NBA roundup: Cavs take advantage of banged up Blazers

CLEVELAND — LeBron James scored 33 points, Anderson Varejao had a season-high 22 and the Cleveland Cavaliers rebounded from consecutive sloppy road losses with a 104-99 win over the hobbled Portland Trail Blazers on Friday night.

James added seven assists, seven rebounds and a soaring block on a shot by Brandon Roy in the closing seconds for the Cavs, who were back home after losing in Memphis and Houston. In those games, Cleveland had 20 and 21 turnovers, respectively. The Cavs were better with the ball, committing 16 miscues.

Roy scored 23, LaMarcus Aldridge 22 and Andre Miller 20 for the Blazers, who dressed just nine players because of injuries.

Varejao also had 10 rebounds and Shaquille O'Neal finished with 14 points and 11 boards, but Cleveland's center got poked in the eye during the third quarter and did not return. The team said O'Neal was taken to the Cleveland Clinic for precautionary tests, but was expected to travel with the team to Oklahoma City on Saturday.

SPURS 104, BOBCATS 85: At San Antonio, Manu Ginobili scored 22 points and Tim Duncan and Richard Jefferson added 17 apiece.

The Bobcats fell to 1-9 on the road. Charlotte won't get any breaks Saturday night against the Mavericks, a team the Bobcats have never beaten.

Stephen Jackson had 23 points for the Bobcats, who lost for the third time in nine games. The Spurs held the Bobcats to just six baskets in the fourth.

Tony Parker had nine points and 10 assists for San Antonio.

LAKERS 104, TIMBERWOLVES 92: At Los Angeles, Kobe Bryant scored 20 points while playing with a small break in his finger, and the Los Angeles Lakers wrapped up the generous portion of their schedule with their 11th straight victory.

Pau Gasol had 17 points and a career-high 20 rebounds for the defending champions, who improved the NBA's best record to 18-3 while finishing a season-opening stretch with 17 of their first 21 games at home. Ron Artest scored 16 points and Lamar Odom added 13 for Los Angeles, which hasn't lost since Nov. 15.

Yet the Lakers also got a scare when Bryant hurt the index finger on his right hand while reaching for a pass late in the first quarter. Bryant has an avulsion fracture, in which a small piece of bone tears away near a ligament or tendon.

KNICKS 113, HORNETS 96: At New Orleans, Al Harrington scored 28 points and New York scored the game's last 18 points.