Ronnie And TKras

Ronnie And TKras

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VIDEO: LeBron Hits OT Buzzer Beater Over T-Wolves!

VIA ESPN: CLEVELAND -- For a team that seemed to be falling  apart heading into Wednesday's game, LeBron James and the Cleveland  Cavaliers did a nice job of coming together when it mattered most in a  140-138 overtime win over the Minnesota Timberwolves.

As usual, it  was James who saved the day, making a block on Jimmy Butler in the waning seconds to keep the game tied, then hitting a jumper over Butler  at the buzzer to win it.

"I knew [Butler] was going to go iso once  we made the switch on our rookie Cedi [Osman],"  James said of the  final sequence. "So, just trying to keep my weakside  awareness. I was  able to get the block and keep it in bounds, which  allowed us to get  that play.

"Coach [Tyronn] Lue called up a great play, Jeff Green gave me a heck of a pass, and I just trusted my instincts and let it go."

James paced the Cavs all night, going off for his ninth triple-double of the   season with 37 points, 15 assists and 10 rebounds, while J.R. Smith  provided a much-needed 20 points, setting an early tone for a Cavs team  that was embarrassed in a Tuesday night loss to the Orlando Magic.

"It was a great win. We needed this after that tough night in Orlando,"   James said. "Our guys stuck with it even though [the Timberwolves] were   shooting the heck out of the ball. They shot 58 percent from the  field,  but we were still able to win."

Neither the Timberwolves nor the Cavs had much interest in playing defense Wednesday, as both   teams seemingly got any shot they wanted. They set an NBA record with a   combined 40 3-pointers (on 74 attempts), but James and the Cavs did  just  enough in the final minute to secure the win.

The   Cavs needed this win in a bad way given how the past month has   unfolded. They entered Wednesday having lost 13 out of 19 since   Christmas Day and repeatedly have found themselves in the headlines  amid  talk of unrest behind the scenes. As always in the NBA, the only  real  cure for quieting negative noise over the course of a long season  is  finding ways to win. Whether this victory helps get the Cavs back on   track remains to be seen, but James offered yet another reminder of  just  how dominant he can be when he wants to take over a game and pull  his  team across the finish line.

After James hit the winner, the sellout crowd at Quicken Loans Arena went crazy as he happily waved his arms in celebration.

"It's   big for camaraderie," Lue said. "When you make a big shot like that  and  the whole team's running around the floor chest-bumping, that's a  great  sign.

"That's how we've got to be. I think we've got to   enjoy the game more. I know there's a lot of talk and stuff out there   media-wise, but all in all, we live a great life. We've just got to  have  fun and enjoy the game of basketball, something we've all loved to  do  since birth. Lay it all on the line, have fun and then live with  the  results."

The finish capped a frenetic offensive night  for  both teams. The Cavs also can take heart in the fact that their  bench  outscored the Timberwolves' bench 43-31, providing a solid lift in  a  game in which James played 48 minutes.

James'  fifth career  buzzer-beater (including playoffs) spoiled Butler's huge  night, which  included 35 points, 6 assists and 5 rebounds. Karl-Anthony Towns also  had a big night with 30 points (6-for-6 from deep) and 10 rebounds.

"He's   a great player and there's a reason why he's regarded as one of the   best players to play this game," Towns said of James. "He has a great   quickness, got great speed, has skill, obviously is a big man, so he's   got a lot of things going his way. And when he was having those kinds  of  nights like tonight -- Jimmy played amazing defense on him -- but he   was having one of those nights where the rim looked like an ocean to   him."

The Timberwolves hope to bounce back quickly on Friday as  they take on a Chicago Bulls team that has lost seven in a row. It will  mark the first time former Bulls Butler and Taj Gibson face off against  their former team at the United Center.


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