CLEVELAND – LeBron James had 18 points and 11 assists and reserve guard Matthew Dellavedova made two big 3-pointers to help the Cleveland Cavaliers win their 11th consecutive game with a 97-84 victory Monday night against the feisty Philadelphia 76ers.
The Sixers cut a 20-point deficit down to two points early in the fourth quarter. They were within five before Dellavedova sank a 3-pointer with the shot clock winding down, extending the Cavs’ lead to 91-83 with 2:30 left.
His 3-pointer in the final minute extended the lead to 96-83 and essentially ended the game. The Cavs spent most of the night unsuccessfully trying to shake a Sixers team that has dropped seven straight on the road, but is gaining the reputation as a team that plays hard and never quits.
Rookie forward Jerami Grant scored a career-high 18 points off the bench and forward Robert Covington had 18 points for the Sixers.
Cavaliers guard Kyrie Irving had 24 points, five rebounds and five assists, and forward Kevin Love grabbed 15 rebounds on a night he struggled with his shot and finished with just five points.
The Cavs, who have held their last nine opponents under 100 points, are enjoying their longest winning streak since taking 13 in a row during the 2009-10 season.
They began the night ranked sixth in defensive field-goal percentage since this winning streak began on Jan. 15. They were 29th in the league defensively prior to that.
Dellavedova, who was coached on the Australian national team by Sixers coach Brett Brown, scored 12 points, and J.R. Smith scored 12 points.
Guard JaKarr Sampson, who attended the same high school as James for three years before transferring prior to his senior year, scored 10 points for the Sixers.
NOTES: Sixers coach Brett Brown has plenty of ties to the Cavaliers. He coached G Matthew Dellavedova with the Australian national team and he coached G Kyrie Irving’s father, Drederick, in Australia as well. “Drederick was a New York City playground scorer and could score at will,” Brown said. … The Sixers have used 12 undrafted players this season, a new record, according to Elias Sports Bureau. … Irving was named Eastern Conference player of the week, the second consecutive week a Cavs player has won the award. F LeBron James won it last week. … Since their winning streak began Jan. 15, the Cavs are sixth in the NBA in defensive field-goal percentage. They’re 27th overall.