Cleveland Cavaliers look like their old selves with victory over Indiana Pacers
By Brian Windhorst
November 20, 2009, 11:00PM
INDIANAPOLIS -- It was a flashback night. All the way to back to, well, early 2009.
The Cavaliers have been experiencing some success over the previous couple of weeks, but often were doing it without following the team blueprint exactly. The fourth quarter, which was where the team was surgical for much of last season, often has turned into a queasy thrill ride this season.
But then came Friday night, when the Cavs found themselves down five points heading to the fourth in Conseco Fieldhouse against a much-improved Indiana Pacers outfit.
Just as they were staring at a losing streak, though, they remembered their roots and ended up delivering perhaps the most satisfying victory of the season.
The defense started working together and with physical energy, and the offense flowed through LeBron James, it didn't just stop with him. The result was a 105-95 victory over the Pacers (5-5) and easily the Cavs' (9-4) best fourth-quarter performance of the season.
James scored 10 of his season-high 40 points in the final seven minutes. The Cavs' reserves made up the deficit and gave the team a lead while James got his early-quarter rest. And for the first time in five games, the team didn't give up 100 points because it smothered the Pacers' offense.
"Our team is all based on defense, and when we get stops like that it makes offense easier," James said. "It was a great way to finish the game off like we did."
After having trouble defending the Pacers' pick-and-roll for much of the night -- Indiana was shooting 54 percent through three quarters thanks to plenty of free space -- the Cavs bodied them up. Just about everyone who was on the floor showed the Cavs' defense of old by stepping into lanes, fighting through picks and showing hustle in rotations.
The Pacers managed just 13 points in the quarter, making just 4 of 18 shots.
"We have to concentrate on the defensive end of the floor and it was good to see that it started on the defensive end first," Cavs Coach Mike Brown said. "Sometimes you go through stretches where you're scoring easy and it can have a carryover effect; we have to understand our team is built on defense."
James made things happen offensively all night, hitting his first eight shots, and he piled up nine rebounds and seven assists. In the fourth he was able to find teammates, especially forward Anthony Parker and his top pupil, forward J.J. Hickson.
Parker, who had 12 points, made a clutch jumper. Hickson, who had 15 points and seven rebounds, had three baskets. Before James came in the game, forward Jamario Moon made a big 3-pointer and guard Mo Williams scored five of his 18 points to help the Cavs get into position to win.
"We had some defensive lapses but we fought through them and stayed together as a team," Hickson said.
"I'm understanding the game more, my teammates make the game easy for me and [I'm] doing what I can."
James slammed the door when he buried a long 3-pointer with 53 seconds left and the shot clock nearly up. But his defense on Pacers forward Danny Granger, who scored 19 points but just three in the fourth, was just as vital.
So was Cavs center Zydrunas Ilgauskas, who suffered through a 1-of-12 shooting night but added 11 rebounds and played strong defense in the final moments.
Even Hickson, not known for his defensive acumen, helped the defensive cause. He chased around Pacers forward Troy Murphy and blew up numerous Pacers' pick-and-roll chances with his quickness.
The Cavs are 6-1 over the past two weeks with Hickson in the starting lineup as he continues to get minutes at both the beginnings and ends of games.
"Three weeks ago," Brown joked, "I didn't even know his name." 
