NEW YORK — LeBron James poured in 32 points and became the youngest player to score 28,000 in a career as the Cleveland Cavaliers knocked off the New York Knicks 111-104 on Saturday night at Madison Square Garden.
The 32-year-old James has scored 28,020 points, good for eighth place on the NBA list.
He also had 10 assists. James is two assists from passing Lenny Wilkens (7,211) for 13th place on the NBA’s career list.
Kyrie Irving was out for the Cavaliers (34-15) with right quad soreness. He was replaced with DeAndre Liggins, who scored five points without an assist.
Kevin Love returned to the Cavaliers after missing the past two games with lower back spasms. He had 23 points and 15 rebounds.
The Knicks (22-30), who haven’t won two straight games since Dec. 20-22 (23 games), were led by Brandon Jennings’ 23 points and 10 assists. Carmelo Anthony scored 17 points but was just 6 of 21 from the floor.
Knicks starting center Joakim Noah suffered a sore left hamstring and did not return. He scored four points and grabbed two rebounds in 6:10. He was replaced by Kyle O’Quinn.
The Knicks scored six straight points to whittle the Cavaliers’ lead to 106-101 with 59 seconds to play, but James found Love open in the corner for an uncontested 3-pointer that put the lead at 109-101 with 44 seconds left.
Jennings deposited nine points on three treys in the span of less than three minutes early in the fourth quarter to cut the deficit to 92-81, but a James 3-pointer put Cleveland ahead 102-89 with 7:04 to play.
A putback from Love opened an 84-57 Cleveland advantage with 2:36 to go in the third quarter.
Kyle Korver’s 3-pointer from the right corner at the end of the second quarter gave Cleveland its biggest lead of the half at 64-43. Anthony made only 2 of 10 shots from the field in the half.
James reached 28,000 with a step-back jumper that gave the Cavaliers a 45-31 lead with 6:49 left in the second quarter.
James had eight points and six assists while pacing the Cavaliers to a 34-29 first-quarter lead. Love played the entire quarter, scoring 10 points and grabbing eight rebounds.
NOTES: Knicks G Derrick Rose missed his fourth straight game with a sprained left ankle. … Cleveland G Kyrie Irving sat out with right quadriceps soreness that is not considered serious. … The Cavaliers have the oldest (29.7 years) roster in the league. … The Cavaliers won the first two meetings, 117-88 on opening night and 126-94 on Dec. 7, dealing the Knicks their two most lopsided losses of the season. … Saturday marked the eight-year anniversary of LeBron James scoring 52 points in New York. … Cleveland plays its next three games on the road. The Knicks play three straight at home, including a game against the Los Angeles Clippers, who have been linked to F Carmelo Anthony in trade rumors.