LeBron provides a stirring spectacle

The Cavs star did it all against the Wolves. He scored, passed, rebounded -- and sang Christmas karaoke during timeouts.

By JERRY ZGODA, Star Tribune

Last update: December 18, 2008 - 7:17 AM

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CLEVELAND 93, WOLVES 70

Up next: vs. Houston • 7 p.m. Saturday Target Center • TV: Ch. 45 (1130-AM)

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See more photos from Wednesday night's Wolves-Cleveland matchup at startribune.com/galleries

What, LeBron James worry?

The NBA superstar arrived at Target Center on Wednesday night for his lone appearance there this season. His performance was so assured that he not only scored a seemingly effortless 32 points in Cleveland's runaway 93-70 victory over the Timberwolves, he sang along and snapped his fingers in time to Christmas music during a first-quarter break.

Long before he and the Cavaliers scored 36 of the game's final 50 points, James hopped up on the scorer's table during a timeout and sang along with Brenda Lee's oldie, "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree."

Moments later, he finally gave an audience announced at 14,899 fans who watched their hometown team lose an 11th consecutive game something to cheer about -- or at least ooh and aah -- when he switched hands in midair for a lovely reverse layup.

"Always," James said when asked about the relaxed singing-snapping manner with which he played. "That's me. I love the game of basketball. I love to compete. I'm always having fun."

Still unbelievably only 23 years old, James made seven of his first eight shots, his only miss being a shot heaved from beyond halfcourt at the end of the first half.

"And he almost made that one," Wolves guard Kevin Ollie said.

The Cavaliers potentially began another winning streak four nights after their 11-gamer ended at Atlanta by keeping the Wolves 0-for-December. The Wolves haven't won since beating Oklahoma City on Mike Miller's buzzer-beater on Nov. 28, and they are 0-6 since Kevin McHale replaced fired Randy Wittman as coach.

The Cavs are 21-4, the Wolves are 4-21.

The Wolves were within a point with less than four minutes left in the third quarter. The Cavs, though, scored the quarter's final six points, then delivered a 30-14 fourth quarter in which James scored 14 of his 32 points before he came to the bench with 3:20 left in the game.

Minnesota fans gave him a partial standing ovation and then headed for the exits with their team trailing by 19 points. The Wolves got themselves there because they couldn't prevent James from scoring every which way -- a couple of three-pointers that looked like afterthoughts, precise drives to the basket and one soaring slam dunk -- and they couldn't keep Cavs guard Delonte West from successfully attacking the rim.

"Too much LeBron in that stretch," McHale said.

In his team's locker room afterward, James was asked if he knew a fellow Ohioan -- Vikings cornerback Antoine Winfield -- was in the stands Wednesday.

"Yeah, Pro Bowl," James said. "Not Ohioan, Akron."

Akron, James' hometown. Where they make those tires and stuff?

"Nah," he said. "They make super- stars."

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