Cavaliers cruise past slumping Celtics

The Cleveland Cavaliers claimed the momentum in the NBA's Eastern Conference race with a 98-83 win over a slumping Boston Celtics on Friday, in a game foreshadowing their potential playoff showdown. LeBron James scored 38 points, harassed Paul Pierce all over the floor and strengthened his case to be the league's MVP front-runner as the Cleveland Cavaliers improved to 19-0 at home. James scored 23 in the second half. He added seven rebounds, six assists, four steals and three blocks as the Cavaliers surged to a 20-point lead in the second...read full article