LeBron youngest to score 2000 points

LeBron James scored 26 points to become the youngest player in NBA history to reach 2,000 in a career, leading the Cleveland Cavaliers to a 96-74 victory over the Chicago Bulls on Saturday night in Cleveland.

At 19 years, 272 days old, James is 277 days younger than Kobe Bryant was when he set the mark on Feb. 23, 1999, with the Los Angeles Lakers. James also had seven assists and seven rebounds in 32 minutes.

Jeff McInnis scored 16 points for Cleveland, which won for the ninth time in 10 games and handed the Bulls their 10th loss in 11 games.

Eddy Curry scored 20 points to lead Chicago, which went 1-6 on a seven-game trip.

James hit a 16-foot fadeaway with 1:03 remaining in the third quarter to reach 2,000. That was his final shot in the game because he went to the bench after three quarters with the Cavaliers comfortably ahead 76-52.

The reigning NBA rookie of the year hit six of his first seven shots and had 17 points in the first half. He finished 11 for 17 from the field, mostly on slam dunks and spin moves to the basket. The most sensational was a resounding slam off an alley-oop pass from McInnis that sparked the Cavaliers on an 18-7 run early in the third quarter.

Bobcats 107, Hawks 92: At Charlotte, N.C., Reserve Eddie House scored 17 points and Emeka Okafor had 14 points and 10 rebounds for his fourth straight double-double for Charlotte, which beat Atlanta. Reserve Keith Bogans added 15 points for the expansion Bobcats, who won their third game – all at home. Al Harrington scored 27 points and Antoine Walker 24 in Atlanta’s sixth straight loss. The struggling Hawks failed to score 100 points for the 13th straight game.

Magic 105, 76ers 99: At Orlando, Fla., Grant Hill scored 29 points and Steve Francis added 26, leading Orlando past Philadelphia for its fourth win in five games. Francis had 15 in the fourth quarter, including six in the final 48 seconds to seal the win – and put the Magic into first place by percentage points over the Miami Heat. Allen Iverson had 27 points and 10 assists for his third straight double-double for Philadelphia. Defended for much of the night by Jameer Nelson – the consensus college player of the year at Saint Joseph’s last season – Iverson shot just 7 for 25 against his fellow Philadelphia hoops sensation. Marc Jackson had 17 points and a season-best 11 rebounds for the Sixers, who have lost four straight on the road.

Knicks 108, Raptors 102: At New York, Jamal Crawford scored 30 points, Stephon Marbury had 18 points and 15 assists and Tim Thomas scored 17 to lead New York past Toronto. The totals for Crawford, Marbury and Thomas were all personal bests for the young season. Starters Nazr Mohammed and Kurt Thomas reached double figures in both points and rebounds as the Knicks avenged a 23-point loss to the Raptors three days earlier. Vince Carter led Toronto with 19 points and Morris Peterson added 18.

Nuggets 82, Rockets 76: At Houston, Andre Miller scored 20 points and Kenyon Martin had 19 as Denver picked up its first road win in its defeat of Houston. The Nuggets had a scare in the third quarter when Carmelo Anthony sprained his right ankle. He hit the floor hard on a foul by Bob Sura with 2:21 left in the period and stayed down for several minutes before being helped off the floor. X-rays were negative and Anthony is day-to-day. Tracy McGrady and Scott Padgett each had 14 points for Houston, which lost its third in a row. Houston activated Sura and placed guard Charlie Ward on the injured list with a bruised right knee before the game.

Mavericks 98, Grizzlies 85: At Memphis, Tenn., Dirk Nowitzki scored 32 points and grabbed 18 rebounds in Dallas’ victory over Memphis, sending the Grizzlies to their second loss in as many games since Hubie Brown retired suddenly as coach. Jerry Stackhouse added 20 points, Erick Dampier 16 and Josh Howard 12 for Dallas, which won its second straight after a three-game losing streak. Mike Miller led Memphis with 20 points, and Pau Gasol had 16 points and 13 rebounds for the Grizzlies. It was the team’s first home appearance since Brown announced his retirement Thursday.

Spurs 109, Jazz 76: At San Antonio, Malik Rose scored a season-high 16 points, and San Antonio made nine of their first 10 shots en route to defeating Utah. Manu Ginobili added 15 points, Tony Parker and Devin Brown each had 14 and Tim Duncan had 12 points and 13 rebounds for the Spurs, who shot 12 for 16 in the opening quarter. Matt Harpring scored 15 points and Gordan Giricek 14 to lead the Jazz, who played most of the night without Andrei Kirilenko, their No. 2 scorer and rebounder. Kirilenko went down with a sprained right knee in a collision with San Antonio’s Beno Udrih early in the second quarter.

Bucks 96, Pistons 90: At Milwaukee, Michael Redd scored 20 of his 29 points in the second half, Keith Van Horn added 20 points and Milwaukee ended a six-game losing streak with a victory over Detroit Pistons. Maurice Williams added 10 points and a career-high 13 assists for the Bucks, who hadn’t won in two weeks. They last beat New Orleans 94-91 on Nov. 13. Tayshuan Prince and Rasheed Wallace each scored 20 points to lead the Pistons.

Fratello meets with Grizzlies

Former NBA coach Mike Fratello met with Memphis Grizzlies officials about the team’s vacant coaching position.

Grizzlies owner Michael Heisley said that the former Atlanta Hawks and Cleveland Cavaliers coach met with president of basketball operation Jerry West.

“Jerry basically interviewed or talked with Mike Fratello,” Heisley said. “He didn’t tell me what went on in the interview. I haven’t talked to him about it, and I haven’t talked to Mike Fratello about it. I assume they had a good talk, and I have no reason to believe they won’t be talking again.”

Fratello has been mentioned as the replacement for 71-year-old Hubie Brown, who retired Thursday citing unspecified health reasons. Assistant coach Lionel Hollins was named interim coach.

“Nothing’s been said to me,” Hollins said before Saturday’s game against the Mavericks. “I just know I was asked to coach. That’s what I was asked to do.”

Fratello, a television analyst for Turner Sports, coached the Hawks for eight seasons and the Cavaliers for six. His overall NBA record is 572-465.

Heisley said the decision on a new coach is being handled by West, and he is unaware of a timetable for naming Brown’s replacement.