DENVER (AP) -- LeBron James had 22 points and 11 assists on a poor shooting night by Cleveland's Big Three, helping the Cavaliers hold on for a 110-101 win over the Denver Nuggets on Friday.
James, Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving were a combined 19 of 45 from the floor. The Cavaliers had seven players score in double figures and finished 1-2 on their road trip.
Cleveland wound up with 25 assists two nights after the team tied a franchise record with just six in a loss at Utah.
Randy Foye scored 28 points for the Nuggets, who have dropped four in a row. Denver played without speedy point guard Ty Lawson after he was scratched due to a sore left ankle.
Splitting time at point guard with Irving, James looked determined to get everyone involved, passing up shots in order distribute the ball.
After leading by as many as 21 in the third quarter, the Cavs took their foot off the accelerator and the Nuggets pounced.
They trimmed the lead to six on a jumper by Wilson Chandler with 4:30 remaining. But then Dion Waiters had a steal and a dunk, followed by a jumper, to increase the lead.
Irving finished with 12 points and six assists. He had 34 points and no assists in the loss to the Jazz.
A good sign for Denver was Danilo Gallinari finding his shooting touch. He was 3 for 6 from the field, making two 3-pointers, and finished with 10 points. Gallinari is returning to the court after missing nearly 18 months with a knee injury.
Earlier this week, James wrote on his Twitter account for everyone to "relax." The message was in response to talk about Cleveland's slow start.
The Cavaliers certainly played relaxed -- at least early on. Although, it got tight just when the game appeared to be turning into a rout.
At the morning shootaround, James dismissed reports that he and Irving recently got into a heated disagreement. James said the two are simply trying to get on the same page.
Things got a little rough with 4.4 seconds left in the first quarter, when Darrell Arthur smacked Waiters as he went in for a layup. Waiters stayed down for several minutes.
Arthur was called for a flagrant-2 foul and his night was finished.
TIP-INS
Cavaliers: Matthew Dellavedova (sprained knee) missed his second straight game. ... Asked if the team might be in the market for another backup point guard, coach David Blatt said: "We're not looking for anyone else at this moment, not that I know of anyway."
Nuggets: J.J. Hickson served the last of a five-game suspension for violating the terms of the league's anti-drug program. ... Center Timofey Mozgov played for Blatt on the Russian national team when the squad captured a bronze medal at the 2012 London Games. "Except for tonight, I've got a very, very soft spot in my heart for him," Blatt said. ... Broncos WR Demaryius Thomas, TE Julius Thomas and DB Chris Harris were in attendance.
UP NEXT
Cavaliers: Host New Orleans on Monday.
Nuggets: Visit Portland on Sunday.
