in a 99-90 win over the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday.

James had 18 points, eight rebounds and five assists, but he bowed to Pavlovic and others down the stretch, and Cleveland’s supporting cast came through.

“I feel like a prophet,” said James, who has been praising Pavlovic for weeks. “People were looking at me crazy. I’ve always said that if Sasha gets the opportunity, he is going to be very good. We go against each other in practice and I know what type of player he is. “He’s showing it.”