CLEVELAND (AP) – LeBron James scored 31 points, Kyrie Irving added 26, Kyle Korver made six 3-pointers and the Cleveland Cavaliers rolled into the All-Star break with their seventh win in eight games, beating the Indiana Pacers 113-104 on Wednesday night.
Irving and Korver combined to make four 3s in the first 2:50 of the fourth quarter – Korver finished with 22 points and became the seventh player with 2,000 career 3s – as the NBA champions pulled away and improved to 7-1 in February following a drama-and-distraction filled January.
And while most of the Cavs will relax over the weekend, James and Irving are headed to New Orleans for Sunday’s All-Star game.
Glenn Robinson III scored 17 for Indiana, which lost its fifth straight. Pacers All-Star Paul George scored just 13 and missed 12 straight shots after the first quarter. George ended his drought by making a 3-pointer with 5:15 left.
Cleveland played its second game without All-Star forward Kevin Love, who could miss six weeks after undergoing surgery on his left knee. Love’s injury could hasten the team to make a major move before next week’s trading deadline. The Cavs have been in the market for a backup point guard, but could use another big man.