11/13/06 - Cavs @ Knicks - Postgame & Comments

Preview:In little more than three seasons, LeBron James has established himself as one of the NBA's brightest stars. He needs to keep improving his game, though, when playing against the lowly New York Knicks.

James and the Cavaliers (4-2) meet the Knicks at Madison Square Garden on Monday in the first of four matchups between the teams this season.

James is averaging 28.0 points per game and 26.5 for his career, but has not fared well when playing New York (2-5). In nine career games versus the Knicks, James is averaging only 22.7 points per game - his lowest average against any Eastern Conference team.

The only teams he has a worse average against are Denver (21.3), the Los Angeles Clippers (20.0) and Houston (19.7), all Western Conference opponents.

Cleveland was 1-2 last season against New York with James averaging 36.0 points per game. He did not play in the Cavs' 91-87 home win on April 13 because of a sprained ankle.

The Cavaliers have lost three in a row and 12 of its last 16 at MSG since 1998.

James may have some momentum after leading Cleveland to what's believed to be one of the biggest comeback wins in franchise history. The Cavaliers beat the Boston Celtics on Saturday 94-93 after trailing by 11 to open the game and 25 in the third quarter.

``We could have packed it up, but that's not who I am,'' said James, who scored 25 of his 38 points in the second half. ``Any time I'm on the court, it doesn't matter how many points we're down, we always have a chance to win.''

He was just 9-of-17 from the floor, but 19-of-23 from the free-throw line.

``We have a never say die attitude,'' James said. ``Me as a leader, I have to feel that way and I have to put the team on my back by any means necessary.''

New York (2-5) returns home looking for its first win of the new season at MSG after dropping two of the final three games of a road trip, including a 100-92 defeat against the San Antonio Spurs on Saturday.

Quentin Richardson had 21 points and 11 rebounds while Jamal Crawford added 18 points and five assists.

``We had a slow start, which made it kind of tough for us,'' said Richardson, who leads the Knicks with 19.1 points per game - one of six players to reach double figures. ``We got to figure out how to exert more energy and stay closer'' at the beginning.

Crawford, selected eighth overall by the Cavaliers in 2000 before being dealt on draft night to Chicago, averaged 27.3 points in three games against Cleveland last season.

New York has lost four in a row a home, and has eclipsed the 100-point mark one in the last nine games there dating back to last season.

So far in 2006-07, New York has lost by an average of 13.0 points per game at home.