The Miami Heat showed a video tribute to LeBron James during a first-quarter timeout Thursday.

MIAMI -- The Miami Heat showed a LeBron James tribute video on the scoreboard at a first-quarter timeout during this evening's Christmas Day game against the Cavaliers. After the minute-long video was over, the crowd gave James a standing ovation. He waved to the crowd as he left the bench and still appeared to be a bit emotional as he lined up on the free-throw lane coming out of the timeout.

Later, the Heat showed a scoreboard tribute to James Jones, another Cavalier who also played for the Heat. Mike Miller, another Cavalier and former Heat player, received a video tribute last season when he was with Memphis.

This is James' first game in AmericanAirlines Arena since leaving Miami last summer for Cleveland, following four seasons, four Finals appearances, and two titles. He received a warm response during pregame introductions.

The reaction to James when the Cavaliers took the floor for pregame warmups was muted -- a smattering of cheers and boos but there weren't enough people in the stands to gauge it.

This is James' first road game in Miami since the Cavaliers played here on Jan. 25, 2010, when the Cavs won by a point and James scored 32.

The last time James played here at all was June 12, a 21-point loss to the Spurs in the Finals.

Miami's tribute video for James was uploaded to NBA.com.

The Cleveland Cavaliers play an NBA basketball game against the Miami Heat, Thursday, Dec. 25, 2014, in Miami.

The Cleveland Cavaliers played an NBA basketball game against the Miami Heat, Thursday in Miami.

LeBron James hurts knee in third quarter

MIAMI -- LeBron James limped to the locker room with an apparent left knee injury with 4:08 to go in the third quarter against the Miami Heat, but returned to the game.

The Cavaliers later called the injury "left leg tightness."

A bad outlet pass to James by Kevin Love caused James to chase the ball into the crowd, jumping over a spectator in the first row of AmericanAirlines Arena.

James initially seemed OK, but seconds later grabbed his left knee and asked out of the game. After a brief stay on the bench, James hobbled toward the locker room.

He returned to the bench with 1:32 left in the third and opened the fourth quarter on the floor, throwing down a two-handed dunk with 11:20 left.

James missed a game back on Dec. 11 against Oklahoma City with a sore left knee.

James has scored 21 points in 28 minutes thus far against his old team.

LeBron James loses for just the second time in nine games on Christmas Day, falling to the Miami Heat team he left last summer to rejoin Cleveland.

MIAMI – LeBron James lost a game for just the second time in nine tries on Christmas Day, falling in his return to the city where he won two Finals in four seasons.

James scored 30 points and registered eight assists, but the Cavaliers fell 101-91 to the Miami Heat on an emotional day for him at AmericanAirlines Arena.

James, who left the Heat to return to Cleveland over the summer, was greeted warmly during pre-game introductions and then honored during the first quarter with a minute-long tribute video by the franchise that he led to four Finals in his four seasons here

Dwyane Wade, one of James' best friends whom he shared a long embrace with before the game, led all scorers with 31 points. Wade handed James his first loss on Christmas since the Cavs lost to Orlando in 2003 -- James' rookie season.

Here is an instant, quarter-by-quarter briefing on James' performance against the Heat.

1^st Quarter

Stats: 6 pts, 1 rb, 4 ast, 1-4 FG, 4-7 FT

Highlight: After scolding him for allowing Luol Deng to score, James found Tristan Thompson for an alley-oop with 3:19 left.

Briefing: A wonderful tribute video honoring James' four years with the Heat during a timeout with 5:44 left was followed by a prolonged standing ovation inside AmericanAirlines Arena. Really, it was James' best moment in the quarter. Three turnovers, three missed free throws, and a wide-open three that clanked off the rim plagued him. Wade, meanwhile, was fantastic with 12 points, two coming on a rebound dunk over Kevin Love.

2^nd Quarter

Stats: 9 pts, 0 rbs, 3 ast, 2-3 FG, 4-6 FT

Highlight: With 17.7 seconds to go, James stepped behind the line and drilled a three-pointer that trimmed Miami's lead to 13.

Briefing: There was another nifty moment for James – he drove into the lane, spun, somehow found Irving way out on the perimeter and passed it to him for a three. T'was not a nifty half, however, despite James' 15 points. Too many communication problems on defense led to open shots for the Heat. Wade was just too much for the Cavs, tallying 24 points. On Miami's final possession, James guarded Wade and forced him to a no-chance, off-balance shot.

3^rd Quarter

Stats: 6 pts, 2 rbs, 2 ast, 3-3 FG, 0-0 FT

Highlight: James drilled a step-back jumper, his second of the quarter, with 7:34 left and the Cavaliers beginning to find a rhythm.

Briefing: James hurdled the front row of spectators after a bad Love pass, and moments later clutched his left knee. He asked out of the game at 4:08 and briefly went back to the locker room. He returned to the bench for the quarter's last 90 seconds. His teammates held on without him and trailed by three after three quarters. The Cavs called the injury "left leg tightness."

4^th Quarter

Stats: 9 pts, 1 rb, 0 ast, 3-6 FG, 2-5 FT

Highlight: Back from injury, James caught a pass on a fastbreak and went up for a two-handed slam with 11:20 to go.

Briefing: James' leg seemed fine. The outcome, not so much for the Cavs. Perhaps James' two most-hyped games coming into this season – the season opener and his Miami return – end in defeat. The Cavs went ice cold in the fourth quarter. They could've won this one. Lots of hugs postgame for James from his old teammates. Did anyone hug Cleveland coach David Blatt?

Totals: 30 points, 4 rbs, 8 ast, 9-16 FG, 10-18 FT, 40 mins

Why do players catch heat for leaving a team? LeBron James wants to know the answer to that.

MIAMI, Fla. – The Miami Heat organization is unequivocally first class. The Heat honored LeBron James and James Jones with a video tribute, demonstrating the franchise's gratitude for their years of service.

The Heat fan base, well, it showed its true colors. Nobody had a clue as to the reception James would receive upon being introduced at AmercanAirlines Arena, his first appearance since Game 4 of the 2014 NBA Finals.

Judging by the social media pundits coming from South Florida, James was in store for quite the harassment. When the PA announcer called James' name, the fans overwhelmingly cheered. But it didn't last long because the next Cavalier was introduced immediately after.

The Heat fans saved their longest, loudest hurrah for the video tribute in which they gave James a standing ovation during a timeout midway in the first quarter. His best friend, Dwyane Wade, was applauding along with them from Miami's bench.

James was so moved that he waved to the fans a few times.

"Very [emotional]," James said after the Cavaliers lost 101-91 on Thursday. "It is tough to play under these circumstances...Very difficult."

These fans may have initially felt spurned when James elected to return to Cleveland over the summer. They may have had those same feelings leading up to the game, but on this Christmas Day they were forgiving and supportive.

And for that, James is appreciative.

"I think these fans are great," James said. "I've always talked about them and I always said that. They always showed their loyalty."

Now, there were some boos and taunting going on. It wasn't all hunky-dory. The usual anti-opposing team heckles are fair game. But the ones who made it a point to badger James for departing via free agency, James wants to know why.

After going for 30 points, eight rebounds and four assists, he felt the need to switch up the arrangement of his postgame press conference. And why not, it was Christmas. He played reporter and did some interrogating of his own.

"The question I have that has been kind of bothering me sometimes is that when a player decides his own fate, there's always questions about why this guy did that, do that, do this," he said. "But when the organization decides to go elsewhere for a player, they did what's best for the team. Figure that out some time."

On Wednesday, the day before the game, Wade said something similar.

"It's tough in this league," Wade said. "When a player makes a decision and however you make it, it's always backlash. But when an organization makes it, it's the right thing for the organization to do and it's fine. Josh Smith just got cut, it was the right decision for the Pistons to do and it's fine. It's fine, but LeBron James or players make decisions in free agency then it becomes a different situation."

If a player is underperforming, that team will look to ship him out and often times the fan bases want them out just as much as ownership and management. It doesn't matter if the player has a family and is deeply rooted in the city.

When those papers are submitted, more than one life is affected. But we don't hear about how it puts pressure on families and in more cases than not, separates them. What's reported is how much money the team saved and how the move improved the franchise. Fans are then appeased until it's time for another transaction.

In those situations, the player didn't possess the power. He was at the mercy of the organization. In free agency, the player contains the power, free to choose his own path.

Regardless of his reasoning, James did what he thought was right. He made the best decision for his life because after all, it is his life.

A superstar athlete has a short window to maximize his opportunities before he  becomes disposable. There are plenty of disposable players in the league and James isn't one of them. That's why he's moving when he wants to move, not when management sees it fit.

There is no doubt that the Heat was set back with the departure of James, but its integrity and dignity was not.

The Heat does things the right way. It was great to see that the fans followed suit. There was nothing but class all around.

The Cavs are 6-6 on the road.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cavaliers lost to the Miami Heat, 101-91, Thursday night at AmericanAirlines Arena in Miami. Here is a capsule look at the game from The Plain Dealer reporter Dennis Manoloff after dvr review of the ABC telecast:

Streak snapped: The Cavs (17-11) had won three in a row.

Bumpy travels: The Cavs have lost three straight on the road, where they are a pedestrian 6-6 this season.

Coal in the stocking: Some defeats are more problematic than others. If the Cavs are serious about being an elite team in the Eastern Conference, they can't lose games such as this. It is the type of loss that raises concerns, even at the one-third mark of the season.

Yes, the Cavs played without starting center Anderson Varejao for the first time since Varejao tore his left Achilles. But the Heat was without starting forward Chris Bosh. Varejao, a quality player, is not in Bosh's class.

Factoring in what has happened since as recently as last summer, the Heat were without Bosh and four-time MVP LeBron James. The Cavs have LeBron, and Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love -- and still lost.

The most troubling reality, though, is that the Heat were 100 percent vulnerable. In their previous game, Tuesday in Miami, they lost to the Philadelphia 76ers, 91-87. The 76ers improved to 4-23; they did so despite having just eight players available.

The embarrassed Heat slipped to 13-16 overall, 5-10 at home. They were playing like a team that had lost LeBron to free agency after four wonderful seasons.

The Cavs should have been able to follow Philadelphia's act with an even better one. Instead, they fizzled.

King's return: In his first game against the Heat since leaving Miami, LeBron had 30 points (on 9-of-16 shooting), eight assists and four rebounds. In other words, he  did his job. The blemishes were four turnovers and 10-of-18 from the line.

During pregame introductions, LeBron appeared to call for someone to loosen his left leg. The leg forced him to leave briefly in the third quarter, but once he returned, he did not seem hampered. He played a total of 40 minutes.

LeBron and Irving combined to shoot 19-of-35 (54 percent) and score 55. The other  Cavs were 13-of-37 (35 percent) and scored 36.

King steamed: LeBron barked at his teammates midway through the third.

With the Heat leading, 67-61, former Cleveland State standout Norris Cole missed a jumper from the top of the key. The Cavs' Shawn Marion, in the midst of a bad performance, lost track of Shawne Williams, who came from the left baseline to grab the rebound. As the ball worked its way around to Heat guard Dwyane Wade, somebody could be heard on ABC's mic yelling: "Get a (bleeping) rebound!'' From the telecast, it was impossible to know for certain who yelled it.

Wade stepped back on the left wing and missed a 3-pointer. Teammate Chris Andersen crashed and beat Love to the rebound, the ball deflecting off Love on its way out of bounds. LeBron, next to Love, slammed the ball on the floor.

The camera showed LeBron squawking in Love's direction. 

ABC play-by-play voice Mike Breen said: (LeBron) is yelling at his teammates to box out.''

ABC analyst Jeff Van Gundy said: "He's right.''

Wade received the ensuing inbound. Cleveland center Tristan Thompson double-teamed and Wade flipped to Anderson for a layup to give Miami a 69-61 lead with 6:24 remaining in the third.

Heat's dynamic duo: Miami countered LeBron and Irving with Wade and Luol Deng.

Wade scored a game-high 31. He did most of his damage in the first half, going 10-of-16 from the field and scoring 24 in 18 minutes.

Deng was consistently good throughout. (Yes, the same Deng who played largely uninspired in 40 games for the Cavs last season. Of course, given the state of Cleveland's franchise at the time, it is difficult to blame him.)

Deng was coming off an ugly game against the 76ers. It included 3-of-11 for seven points in 32 minutes. Against the Cavs, though, Deng resembled an All-Star. He scored 25 on 11-of-16 shooting and notched eight rebounds and eight assists.

Deng had his hands in arguably the sequence and play of the game.

The sequence occurred beginning at 8:11 remaining in the fourth. At the Cleveland end, Thompson received a pass from Irving and rose to dunk -- only to be rejected by Andersen. The Cavs remained down by two, at 82-80.

Miami turned the block into a run-out for Mario Chalmers, but his layup attempt was blocked by Dion Waiters. The rebound became a 50-50 ball on the left side, with Cole and Love fighting for it. Cole, despite giving up plenty of size, won. Cole spotted a wide-open Deng cutting to the basket, and Deng slammed.

Deng was unchecked in part because LeBron and Irving never got up the floor. Thompson also hurt the cause by losing track of Deng while watching Cole.

The play occurred with 2:40 left in the fourth and the Heat leading, 90-87. Deng was trapped in the right corner by LeBron and Love but managed to pass on-target to Danny Granger in the left corner. As Deng fell into photographers, Granger drilled a 3-pointer for the six-point cushion.

First-half fiasco: The Cavs laid the groundwork for defeat by playing bad defense in a first half that ended with the Heat leading, 62-49.

Cleveland's failure to contain the ball on the perimeter and prevent easy shots inside helped enable the Heat to shoot 25-of-45 from the field, including 6-of-12 from 3-point range. The Heat amassed 22 paint points.

ABC studio analyst Doug Collins, a former NBA player and coach, said: "I just didn't see any sense of urgency from Cleveland. Not putting their bodies on anybody....Giving up 62 points at the half -- you can't win on the road like that.''

Midway through the second quarter, Wade sank a lefty floater in the lane after receiving a pass from Cole. The play happened primarily because 1. Cole beat Irving off the dribble from the right wing (the Heat set a high screen for Cole, but it wasn't a good one, creating an opportunity for Irving to stay with his man) and 2. the Cavs' Mike Miller lost track of Wade.

Wade's shot gave the Heat a 46-33 lead.

Van Gundy said: "There's just no resistance at the basket. It's like a layup drill.''

The Heat's unobstructed paths to routine shots were glaring enough that ABC studio analyst and former NBA player Jalen Rose labeled the scene "Grand Central Station.''

At the intermission, Collins said: "Kevin Love, Kyrie and these guys -- they've got to start playing with some physicality. Miami: 62 points, doing what they want to do. Miami is the team that is playing with pride; Cleveland is reacting in a negative way.''

The Cavs played better in the second half and actually led by one early in the fourth quarter. (The lead evaporated without a second ticking off the clock because LeBron, who had just dunked, was called for a technical foul for hanging on the rim. Wade made the free throw to tie the score, 78-78.) The problem is, the Cavs had allowed the Heat to control the game too easily in the first half.

Dwyane Wade and Luol Deng had a surprise for the LeBron James and they got the win in the process.

MIAMI, Fla. – Dwyane Wade and Luol Deng ruined LeBron James' return to Miami by lifting the Miami Heat past the Cavaliers, 101-91, on Christmas Day.

It was James' first game in AmericanAirlines Arena since he lost to the San Antonio Spurs in Game 4 of the 2014 NBA Finals as a member of the Heat.

Wade, with Chris Bosh out with a calf injury, led Miami (14-16) with 31 points, five rebounds and five assists. Luol Deng was exceptional in his defense of James. He couldn't stop him, but he made it tough with his smothering defensive tactics. He also contributed 23 points, eight rebounds and eight assists.

James started the game off sluggishly and indecisively. He committed two turnovers in the first two minutes. As soon as he settled down and got the jitters out, his offensive game returned to form. He put up 27 points and dished out eight assists. It was an emotional evening for him before the game got intense.

After being down by as many as 17, the Cleveland (17-11) clawed back to enter the fourth down three. However, they went 6-of-19 in the final period. It wouldn't be enough.

Kyire Irving supplied 24 points and Kevin Love added 14 points and five rebounds for the Cavs.

Everyone wanted to see how James would be received. He was the first player introduced in the starting lineup and the fans overwhelmingly cheered for the former Heat star. There were very few boos.

During a timeout with 5:44 remaining in the first, the Heat played a video tribute for James. It featured some of his most memorable moments as a member of the Heat in the last four years.

James caught the video presentation at the midway point as he took a seat on the scorer's table to watch the duration. At the conclusion, the fans erupted, giving him a standing ovation. James acknowledged the applauses with a couple of courtesy waves.

Wade was clapping from the Heat bench. You could tell James was touched. It was a class act by a classy organization and a classy fan base.

Who started?

Shawn Marion was inserted into the starting lineup with Anderson Varejao out for the season due to an Achilles' tendon tear. Love slid down to the center position.

In the first half James was seen letting Tristan Thompson have it after the forward failed to switch, allowing Deng to slip to the basket for two. In the second half he got in the face of Love and Marion after they failed to come away with a key defensive rebound. James wanted this game.

A scary play

With four minutes left in the third, James chased down an outlet pass by Love that was beyond his reach and his momentum carried him into the stands. He jumped over about three rows. He then limped to the bench and was checked out by team trainer Steve Spiro.

After a few minutes, James, in obvious pain, limped to the locker room. He was favoring his left leg/ankle. He returned to the bench after a few minutes and started the fourth quarter.

Play of the Game

It wasn't a highlight that benefited the Cavaliers.

Toward the end of the first quarter, the Heat's Norris Cole drove to the hole and threw up a high-arcing shot over the outstretched hands of Thompson. The basketball hit the front of the rim and was coming off.

Wade was already full steam ahead toward the basket and he jumped, gathered the ball in midair with his right hand and flushed down a putback dunk over the back of Love.

Love didn't know what hit him. That was play-of the-day material.

Who's on deck?

The second end of this back-to-back takes the Cavaliers to down the road for their second meeting of season with the Orlando Magic. Cleveland trounced the Magic at The Q by a score of 106-74 on Nov. 24.

Bulldogs' big plays too much for Illinois

DALLAS -- Kenneth Dixon scored one of his two touchdowns on an 80-yard reception and Xavier Woods scored on a 69-yard interception return to help Louisiana Tech beat Illinois 35-18 in the Heart of Dallas Bowl on Friday.

The Bulldogs (9-5) also got touchdown runs of 16 yards from Jarred Craft and 28 yards from Blake Martin on a dark, overcast day at the Cotton Bowl stadium.

Illinois (6-7) struggled early with penalties and missed field goals, but got within three points on David Reisner's 43-yard field goal early in the fourth quarters. But Dixon scored his second TD from one yard out with six minutes left to make it 28-18 and the Illini couldn't answer.

Illinois appeared to have gotten a break when LaKeith Walls sacked Cody Sokol, causing him to fumble. But Jihad Ward returned it 19 yards and fumbled, letting Sokol recover. That drive was capped by Dixon's TD.

Dixon became Louisiana Tech's career leader in yards rushing, finishing with 63 for a total of 3,410 in three seasons.

He is also the only FBS player with both a run and a reception of at least 80 yards this season.

Tech's Houston Bates was chosen the game's most valuable player, recording 4 1/2 sacks against his former school. The defensive end graduated from Illinois with a year's eligibility remaining and wanted to finish his college career close to home.

Tech led 21-9 lead at halftime after Reilly O'Toole's pass was returned for a touchdown by Woods midway through the second, but Illinois responded with a 3-yard scoring run by Donovonn Young. The 2-point conversion failed, though, but Reisner banked in a field goal to cut the Bulldogs' lead to 3.

O'Toole threw a 25-yard touchdown pass to Jon Davis early in the second quarter. He was 24 of 39 for a season-high 295 yards with one touchdown and one interception.

Taylor Zalewski kicked a 27-yard FG in the first quarter for Illinois, which committed eight first-half penalties for 53 yards and missed two field goals attempts and and extra point.

Browns No. 8 overall pick Justin Gilbert aknowledged that he "messed up'' this year, but stresses that it was a "a minor setback for a major comeback.'' He says he'll be great.

BEREA, Ohio -- Browns cornerback Justin Gilbert, the No. 8 overall pick, admitted Friday that he's made mistakes this season and vowed he's still going to be a great.

It took him halfway through his seven-minute interview to lose the defiant attitude and admit he's been wrong, but once he did, he said all the things you'd expect to hear from a first-round rookie who didn't work hard enough to excel.

"I messed up, but I can promise my teammates I'm going to make it right,'' said Gilbert. "I think it's just a little minor setback for a major comeback. That's a little phrase I'd like to use for it.''

Gilbert, the top cornerback selected in the draft out of Oklahoma State, has been a colossal disappointment this season because he couldn't get it together off the field. He displayed one of the worst attitudes some in the organization have ever seen, and was frequently late to team meetings.

Not only did teammates such as Donte Whitner and Karlos Dansby describe 2014 as a "wasted year'' for Gilbert, coach Mike Pettine fully supported the veterans calling him out publicly.

"And he had every right to,'' Gilbert said. "I'm not mad at anyone about it, I brought it upon myself and I can take that and roll with it.''

Gilbert promised that the issues that kept him from living up to his top 10 status in 2014 have been resolved.

"I can assure everyone here that I will work a lot harder in the offseason and during the season,'' he said. "That's one promise I can make. It will be corrected. it has been corrected. It's not really a problem. It's not going to be an issue anymore.''

He declined to admit he's been late for meetings or reveal what else he did wrong.

"We keep the family business in the family,'' he said.

Well not everyone. Gilbert was visibly miffed at the top of the interview that Whitner and Dansby called him out to the media. Whitner told him to "stop being a kid'' and Dansby agreed with Whitner that it was a "wasted year'' for Gilbert and that he better get it together soon or he'll be out of the league.

"I'm not a person to judge my teammates and put it out there in the media like that,'' he said. "If I have a problem with somebody, I would address them face to face and that's just all I can say about that.''

Gilbert said he's not really sure if tough love was the way to describe it.

"I think it may have crossed the line a little bit, but at the same time we're all here to do the same thing and that's win and provide for our families,'' he said. "So some of the things were right and some of the things could've been kept to themselves.''

He said he doesn't know if the veterans have more of a problem with his off-the-field issues or his play.

"They would have to talk to me face to face for me to find out that answer,'' he said.

He said  "I expected it from one person (Whitner) not the other guy (Dansby), so I mean, I don't know. I don't know what to say right now.''

Why Whitner?

"Because (Whitner's) the guy that's always just talking,'' said Gilbert. "I just sit back and listen to people. I'm not going to really put out there what he was saying.''

Dansby stressed that he's an open book and that Gilbert would need to come to him for the kind of wisdom that only an 11-year veteran can provide. Will he take the veteran up on it?

"It's something I might look into, yeah,'' said Gilbert. "I think I can handle that and talk to him about some things and we can see where things end up going from there.''

 He disagrees with the two leaders that his rookie year was a waste.

 "Not at all,'' he said. "I learned a lot this season, so I don't see how it could be a waste at all.''

Was Whitner's command to grow up fair?

"I have no comment about that,'' he said.

Asked if he struggled with maturity issues, he said, "Not at all'' and doesn't know when it hit him that he needs to work harder.

He said several players have pulled him aside and tried to help him.

"I'd say Buster Skrine and Joe Haden,'' he said. "Those are about the only two.''Does he finally know what it takes to be a pro?

"That's a question I really can't answer right now,'' he said.

Gilbert said the challenging year hasn't dampened his enthusiasm for being a Brown.

"Not at all,'' he said. "It definitely sparked a flame inside of myself to want to prove a lot of people wrong and a lot of doubters. That's going to be one of my main goals next year.''

Does he want to be great?

"I will be great,'' he said.

Are his transgressions as bad as they're being made out to be?

"To some people it might be bad, to some people it may be not as bad,'' he said. "It depends on what type of person you are and how you view things.''

He said he has no idea where the rampant criticism is coming from.

"Maybe because I'm not a person that really just talks a lot and people don't really understand Justin Gilbert or I don't really let people get too close to me,'' he said. "Maybe people just aren't used to that.''

Do his teammates need to change their attitude about him?

"I don't know,'' he said. "We'll have to see. We'll see how things end up.''

He wouldn't say if it was one major incident that caused his teammates to speak out or a series of things. Last week, he was benched in favor of Pierre Desir, and Robert Nelson even took snaps ahead of him early on. Overall, he played only 22% of the snaps at Carolina.

"We can't really keep talking about it,'' he said. "If you want to know the details about that, you have to ask coach pettine.

He said he agreed with Johnny Manziel that the transition to the pros was more than he expected. He also said he learned that it's a business.

"You have to come to work each and every day to work hard and prepare like a professional athlete,'' he said.

Gilbert, who played only 373 snaps -- more than 700 fewer than cornerback Buster Skrine's 1,085 -- acknowledged that he was disappointed in how he started the season "but I think I came along as the season went on and I think I made some pretty good plays down the stretch that weren't really noticed or talked about like the plays that I didn't make that were talked about at the beginning of the season. It's just how things went I guess. I've just got to come back next season and turn it all around.''

Like Pettine, Browns defensive coordinator Jim O'Neil appreciated the veterans stepping up to challenge the rookie.

"They see the talent Justin has,'' said O'Neil. "Guys with great skillsets like Justin has, if he learns how to be a pro and he goes about it and attacks his job every day, which I'm sure he did to get to this point, could be a 10-, 12-, 15-year pro in this league; guys that don't end up two or three years and out of the league.

"They're trying to mold him into the player they know he can be. The coaches are trying to do that, as well. That's on Justin, whether he wants to be that 10-to-15-year guy or the two- to three-year guy. He's worked hard. There are just some other things that need to come along with it."

Despite being a prolific kick returner in college -- including a school-record six TDs -- special teams coach Chris Tabor didn't see fit to put him back there at this level.

"To be quite honest with you, I don't think that he's ready yet for that,'' said Tabor. "I think that's an area that he's working at in practice to improve that, to become a reliable at that position. Not saying that he can't do it, but at this time, he's just not ready to do it yet."

Pettine has said he sees much better things ahead for Gilbert in 2015.

"I support that 100%,'' said Gilbert.

Other notes include Mike Pettine's thoughts on his time with the Ravens and injury updates.

BEREA, Ohio – After his final practice, Jim Leonhard smiled as he delivered an ironic statement.

"This might be my best free-agent year -- the year I decide not to play," he said Friday afternoon.

While the Browns would love to see the safety return for an 11^th NFL season, Leonhard is sticking with his plan to retire. His parents will make the trip from Wisconsin to Baltimore to watch him play the Ravens on Sunday.

An undrafted free agent, the 5-foot-8, 188 pounder has started 72 of his 141 games for five franchises. He's had two interceptions in the past five weeks since starting for an injured Tashaun Gipson.

Mike Pettine, who's coached Leonhard six of the past seven seasons, knows the veteran is strongly leaning toward retirement, but believes he'll go home and make his final decision in the offseason.

"Of course, he thinks that, he has to think that way," Leonhard said. "But, no, it's not happening. I'm very happy with my decision and I'm looking forward to that next chapter . . .

"I definitely want to get out and travel a little bit with the family. Outside of that, head back to Madison (Wisc.) and figure it out. I had a lot of conversations with people and we'll see what happens, where this thing leads."

Leonhard said he expects Sunday to an emotional afternoon.

"But as of now, I'm just trying to approach it to get this team to 8-8 in year one would be huge," he said. "That's all I'm trying to do right now."

Transactions

The Browns waived linebacker Eric Martin and tight end Ryan Taylor.

Last hurrah?

Browns defensive lineman Ahtyba Rubin (ankle) might have played his final game with the franchise after seven seasons. He's been ruled out for Sunday's contest against the Ravens.

It's been a tough year for Rubin, who's been a productive player most of his career. The pending free agent recorded just 28 tackles, the fewest since his rookie season, and was hobbled by ankle problems through long stretches.  

"I'm just trying to get healthy right now," said Rubin, who had a walking boot on his left foot. "My main concern is get rehab in and let everything else take care of itself. We'll see how the cards lay."

Rubin said he wants to finish his career with the Browns.

"I see a lot of great things happening with this team and I just want to be on board when everything does happen," he said. "We have a lot of young guys I'm close to, so I would love to be here."

Quotable

Pettine on retaining philosophies he learned during his time coaching with the Ravens (2002-08):

"I think at the center of it all is Ozzie (Baltimore Ravens General Manager Ozzie Newsome). I just think that he's been that steadying force throughout that I think he's the biggest reason for their (success). You talk about success, but long-term sustained success, that's tough to do just because of the way the cap and the draft and the way you build teams and players attrition, that they've been able to keep their core guys together and then their ability to add to that roster.

"Then, you just look at their coaching staff (from former Ravens Head Coach Brian) Billick, it was a smooth transition to (Ravens Head Coach John) Harbaugh. I just think that they function well. Again, I was there for seven years. I was only there for John's first year, but it's easy to see why the success has continued."

Brownies

Center Ryan Seymour (hamstring) is out for Sunday's game. Nick McDonald likely will start . . . Receiver Andrew Hawkins (thumb) returned to practice Friday . . . Special teams coordinator Chris Tabor said Christian Yount will remain as long snapper for the final game.

Get live updates and analysis as cleveland.com's reporters bring you the latest on the game between the Cavs and Magic.

ORLANDO, Fla. -- The Cleveland Cavaliers will try to bounce back after their recent loss. The Cavs are in Orlando to play the Magic on Friday night.

Get live updates and analysis as cleveland.com's reporters bring you the latest on the game in the comments section below.

Make sure you're following Chris Fedor as well as Chris Haynes and Joe Vardon on Twitter.

Game 29: Cavs (17-11) vs. Magic (11-20)

Tip off: 7 p.m. at Amway Center

TV/radio: Fox Sports Ohio; WTAM AM/1100, WMMS 100.7 FM

Cavs probable starting lineup: Matthew Dellavedova, Mike Miller, LeBron James, Kevin Love and Tristan Thompson.

Magic probable starting lineup: Elfrid Payton, Victor Oladipo, Tobias Harris, Kyle O’Quinn and Nikola Vucevic.

FREQUENTLY REFRESH this page to get the latest updates. If you're viewing this on a mobile app, click here to get updates and comment.

Kyrie Irving will not play against the Orlando Magic due to a left knee bruise.

ORLANDO, Florida – After going through a pregame warmup to test his left knee, Cavaliers point guard Kyrie Irving signaled to team staff that he wouldn't play tonight against the Orlando Magic.

Irving reaggravated his left knee in last night's loss to the Miami Heat. It was the same knee he injured on Dec. 11 against the Oklahoma City Thunder. The team is calling it a left knee bruise.

Head coach David Blatt initially said during his pregame press conference that Irving and LeBron James (leg tightness) would go. That was before Irving's warmup, however.

Backup point guard Matthew Dellavedova will start in place of Irving.

We've also learned that Tristan Thompson will start at center to match up with Orlando's big man Nikola Vucevic. Shawn Marion started in last night's game.

Anderson Varejao has successful surgery to repair a torn Achilles, the team announces.

ORLANDO, Florida – The Cavaliers announced Friday that center Anderson Varejao had successful surgery at Cleveland Clinic to repair his ruptured left Achilles.

The Cavaliers anticipate him missing the remainder of the 2014-15 season. A timeline for a return date will be determined at a later date.

Dr. Brian Donley performed the operation with the assistance of the team's physician Dr. Richard Parker and Dr. James Rosneck.

Varejao sustained the season-ending injury in the third quarter of Tuesday win over the Minnesota Timberwolves. It was revealed the following day via an MRI that he tore his Achilles.

Varejao was averaging 9.8 points and 6.5 rebounds in 26 appearances. He signed a three-year, $10 million extension before the season.

New Orleans is prepping for the Sugar Bowl, but still waiting for the Ohio State and Alabama fans to show up.

NEW ORLEANS — Maybe I'm just early.

The second billboard I saw during my taxi ride from the Louis Armstrong International Airport in suburban New Orleans to the media hotel in downtown New Orleans was a promo for the Sugar Bowl with an Ohio State logo on the left and an Alabama logo on the right.

About three miles down the road: Another Sugar Bowl billboard, this one with the College Football Playoff logo.

This is a big deal. The first semifinal games of the first-ever College Football Playoff. No. 4 Ohio State vs. No 1. Alabama on News Year's Day. As if The Big Easy needed another reason to party.

I expected a raucous environment from the time I got to the hotel, instead I was greeted with workers still getting Sugar Bowl placards up around the reception area. The sliding automatic doors on the front of the hotel had Sugar Bowl logos on them, but that's about as festive as it got.

Walking down Convention Center Boulevard, I saw the street lined with banners that read "Allstate Sugar Bowl" and "Playoff Semifinal", but I didn't see anybody in Ohio State scarlet or Alabama crimson.

I must be early.

During a walk to the nearby French Quarter, I saw nothing — zilch — in the name of Buckeye and Tide faithful. I saw a fair amount of LSU clothing, and one man in head-to-toe Maryland gear who I can only assume was lost.

During an early dinner at Napoleon House on the corner of St. Louis and Chartres Streets (try the duck po-boy), I saw some Texans in town for the San Antonio Spurs' game against the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday night.

But again no "Go Bucks" or 'Roll Tide."

On the walk back to the hotel, I passed a sandwich shop called Johnny's Po-Boys that had Ohio State and Alabama pennants at the counter, but that was as rah-rah as it got. A store on the corner on Bienville Street was selling Ohio State and Alabama swag (including a bead necklace with elephants on it), but I didn't see anybody buying when I was in there.

I have to be early.

Then I got the confirmation. I am early.

A boisterous bouncer outside of the Coyote Ugly bar on North Peters Street was beckoning anyone he could into the bar. It was happy hour. Three-dollar beers. Not a bad deal in these parts from what I'm told.

I asked him, "Does it actually get crazy around here for the Sugar Bowl?"

"It's going to get wild," he said. I had to clean that up a bit because he used some colorful modifiers.

So there you have it. The Buckeyes and Crimson Tide arrive on Saturday. Then, it shall "get wild."

But I'm here now. Guess I'll go to the Pelicans game, too.

Here's our coverage of Ohio State from Friday, and Alabama coverage from our colleagues at AL.com:

Cleveland.com on the Buckeyes

Ohio State prospects fill rosters at Under Armour, U.S. Army All-American and Semper Fi games: Buckeyes recruiting

Is Urban Meyer already the best coach ever at Ohio State? -- Bill Livingston

Ohio State vs. Alabama daily breakdown: Why the Buckeyes will win the Sugar Bowl matchup (video)

13 comparisons between Ohio State, University of Alabama (slideshow)

Love Joey Bosa? See crazy highlights of his brother, Ohio State target Nick Bosa's junior season: Sugar Bowl Breakfast

AL.com on the Crimson Tide

Alabama's No. 1 defining moment 2014: Routine play becomes catalyst for turning-point win

Alabama's No. 2 defining moment 2014: Lane Kiffin hired as offensive coordinator

Jeff Manship made the Phillies opening day roster last season as a spring training invitee.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Indians have come to terms with right-hander Jeff Manship on a minor league deal with an invitation to big-league camp in February in Goodyear, Ariz.

The team has not officially announced the signing because Manship has to take a physical.

Manship, 30 in January, made the Phillies opening day roster last year as a spring-training invitee. He made 20 relief appearances, going 1-2 with a 6.65 ERA. Manship struck out 16, walked five and allowed 17 earned runs in 23 innings.

He was designated for assignment in July, cleared waivers and accepted his assignment to Class AAA Lehigh Valley. Manship made 10 appearances, including seven starts, in the minors.

Manship was a 14th round pick of the Twins in 2006 out of the University of Notre Dame. He's pitched in the big leagues with the Twins, Rockies and Phillies.

The right-hander's longest stay in the big leagues was in 2010 when he made 13 appearances for the Twins. He made three starts for the Rockies in 2013.

The Indians have invited 11 players to camp on minor league deals including pitchers Manship, Nick Maronde, Scott Downs, Bryan Price, Tyler Cloyd, Shaun Marcum and Dustin Molleken, catchers Brett Hayes and Adam Moore and outfielders Destin Hood and Jerry Sands.

Penalty-prone Tar Heels can't keep pace with Rutgers' ground attack Watch video

DETROIT -- Josh Hicks and the Rutgers Scarlet Knights capped their first season in the Big Ten with a dominating effort in the inaugural Quick Lane Bowl.

The freshman running back rushed for 202 yards and a touchdown and Rutgers beat North Carolina 40-21 on Friday night at Ford Field.

"This is a childhood dream come true," said Hicks, the MVP trophy sitting just above him in his locker. "It is just now hitting me what happened out there. Our O-line was just so good today -- they were opening lanes, and all I had to do was hit them.

Senior Gary Nova threw for 184 yards and two touchdowns, and freshman Robert Martin ran for 100 yards and two scores for the Scarlet Knights (8-5).

"I saw the predictions before the season, so I knew what the public perception of our team was, especially going into the Big Ten," Rutgers coach Kyle Flood said. "But I have always believed that this was going to be a competitive team that was going to play in the postseason, and we proved that all year."

Flood, the brother of a New York Police Department officer, wore an "NYPD" cap during the game, as did many of his assistant coaches and support personnel. Some Rutgers fans also wore them.

"We're here doing this, and my brother is going to two funerals in the next couple days," said Flood, who has several other relatives who have worked for the department. "I wanted to show our program's support for them, because that's a very special relationship for us."

Owned and operated by the NFL's Detroit Lions, the bowl replaced the Little Caesar's Pizza Bowl, which had been played in Detroit under various names since 1997. The new bowl was hoped to make a bigger impact with a Big Ten vs. ACC matchup, but drew a disappointing crowd. The announced attendance was 23,876 -- smaller than all but one Pizza Bowl -- and the actual crowd appeared to be less than half of that

"We knew this was going to be a challenge," said Tom Lewand, president of both the Lions and the bowl. "When you partner with the Big Ten and the ACC, you know you will get some geographic diversity, and we knew there would be travel challenges for supporters around the holidays."

Rutgers led 40-7 before the Tar Heels (6-7) scored twice in the final 7 minutes. North Carolina also had two second-half touchdown passes taken away because of interference penalties.

"The game of football is pretty simple," Tar Heels coach Larry Fedora said. "If you give away the ball on offense, don't force any turnovers on defense and make multiple game-changing mistakes on special teams, you aren't going to win football games."

North Carolina quarterback Marquise Williams was never able to get going, although he did throw for one score and run for another.

"They did exactly what we expected them to do in every phase of the game," Fedora said. "We just didn't stop them."

The Scarlet Knights lost the coin toss, but got the ball when North Carolina deferred. They only needed 2:17 to take the lead, with Nova hitting a wide-open Andre Patton for a 34-yard touchdown strike.

North Carolina got into Rutgers' territory its first two drives, but turned the ball over on the first and punted on the second. The Tar Heels blocking a punt to take over at the 30, but the drive stalled at the 5 and a fake field goal was buried for a 4-yard loss.

The Scarlet Knights answered with a 91-yard drive that ended with Hicks' 21-yard run that made it 14-0 early in the second. Rutgers then turned another Tar Heels fumble into a quick touchdown -- Martin's 8-yard run -- but missed the extra point, leaving it 20-0.

The Tar Heels missed a field goal, then shanked a punt 20 yards, allowing Rutgers to kick a 19-yard field goal that made it 23-0 at halftime.

Williams got North Carolina on the board with a 1-yard run, but the Scarlet Knights came back with a 34-yard pass from Nova to Andrew Turzilli to make it 30-7. Martin's second touchdown run -- this one from 28 yards -- gave Rutgers a 30-point advantage early in the fourth.

The Rochester Americans scored twice in the last four minutes to hold off the Lake Erie Monsters, 4-1.

ROCHESTER, New York -- The Rochester Americans broke open a close game with two goals in the final four minutes here Friday and defeated the Lake Erie Monsters, 4-1.

Monsters defenseman Stefan Elliot scored his eighth goal of the season on a power play at 19:32 of the second period to cut the Rochester lead to 2-1.

But Rochester winger Brayden Irwin scored on a power play at 16:12 of the final period, then Joel Armia tacked on an empty-net goal at 17:46 to put it away.

Roman Will stopped 22 of 25 shots in taking the loss. Rochester goalie Andrey Makarov stopped 32 of 33 shots.

The Monsters had a 27-14 edge in shots after two periods, including a 12-3 advantage in the second period. But the Americans had a 12-6 advantage in the third period, helped in part by four penalties against Lake Erie.

Tomas Vincour and Borna Rendulic assisted on Elliot's goal. Rochester center Phil Varone had a goal and two assists, and Americans center Mikhail Grigorenko had three assists.

The Monsters fall to 13-11-2-3 and Rochester improves to 12-18-1-0, winning for just the third time in the last 11 games. It was the first meeting of the season for the former division rivals.

The Monsters play at Utica on Saturday at 7, then end their three-game trip on Tuesday at Milwaukee. They return home to host Oklahoma City on Jan. 2-3.

Check out box scores and highlights from around the area for high school hockey and swimming for December 26, 2014.

Check out box scores and highlights from around the area for high school hockey and swimming for December 26, 2014.

The Cleveland Cavaliers wrapped up their two-game road trip through Florida with a win against the Orlando Magic, 98-89, on Friday night.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cleveland Cavaliers wrapped up their two-game road trip through Florida with a win against the Orlando Magic, 98-89, on Friday night.

Playing without Kyrie Irving, who felt discomfort in his bruised knee during shootaround, and Anderson Varejao, who had surgery earlier in the day on a torn Achilles, the Cavs clamped down in the fourth quarter for a much-needed come-from-behind win.

LeBron James led the way. He scored a game-high 29 points on 10-of-20 from the field. Kevin Love scored 22 points despite not playing in the fourth quarter because of a coach's decision. Dion Waiters added 17 points off the bench.

Not every game is going to look pretty. The Cavs have still had plenty of head-scratching moments, and will likely continue to. That's life in the NBA. They will certainly take the win against Orlando, especially on the road, but playing with consistency needs to happen for the Cavs to finally look like a legitimate title contender.

Here are five observations following a win against Orlando:

Going small – In the final quarter, one where the Cavs held the Magic to 14 points, David Blatt downsized.

The lineup featured Matthew Dellavedova, James, Waiters, Mike Miller and Tristan Thompson. The only other player that saw court time was Shawn Marion. Love didn't play a minute in the final quarter.

While it worked out great for the Cavs, and the better play defensively might not have been a coincidence, it was still a shocking development.

The Cavs paid a steep price to acquire Love in the off-season and are asking him to play an enormous role in a season that the team hopes ends in a championship. Yet he can't even get off the bench in the fourth quarter because Blatt felt Miller or Thompson were better options against the Magic? Because Love didn't work with the matchups on the court? Against Orlando?

To Love's credit, he recognized the situation, didn't complain and told Blatt to keep him on the bench. He even clapped, slapped hands with players and led the cheers. It's what a pro does. It's what sacrifice is all about.

And Blatt is a coach that often operates on feel. It's not the first time he has done it, and it likely won't be the last.

Still, it's hardly what the Cavs were expecting when they traded for Love in the summer. It's a problem when the Cavs play better without one of their most important players. 

Kevin Love DNP in 4th quarter of Cavaliers win over Magic. Magic shot 57% with Love on floor (70% in paint), 35% with him on bench

— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) December 27, 2014

Getting defensive – Orlando had its way early in the game against the Cavs' defense. The Magic scored 32 points and shot better than 70 percent from the field. But that changed in the second half.

For the second straight game the Cavs defense stiffened after halftime. On Thursday, Cleveland held Miami to 39 points in a loss. On Friday, the Magic scored just 36 points in the final 24 minutes, including 39 percent from the field.

Orlando got a lot of easy baskets in the first half that turned into contested shots at the rim in the second half. The Magic also went cold from behind the three-point line and turned the ball over 17 times, which the Cavs turned into 22 points. The Cavs continue to show flashes on the defensive end, but still aren't where they need to be. The good news: It's still December.

Breaking chill mode – James scored 14 points through three quarters against Orlando. He also had three turnovers in the first quarter. It was a sluggish start and James seemed to be feeling the effects of Irving missing and playing the second game of a back-to-back on the road. He mentioned being in chill mode.

LeBron admitted Tobias Harris talking trash fired him up: "I was actually in chill mode tonight. But chill mode was deactivated after that."

— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) December 27, 2014

Then came an explosive, vintage fourth quarter. James' eruption came just a few minutes after an elbow from Tobias Harris and too much smack talk.

With Irving sidelined and Love playing cheerleader, James tossed the team on his shoulders and carried them to victory. He scored 15 points, including an incredible three-point play late in the fourth quarter.

James has talked this season about feeling out the game and taking what the defense gives him. He understood the moment and turned on his offense when it was most needed. But chill mode? On a night when the Cavs needed someone to pick up the offensive slack?

James' words and actions are often well thought out. But I can't fathom why he would admit being in chill mode until Harris helped wake him up. 

Opportunity knocks – Varejao will miss the remainder of the season, and it's a devastating blow to the Cavs. Some feel Varejao is overpaid, has taken a few steps back and too much of the offense was being run through him. It's tough to argue against those things. But none of them change Varejao's importance to the Cavs, who were already thin in the frontcourt.

It was well reported that Cleveland had already been searching for a rim protector before Varejao's injury. The Cavs called Memphis, Boston and others. This injury only increases the need, as Varejao was the kind of player the Cavs couldn't afford to lose.

In the first game without Wild Thing, the Cavs were outrebounded, 43-37, and outscored in the paint, 44-28. Thompson played 26 minutes, scored six points and grabbed nine rebounds.

Varejao's injury gives Thompson an opportunity to step up, which he did against Orlando. Playing against the bigger and more physical Nikola Vucevic, Thompson didn't back down.

He scored nine points, but it was his effort on the glass that impressed. He outrebounded Vucevic, 13-8, and Thompson had six offensive rebounds, one more than the Magic had as a team.

With the Cavs struggling on offense, shooting 41 percent, they needed the second-chance points. Thompson also fought Vucevic in the post, keeping the Cavs from needing to double the big 7-footer.

Thompson will likely be the team's starting center moving forward, Now they have to find someone reliable to come off the bench, the role he played before Varejao's injury. 

Delly treys – Matthew Dellavedova took seven shots on Friday night, and they all came from beyond the arc. He made two of them.

In the fourth quarter the Magic started to leave him open repeatedly, daring him to shoot. Dellavedova gets minutes because of his toughness, grit and defense. His effort is admirable. But if he wants to continue to have a role then he will need to knock down outside shots more consistently, especially as he plays the role of undersized shooting guard at times.

A 33 percent mark from three-point range will lead to James, Irving and Love getting more double teams and attention. Delly will be the player the opposing team continues to leave open. 

The Cavs helped hold the Magic to 5-of-21 shooting in the fourth quarter en route to a 98-89 victory in Orlando, Fla.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cavaliers defeated the Magic, 98-89, Friday night at Amway Center in Orlando, Fla. Here is a capsule look from The Plain Dealer reporter Dennis Manoloff:

Very impressive: The Cavs (18-11) needed to work hard against the inferior Magic (11-21), and the game occurred in late December. But make no mistake: This was a quality victory deserving of praise.

The Cavs, coming off a loss at Miami the previous night, rallied from a nine-point third-quarter deficit. They did so without two starters and by playing strong defense when it counted.

In a game that required them to ditch style points for grit and determination, the Cavs met the challenge.  

Shorthanded visitors: Cavs point guard Kyrie Irving missed his first game of the season. He suffered a left-knee contusion late in the fourth quarter against Miami. He is averaging 20.2 points and 5.3 assists.

The Cavs also were without center Anderson Varejao, who is done for the season because of a torn left Achilles. Varejao underwent surgery Friday.

Against the Magic, Matthew Dellavedova started at point guard and Tristan Thompson started for Varejao for the second straight game.

Turning point: The Magic -- specifically, guard Elfrid Payton -- attempted to clown the Cavs in the third quarter. It backfired, and the Magic never were the same.

With 2:23 left in the quarter, Orlando led, 74-65. Payton intercepted Kevin Love's pass. As the leader of a three-on-two break, Payton had the opportunity to routinely push his team's advantage to 11. Instead, he got too cute with a drop-off pass  intended for Tobias Harris. The ball ended up in the hands of Cavs guard Mike Miller, who fired long to Dion Waiters for a layup.

Waiters' points were the first two of a 6-0 run. The Magic scored the final point of the third to lead, 75-71.

Fox Sports Ohio play-by-play voice Fred McLeod said of Payton's pass: "It's amazing how the basketball gods work when you make a silly play, and then you pay for it at the other end.''

Sandbagger: The Cavs rode LeBron James to victory. LeBron received help, no question, but the Cavs absolutely needed a big-time performance from their best player.

For a while, it didn't look promising. LeBron, coming off an emotionally and physically draining game Thursday, underwhelmed for three quarters. He seemed to have trouble getting the left leg loose. He scored 14 points and contributed in other areas, but the level of play was nowhere near his standard.

Then the fourth quarter happened. LeBron entered for Shawn Marion with 9:33 remaining, LeBron was all business, and the Cavs snuck out of Amway Center with the goodies.

LeBron scored 15 in the fourth. The barrage included two conventional three-point plays, the second of which gave the Cavs a 95-89 lead with 40 seconds left. LeBron secured the game's final three points on free throws.

Fox Sports Ohio analyst Austin Carr said of LeBron: "He let his engine just rev up, rev up, rev up...and then, in the fourth quarter, he took over and things went the Cavaliers' way.''

LeBron finished 10-of-20 from the field and 9-of-11 from the line in 37 minutes. He had eight assists, five rebounds, two blocks, two steals, four turnovers and one technical.

Whatever, Tobias: LeBron's technical occurred when Harris did not appreciate the King getting up close and personal with him during a Magic possession. Tobias controlled the ball and bumped LeBron, the two jawed at each other, and both were assessed technicals.

Harris fancied himself as a LeBron stopper throughout the night. As is typically the case with players who try to rattle the King, it didn't work out well for him and his team.

Blatt's decision pays off: Cavs coach David Blatt earned an assist for sticking with a lineup in the fourth quarter that did not include Love.

When LeBron subbed in for Marion, the Cavs trailed, 78-75. The other Cavs on the floor were Thompson, Miller, Waiters and Dellavedova. Those five performed well enough that Blatt stayed with them until the outcome had been decided.

Whereas some coaches automatically would have put Love back in at some point in the fourth, Blatt, in his first season as an NBA head coach, opted to ride the hot collective. 

(Love, despite playing just 33 minutes, notched the game's second-highest point total -- 22 -- and grabbed seven rebounds. He excelled once again in the first quarter, scoring 13.)

Operation shutdown: The Cavs struggled defensively in the first quarter as the Magic shot 13-of-18 from the field and led, 32-27.

However, instead of continuing to have issues at that end, the Cavs got better and better. They held Orlando to 21 points in the second quarter, 22 in the third and 14 in the fourth. In quarters two and three, the Magic shot a combined 18-of-34. In the fourth quarter, they were 5-of-21.

Among the keys to Cleveland's success: Attacking Orlando's pick-and-roll. Pick-and-roll defense has been a problem all season (and in previous seasons) for the Cavs, but they paid attention to detail and gave extra effort when it mattered most Friday.

Prime-time performer: The leader of the Cavs' defensive pressure was Waiters, who used his quickness and court awareness to frustrate any Magic players in his peripheral vision. Waiters, who played 33 minutes, also made an impact offensively: He accounted for 17 of Cleveland's 21 bench points.