Cavs’ momentum continues with 122-95 rout of Bobcats

2/6/2013

CLEVELAND — Kyrie Irving scored 22 points in just three quarters, rookie Dion Waiters added 19, and the Cleveland Cavaliers didn't overlook a team with a worse record than their own, rolling to a 122-95 win over the Charlotte Bobcats on Wednesday night.

The Cavs were coming off a stunning upset of Oklahoma City, one of the league's best teams. It would have been easy to take the lowly Bobcats (11-37) for granted, but Cleveland came out energized from the start, built a 33-point lead after three quarters and sent Charlotte to its 11th loss in 13 games.

Tristan Thompson scored 17 for the young-and-improving Cavs, who are 8-9 since Jan. 1.

Byron Mullens scored 15 to pace Charlotte. Bobcats leading scorer Kemba Walker, averaging 17.8 points per game, had just five on 2-of-11 shooting.

Cavs coach Byron Scott was eager to see how his team would respond after Cleveland's stunning win over the talent-thick Thunder. While trying not to disrespect the Bobcats, Scott said before tipoff that “this is a game we should win ... this is the game you should be the most worried about as a basketball player.”

As it turned out, the Cavs had no concerns and coasted to their biggest win since May 7, 2010, against Boston — LeBron James’ last victory as a member of the Cavaliers.

By halftime, Cleveland was ahead by 28 points, shooting 62 percent from the floor and coasting toward a rare blowout win.

Irving, Thompson, and Waiters went a combined 17 of 23 from the field in the first half as the Bobcats struggled.