LeBron James was in the giving spirit and Dion Waiters was in attack mode. Together it translated into the Cavaliers routing the Memphis Grizzlies, 105-91, at The Q on Sunday.
James had nine assists at the half, illustrating how he was in the table-setting mood from the onset. He finished with 25 points and a game-high 11 assists.
But it was Waiters who took the team home, putting up 13 of his 21 points in the final quarter to create the distance needed to secure the victory.
Cleveland (16-10) shot out of the gate in dominating fashion, going up 20-6. It wasn’t looking appealing for the Grizzlies as center Marc Gasol got in early foul trouble and had to sit midway through the quarter.
However, Memphis went on a 13-2 run to end the first down by three. With momentum on the side of the Grizzlies, the Cavaliers’ bench would change the dynamic.
Shawn Marion and Waiters generated a spark during their initial stint. The team’s morale was picked up as the two scored eight and six points, respectively, in the quarter.
Marion found the open seams around the basket and Waiters slashed his way for easy layups. Cleveland took a 52-41 halftime lead.
Gasol did his best to keep his team within striking distance. He scored 13 of his 23 points in the third. He also had 11 rebounds and five assists.
The Grizzlies had life until Waiters imposed his will and anchored the Cavaliers to their second straight win.
Cavs center Anderson Varejao was efficient on the pick-and-roll, finishing with a flurry of layups in traffic. He had 18 points on 9-of-12 from the field to go along with seven boards. Guard Kyrie Irving registered his third double-double of the season with 17 points and he tied a career-high of 12 assists.
Waiters provided 18 points and Marion tied a season-high of 11 points.
Surprisingly, this is the second time this season Memphis (21-6) has suffered a two-game losing streak.
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