DENVER (AP) – LeBron James scored 34 points on the eve of his 31st birthday, Iman Shumpert added a season-high 16 and the Cavaliers beat the Denver Nuggets 93-87 on Tuesday night.
Kevin Love had eight points and 14 rebounds to help Cleveland finish off a four-game West Coast swing with a 2-2 mark. The Cavaliers rested Kyrie Irving on the second night of a back-to-back as he works his way back from a fractured left kneecap.
Reserve Will Barton had 29 for the injury-riddled Nuggets, who’ve now dropped six of seven. They were once again without Danilo Gallinari (sprained left ankle) and rookie Emmanuel Mudiay (sprained right ankle).
Trailing by 11 with 3:07 remaining, the Nuggets resorted to fouling Tristan Thompson, who’s a 56 percent free throw shooter. Thompson struggled at the line, hitting 1 of 4, but Denver couldn’t capitalize.