CLEVELAND, Dec. 23 (UPI) -- Eric Williams scored seven straight points Tuesday to give the Cavaliers their first lead with 7:33 left on the way to a 97-86 victory over New Orleans.
Williams hit a jumper from the right side, a 3-pointer and another jumper to make it 77-72 with 6:55 left. His flurry capped a 27-10 run that started midway through the third quarter.
After going scoreless in the first half, Williams finished with 16 points. Rookie LeBron James led the Cavaliers with 22, including an acrobatic lefthanded layup with 1:45 left off a steal that made it 87-78.
The Hornets led by as many as 16 points in the third quarter, but Baron Davis went cold in the second half, shooting 2-of-14.
Although Davis scored 27 points, New Orleans lost for the fourth time in five games.
