Cleveland State rallies down the stretch to get past Wright State, 55-50.

FAIRBORN, Ohio -- Andre Yates made only one bucket, but it was a go-ahead 3-pointer late, sparking Cleveland State past Wright State, 55-50, in a Horizon League men's basketball game on Wednesday night.

Michael Karena scored four points and Joe Thomasson made two free throws to give Wright State its largest lead, 49-44 with 6:43 to play. Cleveland State pulled within 49-48 on Marlin Mason's layup with 4:07 remaining.

The Raiders shot 1 of 4 from the line, and then were in man-to-man defense and left Yates wide open for his key 3-pointer with 1:19 left. Trey Lewis converted a three-point play, and Charlie Lee a free throw to ice it.

Anton Grady led Cleveland State (10-9, 4-1 Horizon League) with 16 points and 10 rebounds. Mason scored 14 points and Lewis 13. Lee dished out six assists.

Karena scored 18 points to lead Wright State (10-8, 2-2), which shot 15 of 24 for 62.5 percent from the line.

Kent State turns back Eastern Michigan to improved to 2-1 in MAC play.

KENT, Ohio -- The Mid-American Conference tournament is two months away but Kent State's recent conference games have all had a theme that could return in March.

"Coach always says that there's not going to be too many games where someone gets blown out," said KSU guard Derek Jackson. "It's going to be a dog fight in mostly every [conference] game. We have to continue to win these dog fights, so it will prepare us for the MAC Tournament."

Jackson may not have been in tournament mode, but his late 3-pointer that he followed with a forced turnover helped lead Kent State over Eastern Michigan, 65-59, on Wednesday night at the M.A.C. Center.

KSU (11-5 overall, 2-1 in the MAC) overcame a 16-point first-half deficit with a huge rally early in the second half to move past the Eagles (11-5, 0-3).

"It was a great second half and a great team win," said KSU coach Rob Senderoff. "I'm proud of how we came out and defended. Derek's three was a huge one. If he didn't make it, it could've been a different game."

It was different for forward Chris Ortiz, who scored a career-high 19 points. Ortiz made his fourth start this season.

"I was just trying to stay confident and it was good to have my coach and team behind me," Ortiz said. "I was just being aggressive and finishing at the rim. I just have to keep doing that."

Ortiz's offensive hustle helped generate the second-half rally. Jackson ignited KSU's offensive effort with a steal and layup that started a 14-3 run that Jimmy Hall ended with a layup for a 43-40 lead.

KSU made six of its first seven shots to start the second half and led by nine with 4:55 left. But this is a conference game, and the Eagles, who lost two MAC games in overtime, fought back and trailed by one with 1:19 left.

Enter Jackson. He nailed a 3-pointer for a 60-56 lead with 49 seconds left.

"I just took it with confidence," said Jackson, about the shot. "I was working on that shot before the game. I knew I would have those type of shots because they play zone. I knocked it down."

Jackson, who finished with 14 points, stepped up on the following play when he forced EMU's Mike Talley to lose the ball. KSU finished the game at the line.

"This shows that we're a tough team," said Ortiz, about the comeback. "We're learning. There's been plenty of games where we've been down and we didn't get back into it. Guys are having more trust in each other. We're building a stronger bond each day."

The victory moves Senderoff into seventh all-time in career wins at KSU with 69.

KSU hosts Ohio on Saturday at 7 p.m.
 

Rock River's girls basketball team struggles from the field, falls to Elyria Catholic.

Rock River's girls basketball team struggles from the field, falls to Elyria Catholic.

Bill and Ari continue their extended return back to Ohio through Texas and football hotbeds in the south.

GARLAND, Texas — So we're sticking with Bill and Ari's Excellent Adventure, an outdated movie reference, but a fitting description for the trip Ari and I currently taking through Texas and the South.

The goal is simple: Find out if Ohio State's national championship changes the way the Buckeyes are perceived in some of the nation's football hotbeds. But it's not all about recruiting. We're doing some other cool reporting along the way.

On Wednesday, Ari and I spent a good portion of the day in Ohio State quarterback J.T. Barrett's hometown of Wichita Falls, Texas. Look out later this morning for my story on how that town molded Barrett, and Ari's story on Barrett's injury being a bit of a repeat misfortune. Plus plenty more from our stop in Wichita Falls.

The plan for Thursday is to hit a couple stops in the Dallas area for a check-ins on some potential recruits, then we're taking a look back at one of Ohio State's current playmakers. 

We'll be using Buckeye Breakfast during the trip to keep you updated on where we're heading and what stories we have coming down the road.

Thanks for following along, and be sure to check out our Ohio State coverage from Wednesday:

Ohio State's Urban Meyer to appear on Late Show with David Letterman

Ohio State officially announces National Championship celebration, free for fans

Ohio State QB Cardale Jones is the king of Buckeye nation, yet it might be time for the NFL

J.T. Barrett expects all three QBs to return to Ohio State, would never consider leaving Buckeyes

Ohio State officially names Ed Warinner play caller, adds former Nebraska assistant Tim Beck as quarterbacks coach

Born to be a Longhorn - How Ohio State stole '15 SG Austin Grandstaff from Texas: Buckeyes recruiting

The Indians, as they do with most players who sign multiyear deals, have insurance on Nick Swisher. Last season Swisher underwent surgery on both his knees on Aug. 20.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Do you have a question that you'd like to have answered in Hey, Hoynsie? Submit it here.

Hey, Hoynsie: If the condition of Nick Swisher's knee(s) prevent him from playing in 2015 or anytime in the future, do the Indians have an insurance policy that would reimburse them for all or part of his salary? – Chad Madden, Jamestown, N.Y.

Hey, Chris: The Indians do have insurance on Swisher, which will protect them if he is unable to play regularly over the life of his contract. I'm not sure what the range of their protection is.

However, the Indians feel Swisher is making progress from his knee surgeries. He was cleared last week to start running after getting his knees checked in Los Angeles. Still, of all the injured Indians, he represents the biggest unknown.

The big question to me is will Swisher be able to play in the field, either at first base or right field? There are some with the organization, including Swisher, who feel the outfield would put less strain on his knees than first base. At this point, you have to figure Swisher will be the Tribe's primary DH depending on what he can and can't do in spring training.

Hey, Hoynsie: Did you get an apology, I hope, from Mike Greenberg after he blasted you on the Mike and Mike show for reading your column stating that you wouldn't have voted for Pedro Martinez for the Hall of Fame? I guess he didn't read far enough in the column to see that you later wrote that you would have voted for him after all -- despite your personal feelings -- if you hadn't lost your ballot. – John Barns, Canton. 

Hey, John: Didn't get one, didn't need one. In fact, I missed the whole thing. But I'll tell you what, next year I'm going to tape that ballot to my forehead.

Hey, Hoynsie: A reader asked why the Indians have poor attendance. You stated your reasons and ended by saying that Cleveland isn't that good of a baseball town. There are growing cities that might support an MLB team, e.g., San Antonio, Nashville, Charlotte and perhaps Portland.

Assuming a city had a proper stadium, what do you think the chances are for the Indians leaving Cleveland when their Progressive lease expires? – Ken White, Chicago.

Hey, Ken: The reasons I listed for the Indians' poor attendance weren't strictly mine. As I stated, they are the ones you most commonly hear from fans. The Tribe's lease with Gateway runs through 2023. After that the Indians have four five-year renewal packages to extend the lease.

Nothing is forever, but I think it would be extremely hard to move the Indians, one of the charter members of the American League, out of Cleveland.

Hey, Hoynsie: I was very happy that the sale of the Indians to the Dolans assured us of the Tribe remaining in Cleveland. It often seems, however, that the Indians are not a plaything to them, not a way to stroke their ego or announce their community responsibility, but that they use reasonable financial prudence because they actually make their living from the team. What do you think? – Frank Bruno, Westlake.

Hey, Frank: I don't think there are many owners in the major professional sports whose sole revenue comes from the team. The last guy to do that in Cleveland was Art Modell and that didn't end well.

Larry Dolan tried to buy the Browns and Cincinnati Reds before paying $323 million for the Indians. In fact, he actually owned the Reds for about 10 days before the Reds pulled out of the deal. So it appears Dolan was doing quite well before becoming a big-league owner. 

Of course, that doesn't mean the Indians can spend like the Dodgers, Red Sox and the Yankees. When you talk about being financially prudent in that regard, I agree with you.

Former Tribe GM John Hart tells this story about the late Dick Jacobs, who sold the Indians to Dolan.

"Dick had an office overlooking Lake Erie," said Hart. "One day he told me to look out on the lake and said, 'John, if you lined up every big-league owner on the shore and we all walked into the water at the same time, my hat is going to start floating sooner than just about anybody else's."

It was Jacobs telling Hart, "Yes, I can afford a big office with a view of the lake, but there are limits to the Tribe's payroll."

I think Paul Dolan, now owner, chairman and chief executive officer of the Indians, probably has that same view of Lake Erie.

Hey, Hoynsie: The Tribe is deep in starting pitching. Corey Kluber, Trevor Bauer, Carlos Carrasco and Gavin Floyd are "penciled in" for the upcoming season with Danny Salazar, T.J. House, Zack McAllister and Josh Tomlin competing for the fifth spot.

Would you think Carrasco could go in a trade that includes the Tribe getting a premium right-handed hitter? I keep looking at Boston, but it would take a "Carrasco" to pull it off. His trade value might be at a maximum right now. – Robert Reeves, Waterford, Mich.

Hey, Robert: You make a good point about Carrasco's trade value, but when I look at the Red Sox, if they're going to add another starter, it has to be a James Shields, Max Scherzer or Cole Hamels. They have a rotation full of guys like Carrasco in Clay Buchholz, Rick Porcello, Wade Miley, Justin Masterson and Joe Kelly. They need an ace.

I get the impression that the Indians aren't going to trade starting pitching. Floyd, to me, is still a question mark. He's had two serious elbow injuries in the last two years.

Other than the drama at quarterback, no position produced as much attention and controversy as the pass catchers.

BEREA, Ohio – Four rookie wideouts finished among the NFL's top 25 in receiving yards this season.

The Browns, with two first-round picks, could have chosen any of them. Even after trading back with the Bills and acquiring Buffalo's first-round pick in 2015, the Browns could have selected Odell Beckham Jr. or Kelvin Benjamin.

Instead, the club did not take a receiver in the entire draft despite the knowledge All-Pro Josh Gordon was facing a potential season-long ban for another failed drug test.

"I would tell the fans that are in panic mode because we didn't draft a wide receiver that patience really tells the tale," Browns General Manager Ray Farmer said after the draft. "Like I said, there's plenty of opportunity for us to address what everyone would believe is a need, but in our opinion, again, there's plenty of opportunity to add players, to change the roster and really make a difference."

Other than the drama at quarterback, no position produced as much attention and controversy as the pass catchers. While Beckham, Mike Evans, Benjamin and Watkins flourished, the Browns (7-9) received legitimate production from an unheralded corps right up until Gordon returned. Through nine games, the Browns led the NFL in yards per catch (13.7) and had the fewest dropped balls (six).

In what became the ultimate irony on the wideout front, the passing game regressed not long after Gordon came back from a 10-game suspension. Following a dazzling season debut in Atlanta (Nov. 23), he never seemed on the same page with quarterbacks and coaches and didn't act like he wanted to be here. The Browns suspended him the last game for missing a team walk-thru, a move that affects his contract and when he's eligible for free agency.

Adding to the late-season misery was the progress of Charles Johnson, the receiver the Vikings plucked from the Browns practice squad Sept. 20. The 6-foot-2 wideout finished with 31 catches for 475 yards and two touchdowns in 12 games for Minnesota.

The Browns have some serious decisions to make in the off-season regarding Gordon and the free-agent status of tight end Jordan Cameron. Although Gordon remains under contract – whether it's for one or two seasons might be for an arbiter to decide – the team is likely trying to determine if there's a market for him. It wouldn't be surprising if neither Gordon nor Cameron were here for the start of training camp.

The Browns have two first-round picks again this season. What's the odds of one of them going toward a receiver?

Primary contributors

Josh Gordon: The former All Pro seemed to check out not long after he checked back in with the Browns. He hardly resembled the motivated player who led the NFL in receiving yards in 2013. He didn't crack 50 yards in any of his last three games. ProFootballFocus ranked him the league's 37th best receiver and gave him a rating of 2.1. The NFL leader was Antonio Brown with a 23.4 rating, according to PFF.

Andrew Hawkins: "Hawk" proved an excellent acquisition for Farmer. He led team in catches (63) and yards (824) and was a good role model for rookie Taylor Gabriel and other young receivers. His 11.5 PFF rating was the league's 11th best.

Miles Austin: The veteran was a reliable target for Brian Hoyer and made plenty of clutch catches before suffering a season-ending kidney injury Nov. 30. He's a free agent and if the price is right, the Browns might be willing to retain him. He finished with a 1.1 PFF rating.

Taylor Gabriel: The small-college dynamo was one of Farmer's best finds alongside defensive back K'Waun Williams. The diminutive and speedy wideout caught 36 passes for 621 yards and a stellar 17.3 yard average. He had a 6.9 PFF rating.

Travis Benjamin: The Rabbit was almost as dependable a receiver as he was unreliable as a punt returner. He caught several huge passes, including a pair of TDs against the Titans, after returning from ACL surgery in 2013. He finished with 18 receptions and was the odd-man out upon Gordon's return. He had a -0.8 PFF rating, ranking him 104th in a field of 218 receivers.

Jordan Cameron: It wasn't a lost season for the former Pro Bowler, but it came close. A shoulder injury and a concussion helped limit Cameron to 24 catches and 424 yards in 10 games a year after grabbing 80 balls for 917 yards. He recorded a -10.2 PFF rating, ranking him 126th among 137 tight ends. It's a tough way to head into free agency.

Jim Dray: The no-frills tight end partnered with Gary Barnidge to help replace Cameron for six games. He caught 17 passes for 242 yards. He posted a -6.5 PFF rating.

Gary Barnidge: The tight end made just 13 catches, but every one of them seemed like they were crucial. His fourth-down grab over the middle in Week 2 helped the Browns upset the Saints. He logged an 0.3 PFF rating.

Browns top unrestricted free agents: TE Jordan Cameron, WR Miles Austin.

Top potential free agents: WR Dez Bryant (Cowboys), WR Demaryius Thomas (Broncos), TE Julius Thomas (Broncos), WR Randall Cobb (Packers), WR Michael Crabtree (49ers), WR Jeremy Maclin (Eagles), TE Charles Clay (Dolphins), TE Jermaine Gresham (Bengals).

Top draft prospects: WR Amari Cooper (Alabama), WR DeVante Parker (Louisville), WR Kevin White (West Virginia), TE Maxx Williams (Minnesota), TE Clive Walford (Miami).

This marks the seventh installment of a position-by-position breakdown of the Browns' season. Coming Friday: Special teams.

Previously

Defensive line

Linebackers

Secondary

Running backs

Quarterbacks

Offensive line

LeBron James is back and looks healthy, but the Cavs still have more ills that need to be cured.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Tuesday night return of LeBron James to the Cavaliers' lineup told us a few things:

1. James was indeed hurt early in the season. The back was sore. The knees were grumpy and painful. His athleticism was diminished. In Phoenix, we saw a reverse dunk where he seemed to leap so high -- his head appeared close to the 24-second clock. We saw a thunderous soaring dunk down the lane. We saw James looking more like ... well ... LeBron James.

2. The eight games that he missed composed the longest stretch of inactivity in his 12-year NBA career. That attests to his durability. It also shows that when James says he's hurt, he's hurt. And finally, coach David Blatt has to cut down on the minutes for his star.

3. Even James scoring 33 points on 18 field goal attempts -- along with delivering seven rebounds and five assists -- was not enough for the Cavs to win at Phoenix. The final score was 107-100. For much of the game, the problem was lousy defense.

4. The Cavs have chemistry issues, coaching issues along with issues on defense and offense. Even James is not big enough to put bandages to stop the bleeding from the various wounds.

5. There is no excuse for the Cavs to have a record of 1-8 in the nine games missed by James. None. And that may be the thing that disappoints the most about Blatt. He should be a good enough coach to find a way to win a few of those with a roster that still had Kyrie Irving, Kevin Love and Tristan Thompson for starters. The average margin of defeat in those eight games was 13 points!

6. If the Cavs are going to be a factor in the regular season and the playoffs, they need to find a way to be respectable without James. There may be games where he has to rest. And every night he does play, the Cavs need to watch his minutes. The Cavs were plus-4  with James on the court in Phoenix. When he sat, they were minus-11.

7. James needs to stay more engaged as he was Tuesday night. He had fire. He took his anger out on his opponents and the officials. We didn't see a lot of the bad body language and walking back on defense present early in the season. Maybe some of that was frustration due to his injuries. No matter, the young players watch LeBron, and they will follow his lead. James has to know that and act accordingly.

THE SHOVE

So much attention has been paid to the coach and superstar -- the latest being "The Shove."

I actually thought that was a decent sign, because Blatt and James were BOTH screaming at the official. They were unified on that, and James didn't want his coach to get a technical. James shoved the coach out of the way, and took up the argument.

Here's the painful part: James probably receives more attention from some officials than Blatt. The reason? He been in the league for 11 more years, and some officials pay more attention to stars. It's amazing how much James can say and not receive a technical.

I know it looked bad, but it did seem James was sticking up for his coach. I don't suggest he do it again, but please don't turn this into some type of defining moment.

LeBron James and Coach David Blatt argue with the referee.AP 

THE ROSTER

In the last few weeks, the Cavs have done a lot to help Blatt. General Manager David Griffin gave a strong message about how the team's problems were not the coach, but the roster. He did it in words on Jan. 4.

Then Griffin backed up those words with a pair of trades. He turned Dion Waiters and a future first-round pick from Memphis into Timofey Mozgov, J.R. Smith and Iman Shumpert. Griffin correctly realized his team was weak defensively. It needed more height and athleticism.

Griffin has long wanted Mozgov, as I detailed last Sunday. Mozgov played for the Russian National team coached by Blatt. The Cavs needed a bullish 7-foot-1 center.

When Shumpert (dislocated shoulder) finally is healthy, he should help on defense against shooting guards. In the short run, J.R. Smith and his long-range shooting may be a real asset, even though he is so streaky on and off the court.

The roster has been upgraded, but it will take a while for the pieces to begin to fit together.

LOTS OF CHANGES

I have been a Blatt supporter since he was hired.

As I wrote a few weeks ago, Blatt actually was hired to coach a much different team, a younger team. He joined the Cavs a week before the draft, and the expectation was that he would try to teach the pro game to Kyrie Irving, Andrew Wiggins (yes, they wanted him long before the draft), Anthony Bennett, Waiters and the rest.

The team would add in a few veterans.

The possibility of the return of James did not seem likely when Blatt was hired on June 20. He probably would have been a good coach with that roster as they would grow together.

With James and so many other veterans, this is a very, very difficult team to lead. It's even harder for a 55-year-old coaching lifer from Europe who doesn't have the respect of this older roster. They don't know him, and he also doesn't know the league and the personalities/capabilities of his players.

Forget time to grow together, the moment James announced his return to the Cavs on July 10 -- everything changed. When Wiggins, Bennett and a first-rounder were traded for Kevin Love, it was all about winning now.

The Cavs have players who were with seven teams last season. Only four were on the Cleveland roster a year ago -- Matthew Dellavedova, Tristan Thompson, Anderson Varejao and Irving. Furthermore, Varejao is out for the season with an Achilles injury.

I doubt any coach would be able to assemble all these parts into a big winner quickly, especially with James missing nine games to injuries.

But I'm shocked the Cavs have played this poorly in the last three weeks.

SLUMPING AND SCAPEGOATING

The Cavs were 17-10 when they took the court in Miami on Christmas Day. Since then, they have lost 10 of 12. They are now 19-20 as they approach mid-season. So many of the losses were blowouts -- six by at least 14 points.

Consider the following:

1. They lost by three in Philadelphia, a game where they had a 17-point lead against the NBA's worst team.

2. They lost by 25 at home to Detroit, a game where they were up by 15.

3. They looked nearly comatose in the 19-point loss at Sacramento Sunday.

There's more, but I'll just stop.

I sense that part of the problem is that some of the Cavs want to blame Blatt for all their troubles -- and they aren't holding themselves accountable. Scapegoating is a favorite activity for too many NBA players.

It's common for players to have people tell them, "The coach doesn't use you right." And it's easier to believe that's right than look at your own performance.

But the coach has been unable to keep the Cavs competitive in some of these games. It seems his unfamiliarity with the league and the players has hurt him. In Europe, he was known for his ability to throw together a roster and quickly figure out the best combinations for that particular night.

Of course, the 40-minute international game was his home court and he was a big coaching name in those circles.

He made a rookie mistake in his "max contract" comment on Love. Never, ever comment on a player's contract except when he signs a new one to stay with your team, and you say, "I'm glad he's coming back."

But that's a minor issue. The bigger point is how Blatt has failed to come up with any of sort substitution patterns that work.

And it's clear that some players have been on losing teams for so long, they are clueless about what it takes to win -- like defense. At some point, they need to look at themselves and say, "It's not all the fault of the coach."

NO DEFENSE FOR THIS

The team has massive defensive breakdowns most nights. I expected some of that, because Love, Irving, Mike Miller and others are not good defenders. But they rank 29th in defensive field goal percentage -- only Minnesota is worse.

When Love was on the court in Phoenix, the Cavs were outscored by 20 points. His defense was deplorable. That's why he has sat out at least two games in the fourth quarter.

In the loss to the Suns, the Cavs rallied in the fourth quarter with Shawn Marion and James Jones playing the forward next to James. No defensive wizard, Jones had a plus-6. And Marion (like James) was plus-4 when on the court. At least they were active.

If the Cavs rise to the level of defensive mediocrity -- like 20th in opposing field goal percentage -- they'd be in position to win far more games.

WHAT'S THE IDENTITY?

I thought the Cavs would score a ton of points -- something that hasn't happened. The Cavs rank 17th in scoring -- 99.8 per game. That's dreadful on a team with James, Irving and Love.

They are 14th in rebounding differential, and they should easily be in the top 10.

Yes, some key players have missed some games: James (9), Irving (3), Marion (3) and Varejao (13 and counting), but there have been too many troubling games when most of the key players have been on the court.

This team is built to score and rebound -- and that has failed to materialize.

WHAT TO DO

Somehow, Blatt has to convince the team (especially James) to run on high octane. They remain one of the best scoring teams in the NBA when they take a shot in the first 10 seconds of the 24-second clock.

In other words, they play well when they run. But they rank 27th in "pace," meaning only three teams play slower than the Cavs.

One way to hide holes on defense is to pile up the points. The Cavs have talented offensive players. But pushing the offense into a higher gear is a decision. It must be taught and practiced -- throw the ball down the court, don't just dribble it!

Nearly five of Love's 13 shots taken each game are 3-pointers. He is shooting a respectable .345 from long range, but the Cavs also need an inside presence at certain parts of the game. Blatt needs to find a way to position the 6-foot-10 Love closer to the hoop when the team is struggling to score.

Love is even shooting 62 percent from 15 to 19 feet, meaning he doesn't have to just stand on the 3-point line.

If you want to improve the defense, give Marion more court time. He makes an impact at that end of the court.

Blatt has James back. He has Mozgov, Smith and hopefully Shumpert. Yes, it's a lot of new faces. But there is talent. And there is time for the Cavs to find their identity as a team.

This is not about panic, but it is a serious situation. And not just for Blatt, but also the players.

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

LOS ANGELES -- The Cleveland Cavaliers are in action against the Los Angeles Lakers, trying to snap a six-game losing skid.

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

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

Game 40: Cavs (19-20) vs. Lakers (12-27)

Tip off: 10:30 p.m. at Staples Center

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

Cavs probable starting lineup: Kyrie Irving, J.R. Smith, LeBron James, Kevin Love and Timofey Mozgov.

Lakers probable starting lineup: Ronnie Price, Kobe Bryant, Wesley Johnson, Ed Davis and Jordan Hill.

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.

The Indians have three remaining players in need of an agreement: Brandon Moss, Josh Tomlin and Bryan Shaw.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Indians have avoided arbitration with three of their six eligible players, a source confirmed to cleveland.com.

Cleveland locked up pitchers Carlos Carrasco and Marc Rzepczynski and third baseman Lonnie Chisenhall to contracts for the 2015 season. Carrasco will earn about $2.3 million, Rzepczysnki will earn $2.4 million and Chisenhall will earn $2.25 million, according to CBS Sports' Jon Heyman. 

MLBTradeRumors.com's projection had pegged Carrasco for about $1.4 million, Rzepczynski for $1.9 million and Chisenhall for $2.2 million.

Carrasco's 2014 season can be broken into three segments. He made the Indians' rotation out of spring training, but went 0-3 with a 6.95 ERA in four starts before being banished to the bullpen. He made 26 appearances out of the Tribe 'pen and posted a 2.30 ERA.

In early August, the Indians re-inserted the right-hander into the rotation and he flourished. In 10 starts, Carrasco totaled 69 innings, 11 walks and 78 strikeouts. He logged a 1.30 ERA and limited the opposition to a .179 batting average and .445 OPS.

Carrasco figures to be the club's No. 2 starter behind Corey Kluber this season. The 27-year-old, who finished the year at 8-7 with a 2.55 ERA, was arbitration-eligible for the first time in his career this winter.

Rzepczysnki joined the Tribe in a mid-season trade in 2013. He owns a 2.17 ERA in 100 appearances with Cleveland.

For as scorching hot as Chisenhall was at the plate in the first half in 2014, he was equally as frigid in the second stanza. Chisenhall entered the All-Star break with a .915 OPS. He posted a .591 OPS after the break. In all, he compiled a .280/.343/.427 slash line with 13 home runs and 59 RBIs.

Players filed for arbitration on Tuesday. Teams can exchange salary proposals with those players on Friday.

The Indians have three remaining players in need of an agreement: Brandon Moss, Josh Tomlin and Bryan Shaw. Arbitration hearings will be scheduled for between Feb. 1-20, though teams can strike agreements with their players at any time.

Byron Scott is coaching against the Cavaliers for the first time since he was fired in April, 2013.

LOS ANGELES – Byron Scott doesn't dwell on his three seasons as Cavaliers coach, or at least he doesn't spend his free time watching his old team play.

"People think I'm joking. I don't watch Cleveland play basketball," said Scott, who is in his first season coaching the Los Angeles Lakers. Tonight is Scott's first game coaching against the Cavs since he was fired on April 18, 2013 after going 64-166 in Cleveland.

"I watch highlights, but until yesterday is when I started to focus on Cleveland a little bit and what they do offensively and stuff like that, but I don't watch them," he said.

Scott went to high school in nearby Inglewood and of course played 10 seasons with the Lakers. That's why he called his new gig the "ultimate job," even though the Lakers were 12-27 entering tonight's contest.

But in his pregame news conference, it was pointed out to Scott that he was hired in 2010 before LeBron James chose to leave the Cavaliers for the Miami Heat. Had things gone a different way and James remained in Cleveland, Scott would probably still be coaching the Cavs.

"I think luck has a lot to do with it," he said. "For me this is the ultimate job, so if everything went right I wouldn't be here, obviously. But I'm here, it's where I want to be, so luck has a lot to do with it."

Scott butted heads with All-Star point guard Kyrie Irving during his stint in Cleveland. The thing Scott said he's noticed about Irving is his improvement on defense.

"He's playing off the ball more (on offense), and you would kind of expect that when you have LeBron," Scott said. "But I always thought, Kyrie from an offensive standpoint, he has no weaknesses. His problem was on the defensive part of the game."

Scott offered an assessment of how the Cavaliers play that at first sounded like a run-of-the-mill scouting report. But in pointing out Cleveland's tendencies on offense, he confirmed what many NBA insiders had been whispering for weeks, that the nuanced, motion-dominant, quasi-Princeton offense David Blatt was supposed to bring to Cleveland is not what the team currently runs.

"We know it's going to be a lot of LeBron, pick-and-roll, post up, same thing with Kyrie Irving," Scott said. "They've got a good team, a great player in LeBron James, there's no doubt about that. Kyrie Irving's one of the best young point guards in this league. "

Asked specifically if he saw anything different in the Cavs' offense from what most NBA teams run, and he said: "Like a lot of teams, you do a lot of misdirection stuff, but it basically gets back to the high pick-and-rolls, side pick-and-rolls, post-ups.

"I saw some of the variations of some of the things we did back in the day in Jersey, with some slight changes to it, but very, very little," he said.

See the Players of the Week for Jan. 15, 2015.

See the Players of the Week for Jan. 15, 2015.

No. 10 Hathaway Brown girls basketball beat No. 19 Archbishop Hoban 54-43 on Thursday.

No. 10 Hathaway Brown girls basketball beat No. 19 Archbishop Hoban 54-43 on Thursday.

Sophomore Jasmine Bishop scores 13 points to help the No. 18 Twinsburg girls basketball team defeat No. 2 Solon.

Sophomore Jasmine Bishop scores 13 points to help the No. 18 Twinsburg girls basketball team defeat No. 2 Solon.

Craig, an outfielder, played in four big-league seasons between 1979 and 1986 with the Seattle Mariners, Cleveland Indians and Chicago White Sox.

LOS ANGELES -- A 33-year-old man has been found guilty of killing former Cleveland Indians baseball player Rodney Craig when both men were homeless in downtown Los Angeles.

Rodney Craig is seen in this 1975 yearbook photo from Narbonne High School in Los Angeles.File 

Deputy District Attorney Jacqueline Mac said the 55-year-old Craig had been living on the streets and tried to stay at a homeless encampment in August but was kicked out by others living there.

Mac says Craig tried to kick a dog as he left, prompting Morales to run him down, beat him, and stab him.

A second defendant pleaded no contest to assault last year.

Craig, an outfielder, played in four big-league seasons between 1979 and 1986 with the Seattle Mariners, Cleveland Indians and Chicago White Sox.

The Cleveland Cavaliers finally broke into the win column with LeBron James leading the way over the lowly Lakers.

LOS ANGELES – The Cleveland Cavaliers got a must-needed 109-102 road win over the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday night, breaking a six-game losing streak.

Before the game head coach David Blatt said the true component to turning things around is winning.

"We got to win, more than anything else and we have to get our whole team back on the court," Blatt said.

LeBron James led the way for Cleveland (20-20) with 36 points, five rebounds and five assists in 38 minutes.

Los Angeles guard Kobe Bryant played the role of distributor. He had eight of his career-high 17 assists in the first quarter and he provided 19 points. Bryant scored seven points in the second half.

James leads the all-time head-to-head series with Bryant 14-6.

"It's always good going up against him," James said. "He brings out the best in players."

Kyrie Irving put up 22 points on 9-of-16 shooting and J.R. Smith added 14 points.

Third-quarter turnaround

After allowing the Los Angeles (12-28) to shoot 58 percent in the first half and facing a four-point deficit, the Cavaliers clamped down on defense in the third, forcing the Lakers into shooting six-for-20 (30 percent) from the field in which resulted in 14 points in the quarter.

Cleveland went into the fourth up four and never looked back.

Love's back

The back problems persist for Kevin Love. He already missed time this year due to back spasms. He was grimacing throughout the contest.

During every timeout, team trainer Steve Spiro placed a warm wrap on his back. When he was playing, his movement was stiff, calculated and his back prevented him from getting the necessary lift on his jump shot.

With 4:28 to go in the third quarter, struggling to get up and down the court, he asked to be pulled. A few minutes later he reentered, fighting through for his team. He managed to finish with 17 points and seven boards.

Bench update

The Lakers' reserves outscored the Cavaliers' reserves 42-16. Tristan Thompson pulled down a team-high 11 boards.

Who's on deck?

The Cavaliers are right back at Staples Center for Friday's clash with the Los Angeles Clippers. That game will conclude this five-game road trip. Cleveland is 1-3 on the trip.

LeBron James' 36 points enough to push the Cavaliers past the Lakers in one of his final matchups with Kobe Bryant at Staples Center.

LOS ANGELES – There might be just one more LeBron James-Kobe Bryant matchup at Staples Center before Bryant likely retires after next season.

The penultimate one was a game to remember.

James' 36 points lifted the Cavaliers to a 109-102 victory over Bryant's Lakers, snapping a six-game losing streak. James added five rebounds and five assists and shot 12-of-24.

Bryant scored 19 points but tallied a career-high 17 assists.

Earlier Thursday, James said he's "always loved playing against" Bryant, and doing so at the Staples Center was "cool."

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

1^st Quarter

Stats: 2 pts, 1 rb, 1 ast, 1-2 FG, 0-0 FT

Highlight: A nifty reverse layup at 7:05 was James' only bucket.

Briefing: James found the 7-foot-1 Timofey Mozgov for an alley-oop with 9:49 left, but minutes later lobbed another one to Mozgov that he mishandled. Mozgov fumbled at least two other passes in the lane. Can't happen. It was a thin body of work for James, who sat out the final 4:50. Bryant had a wonderful opening 12 minutes, registering seven points and eight assists.

2^nd Quarter

Stats: 11 pts, 1 rb, 1 ast, 4-8 FG, 3-7 FT

Highlight: After a miserable start, James knifed through the lane before skipping backwards for a jumper that splashed with 8:30 left.

Briefing: About that "miserable" start. James missed a jumper and then a three and then two foul shots. He clanked a third free throw and ripped off his elbow sleeve. And then he missed another foul shot. He recovered, however. His athletic move into the lane started it and was followed by consecutive driving layups (one was a three-point play). He rifled a no-look pass to Kevin Love for a dunk. Things regressed a little when Kyrie Irving set up James for an easy alley-oop that James bricked. He finished the half with 13 points to Bryant's 12.

3^rd Quarter

Stats: 12 pts, 3 rbs, 1 ast, 4-6 FG, 1-2 FT

Highlight: James curled around a screen for a three-pointer to give Cleveland a 76-73 advantage with 1:19 to go.

Briefing: James' first of three treys bounced high off the rim before falling through at 11:19. But the buzz in the building was generated by James and Bryant guarding each other to start the period. It lasted for several possessions, before switches and substitution patterns threw everything off. Most of James' 12 points in the quarter came against someone else. Bryant scored four in the period and was up to 15 assists – tying his career high. The Cavaliers held a four-point advantage when the buzzer sounded. It was the first time on this West Coast trip they were ahead after three quarters.

4^th Quarter

Stats: 11 pts, 0 rbs, 2 ast, 3-8 FG, 4-4 FT

Highlight: Having been hounded by Bryant for the last few minutes, James drove past him for a layup with 20.9 seconds left to give the Cavs a 105-99 advantage.

Briefing: James and Bryant were finally on the floor together with 4:09 left and the Cavs ahead 98-89. Bryant immediately drove past James (off a switch) for a layup, and then hit a three. Two free throws from Bryant cut the Lakers' deficit to four, preceding James' much-needed finish. James has scored 69 points in two games. He's healthy.

Totals: 36 pts, 5 rbs, 5 ast, 12-24 FG, 8-13 FT, 38 min

The Cavs snapped a six-game skid with a 109-102 victory over the Lakers on Thursday night in Los Angeles.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cavaliers defeated the Lakers, 109-102, Thursday night at Staples Center in Los Angeles. Here is a capsule look from The Plain Dealer reporter Dennis Manoloff after a dvr review of the TNT telecast:

Style points not required: The Cavs struggled against one of the NBA's worst outfits -- but at least they won. The Cavs (20-20 overall, 9-11 on road) snapped a six-game slide; the Lakers (12-28 overall, 6-15 at home) have lost three straight.

King's English: The Cavs won because their roster features LeBron James, who scored a game-high 36 in his second game since returning from an eight-game absence because of injuries. On Tuesday in Phoenix, Ariz., LeBron scored 33 in a 107-100 loss.

LeBron seemed to be in chill mode in the first quarter Thursday, going 1-of-2 from the field for two points and not being fully engaged on defense. But he cranked it up in the second quarter and returned to his typically dominant self in the second half.

LeBron finished 12-of-24 from the field, including 4-of-10 from 3-point range, and 8-of-13 from the line in 38 minutes. He had five rebounds, five assists, two steals and one turnover.

LeBron prevailed in a showdown with Lakers guard Kobe Bryant, who scored 19 (on 7-of-14 shooting) and notched a career-high 17 assists in 32 minutes. That Bryant's minutes were limited because of scheduled rest might have saved the Cavs.

Bryant amassed more assists than Cleveland's team (14). The Lakers had 26.

LeBron and Bryant spoke and laughed with each other periodically, but when it came time to get serious, they got serious. They guarded each other at the outset of the third quarter; it was fun to watch.

Play of the game: With 43.5 seconds left in the fourth quarter, the Cavs had possession and a 103-99 lead. But the Lakers had the momentum, having whittled an 11-point deficit in 3 1/2 minutes.

LeBron inbounded to Kyrie Irving high on the right. Irving dribbled at the top of the 3-point arc before passing to LeBron with eight seconds left on the shot clock. LeBron held the ball high on the left for three seconds as Bryant swarmed him and over-played the strong side. Then LeBron, using a cat-quick burst and lefty dribble, shook Bryant and powered into the lane.

Bryant attempted to time a swat from behind -- but LeBron had not begun the shot. As Lakers forward Jordan Hill peeled off Tristan Thompson to help, LeBron elevated from just outside the restricted area. Hill made a strong challenge with the left hand, but LeBron stutter-stepped, ducked underneath and flipped a righty finger roll high off the glass. The release occurred with 2.7 seconds on the shot clock and 22.2 on the game clock.

The shot was good with 20.9 left in the quarter. LeBron being LeBron had given the Cavs the breathing room they needed to finish the job.

TNT play-by-play voice Kevin Harlan said: "Wow! The degree of difficulty on that shot was significant.''

As TNT showed a replay, analyst Reggie Miller said: "Kobe's doing the right thing. You crowd him, you make him put the ball on the floor. Drive him to your defense. Hill did the right thing by rotating over.''

Miller wanted another Laker, forward Ryan Kelly, to join Hill in helping Bryant. Kelly wasn't aggressive enough; at the same time, Thompson put a body on him as LeBron commenced the shot.

Leaky defense: The Lakers led, 61-57, at halftime. In their previous game, the Lakers lost to the Heat, 78-75.

The Cavs allowed a bad-shooting team to go 25-of-43 (58.1 percent) from the field. Bryant was 5-of-9 for 12 points and had 10 assists -- his first career first half of double-digit assists.

The Lakers are defensively challenged, as well. Miller did not like what he saw from the Cavs' offense in the first half. Early in the second quarter, as the Cavs cleared out yet again for LeBron, Miller said: "It's isolation ball. You can't win that way in this league. They're basically just playing one-on-one basketball out here. And as bad defensively as the Lakers have been this year, this is easy to guard.''

Strong words: During the first half, Miller said LeBron can end the speculation about Cavs coach David Blatt's future by issuing a definitive statement of support. At halftime, TNT studio analyst Charles Barkley echoed Miller's sentiments.

"LeBron James can put a stop to all this stuff,'' Barkley said. "He's got to be a better leader. He's been in the league long enough. It's his team. If LeBron just said, 'Hey, man, I like my coach: Y'all let all this other b.s. go and we've got to get this team together.' Reggie's 100 percent correct.''

Regarding on-court matters, Miller and Barkley said the Cavs need to play faster.

"They need to run more,'' Miller said. "They're not an old, old team.''

Back in business: Irving rebounded from a bad game at Phoenix to score 22 on 9-of-16 shooting.

Gritty performance: Cavs power forward Kevin Love had 17 points and seven rebounds in 37 minutes despite an aching back. The back flared up in the first half, and Love did not appear equipped to last until halftime. But he kept playing into the fourth quarter.

Finally: The Cavs were much better defensively in the second half. It factored in the Lakers shooting 14-of-33 from the field.

The Cleveland Cavaliers snapped their six-game losing streak on Thursday night against the Los Angeles Lakers, 109-102.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cleveland Cavaliers snapped their six-game losing streak on Thursday night against the Los Angeles Lakers, 109-102.

LeBron James, playing in his second game since returning from injury, scored a game-high 36 points on 12-of-24 from the field. Kyrie Irving bounced back after a rough shooting night on Tuesday night against Phoenix. Irving scored 22 points on 9-of-16 from the field. Kevin Love, fighting through an achy back, dropped in 17 points. The Big Three scored 75 of the team's 109 points.

The Lakers were led by Jordan Hill, who scored 20 points and grabbed six rebounds. Lakers leading scorer Kobe Bryant added 19 points, 17 assists and six rebounds.

The Cavs improved to 20-20 and will remain in Los Angeles to play the Clippers on Friday night. It will be the final game of a five-game road trip. The Cavs are currently 1-3 on the trip so far.

Here are five observations from the Cavs' win against the Lakers:

LeBron vs. Kobe – Thursday night's game was about the Cavs trying to snap a season-long losing streak. It was about them picking up the first win of the Western Conference road trip. But it was also another showdown between two of the all-time greats, James and Bryant, the 20^th meeting between the two superstars.

Neither player disappointed.

Bryant, who was on a minutes restriction, finished with a career-high 17 assists, three more than the Cavs had as a team.

He also scored 19 points on 7-of-14 from the field.

The two went at each other head-to-head a few different times during the game. There was trash talk, conversations while teammates were at the free throw line and a few laughs.

Some of their individual matchups in the past have been duds, but Thursday night, even with Bryant at 36 years old, was one of the most memorable.

James got off to a slow start. He was hoisting out-of-rhythm outside shots, giving little effort on the defensive end of the floor and even botched an alley oop, which could've been one of the highlights of his season. 

But James picked up his play in the second half and got the better of Bryant once again. James, now 14-6 lifetime in the head-to-head matchup with Bryant, scored 36 points in 38 minutes.

He also added five rebounds and five assists. It was James' driving layup, a play where he beat Bryant off the dribble, which helped seal the much-needed win for the Cavs.

Both players know there won't be too many more of these signature matchups and their embrace following the game was all the evidence needed. 

Legendary Respect. https://t.co/3mIrz4Zral

— NBA (@NBA) January 16, 2015

Injuries and age are starting to catch up to Bryant. With the national audience tuning in, both made sure it would be a memorable showdown, just like one from 2006.

Heart of a champion – Kevin Love has already missed one game this season because of back spasms and it looked like his return to Los Angeles, the city where he played his college ball, was going to be cut short.

Love appeared to be less than 100 percent in the first half, hobbling up and down the court and failing to get the proper lift on his outside shots. He finished 1-of-6 from the three-point line, with many of the attempts clanking off the front of the rim.

There was one time in the third quarter where Love signaled to the bench to come out of the game. Trainer Steve Spiro immediately started to work on Love's back and wrapped him like a mummy. He could've stayed on the bench. He probably should have taken the rest of the night off considering his teammates had to pull him up from his chair. But Love asked to go back in and finished the night with a respectable 17 points and seven rebounds in 37 minutes, the second-most of anyone on the roster.

Love has been in the crosshairs lately. He hasn't looked comfortable in his new role as the third option. Fans have started to wonder whether the blockbuster trade this off-season was worth it or if the team would be better off with Andrew Wiggins. His defense has been called into question, and rightfully so. It spoke volumes that he didn't play in the fourth quarter against Phoenix.

He hasn't been perfect, hasn't played like an All-Star and there are things that can be questioned, but heart is not one of them. Love showed the heart of a champion on Thursday night.

The Cavs have been labeled soft by some because of their shoddy defense, lack of hard fouls and their unwillingness to fight when things start going in the wrong direction, but Love showed toughness on Thursday night. He sent a message to his coaches and his teammates.

Even at less than 100 percent he gave his all to help his team snap the losing skid and that shouldn't be overlooked.

He even took a charge late in the game, needing three teammates to help him off the Staples Center court. It was a pretty impressive night in a season dotted with frustration for the three-time All-Star.

Love doesn't need a healthy back to have success against the Lakers, they're that bad, but Blake Griffin awaits on Friday, and that will be much more challenging.

Defensive turnaround – The Lakers have the fourth-worst record in the NBA. The roster is hardly recognizable and the team will be forced to rebuild on the fly.

Their shaky offense, 26^th in the NBA in field goal percentage, has been one of the reasons for the continued struggles. They just don't have a lot of firepower.

Playing against the Cavs has become the magic elixir for many struggling teams and that was the case early on. The Lakers and Cavs were tied at 30 after the first quarter, with Los Angeles making 65 percent from the field, an unacceptable effort on defense.

The Lakers followed up a hot-shooting first period by scoring 31 points in the second and taking a four-point lead into the half.

The Cavs' defense increased in the second half, holding the Lakers to just 41 points on around 40 percent from the field.

It's that kind of effort the Cavs need to show consistently to prove they are one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference. Still, no matter how the Cavs defended in the second half, the offensively challenged Lakers shot 51 percent from the floor. That's way too generous.

There have now been 34 times this season the Cavs have allowed at least 30 points in a quarter.

Bench woes – How much did this game mean to David Blatt? The answer is in his rotation. Blatt, who has been criticized this year for how he handles minutes, played just eight guys.

Eight players. Nine players. 10 players. It hasn't mattered. The bench has been a failure. Yes, there have been injuries, but the second unit was outscored 42-16 against Los Angeles.

Tarik Black, picked up off waivers recently, scored eight points, more than any member of the Cavs' bench. Matthew Dellavedova led the second unit with six points.

Cleaning the glass – Since being bullied by Dwight Howard and the Houston Rockets, the Cavaliers have added a new presence inside.

Timofey Mozgov has hardly stuffed the stat sheet and he shouldn't be confused with Roy Hibbert or Tyson Chandler. Mozgov is averaging 7.2 points, 9.0 rebounds and one block in the four games with the Cavaliers. But he continues to make an impact, especially on the glass.

Since being outrebounded by 13 against Houston last week, the Cavs have won the rebounding battle in three of the four games with Mozgov in the lineup, including Thursday night, 40-35.

It isn't all him, but Mozgov has given the Cavs that extra boost and the much-needed size that has been missing since Anderson Varejao tore his Achilles in late December.

Mozgov had 10 rebounds against Los Angeles. Tristan Thompson also did excellent work, grabbing a team-high 11 boards, including seven in the final quarter. Thompson also had five offensive rebounds, and is averaging nearly four per game.

This was expected to be one the Cavs' biggest strengths, but they have slipped to 24^th in rebounds per game. Perhaps Mozgov's presence will be felt on the glass instead at the rim on defense, which was the expectation.

LeBron James and Kobe Bryant were warm and fuzzy on a night when the Cavaliers finally had something to smile about.

Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James drives toward the basket as Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant defends.Mark J. Terrill 

LOS ANGELES – There was a warm and fuzzy storyline to emerge from Staples Center Thursday night, one where an aging Kobe Bryant and an increasingly aware LeBron James shared laughs and traded baskets on the court.

At 36, Bryant's career with the Los Angeles Lakers is almost over. With his retirement expected at the end of next season, the Cavaliers' 109-102 triumph in Los Angeles was perhaps the second-to-last time James and Bryant will duel at Staples.

And there was definitely some back and forth between the two NBA greats. James scored 36 points – he has 69 points in his two games since returning from injury -- while Bryant added 19 points and a career-high 17 assists.

The two guarded each other off and on throughout the game, especially over the last four minutes, when Bryant dribbled past James for a layup and scored seven points to bring the Lakers to within four.

Bryant also played lock-down defense on James, until the Cavs' superstar got by Bryant for a crucial layup with 20.9 seconds left to put Cleveland up by 6.

That's what fans are used to when it comes to James vs. Bryan. All the laughing, the chatting, the hugs, those are new for one of the two players.

Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James shares a laugh with Lakers guard Kobe Bryant during a break between periods.PAUL RODRIGUEZ, 

"It's a little different now," Bryant said. "Some years ago, we were competing for championships, I was a lot more moody. Now it's a little different, I get a chance to appreciate the competition and enjoy the interaction. We've gotten to know each other very well."

James said matchups between him and Bryant feature "two of the best competitors this game has ever seen," but James is not exactly wired like Bryant. And he knows it.

James is surely a winner – two titles, five Finals, and four MVPs attest to that, as did the 28.2 points he had averaged in 11 previous games against the Lakers at Staples – but James has tons of NBA friends and shares lots of hugs and laughs with those friends from other teams during games.

In on-court demeanor, Bryant was the heir to Michael Jordan, an assassin from the moment the ball first goes up.

"I don't know what it was, like you said, he's not as moody as before," James said. "He was just hey, I'm taking your heart out from the jump and we'll figure things out later. But I love where he's at right now. Like I said, whatever happens from now until he's done, he's going to go down as one of the greatest basketball players to ever pay this game."

James never misses a chance to speak warmly of Bryant, whom he said he "looked up to" growing up.

That Bryant is in the twilight of his career, has been slowed by injury, and plays for a bad 12-win team, has made James more aware of his own basketball mortality. It's a mortality driven home this season and especially the last two weeks when injuries nagged and eventually forced James out of eight consecutive games.

James is a different player now than before he sat out to rest his 30-year-old body, attacking the rim and getting past defenders like he the James of yesteryear.

In the second quarter, after James had finished off three nifty drives in the lane and whipped a no-look pass to Kevin Love for a dunk, he soared through the air to catch Kyrie Irving's alley-oop. Only, instead of jamming it home, James' dunk attempt clanged off the rim and landed near San Diego.

James seemed to suggest he missed it because he was too high in the air.

"I feel better than I've felt all year," he said. "Obviously you guys see me attacking the paint, the dunk that I missed, you seen how high I was, and I was able to land and not feel any discomfort, so I feel good."

Naturally, the new-old Bryant laughed at James for bricking the dunk.

"He said that's what old age will get you," James said. "You start missing dunks when you thought you was up there."

Bryant played a brilliant game, shooting 7-of-14 on a night during a season in which his field-goal percentage is below 40 percent – a career low.

And the career high in assists, don't forget, came during a game in his 19^th season. It's rare for an athlete that late in his career to set a single-game high mark.

James has always been a more consistent passer than Bryant, but his assists totals were pronounced during the first part of the season when James seemed to be less explosive. Before he went his two-week hiatus following a Dec. 28 loss to Detroit, James was averaging 7.6 assists and 25.2 points.

"When you're a cerebral basketball player you can always be effective," James said. "Our game is so fascinated on guys that can run as fast as you can or jump as high as you can. People forget about the mind of the game, which is really the most important."

James often speaks like he's an "old" NBA player, and in some respects he's right. He's in his 12^th season, and his "miles" – James' go-to word for minutes logged – are well over 41,000.

Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James smiles at Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant after missing a dunk.Mark J. Terrill 

James is also wise beyond his years, which comes in handy in so many ways, including during the kind of streak that ended Thursday night.

The Cavs snapped a six-game slide by beating the Lakers and had lost nine of 10. Their coach, David Blatt was (and really, still is) under fire externally for coaching a team with James, Love, and Kyrie Irving that is just 20-20 with the season's midpoint arriving tonight.

If there could be such a thing as a must-win game before the All-Star break (which isn't until the middle of February), this was it.

"I don't really get involved in the whole media or what they talk about, whether me individual, or teammates or the coaches, or whatever the case may be," James said. "I don't get involved in that, I've been around this league too much to understand that every day you get a chance to change the outset of what the news clippings is."

The news clipping this morning is that James, who is still clinging to his prime and fighting to maybe be one of basketball's all-time greatest, beat a Lakers team led by Bryant, who has already earned his place on the pantheon of greats.

For one day, at least, attention shifted away from Blatt and the seemingly endless reel of odd or negative storylines surrounding his team.

"You know, until you mentioned it, I didn't really think about it," Blatt said, when asked if it was special to watch James and Bryant go at it one more time. "Now that I have a chance to reflect a little bit, yes, that's very special. For the fans, for the players that are involved, for all of us, those are two all-time greats going at it and going at it like two prize fighters, but within the context of the team."

Bill and Ari continue return trip to Ohio, stopping in Houston on Friday to take a glimpse of Tom Herman's future as the head coach of the Houston Cougars. Watch video

HOUSTON — Bill and Ari's Excellent Adventure has taken a turn south. Geographically, not metaphorically.

We're in Houston this morning, where we'll continue writing Ohio State-related stories on our return trip from Dallas after the Buckeyes win in the College Football Playoff National Championship.

We'll hit a couple high schools in the Houston area for some more recruiting coverage, and spend some time at Tom Herman's new home at the University of Houston.

After spending almost all of Wednesday in J.T. Barrett's North Texas hometown of Wichita Falls (check out the stories below), we returned to the Dallas area to make three more stops on Thursday. We got in touch with a handful of Ohio State targets in the area, and spent the majority of the day at Dontre Wilson's alma mater, DeSoto High School.

What was supposed to be a trip for a story on Dontre turned into us getting some great stuff on a bunch of different topics that we'll begin rolling out later today.

Be sure to check back to cleveland.com later for an update on a kid who could be the next Dontre Wilson, and some thoughts from a Texas high school coach who thinks new Ohio State QB coach Tim Beck will pick up where Tom Herman left off in recruiting Texas for the Buckeyes.

Here's our Ohio State coverage from Thursday:

Urban Meyer and the NFL? Why he's sure to stay at Ohio State for at least three more years

Bill and Ari's Excellent Adventure

Who is J.T. Barrett? How a North Texas town raised an Ohio State quarterback

Inside the Texas high school that saw Ohio State's J.T. Barrett rally from injury before: 'He'll be back'

Stephen Barrett explains to Ohio State fans why his older brother, J.T. Barrett, will be back and better than ever

Ohio State football: Meet T.J. Vasher, J.T. Barrett's former teammate who has heard from the Buckeyes

Cardale Jones is returning to Ohio State

Cardale Jones passes on NFL Draft 2015, will return to Ohio State football program

Beyond the news conference: Ohio State QB Cardale Jones shocked the world, which maybe shouldn't be a shock at all

What Cardale Jones did Thursday was more shocking than what he did against Oregon, says Doug Lesmerises (video)

Cardale Jones just needed a shot, Ted Ginn Sr. says in interview with Doug Lesmerises (video)

Cardale Jones' interview with Doug Lesmerises on his return to the Ohio State football team (video)

By returning to the Buckeyes, Ohio State QB Cardale Jones chose safer of two uncertain futures

Why Cardale Jones' return to Ohio State in 2015 could actually make things tougher for Urban Meyer, Buckeyes