Cavs pound Bobcats 122-95 for most lopsided win since James days

The Bobcats' Kemba Walker steals the ball from Kyrie Irving during the second quarter Wednesday in Cleveland. Irving had 22 points, but didn't play the fourth quarter in the Cavs' lopsided 122-95 win. (AP Photo/Mark Duncan)

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CLEVELAND: Kyrie Irving spent the fourth quarter Wednesday relaxing at the end of the Cavs bench, a towel draped over his head and cracking jokes with the rest of the team’s starters.

It was a strange but familiar feeling for the Cavs, who haven’t enjoyed a victory this easy since LeBron James played his home games at the Q.

Irving had 22 points, Dion Waiters had 19 and the Cavs pounded the Charlotte Bobcats 122-95 for the team’s most lopsided victory since May 7, 2010 – James’ last win with the Cavaliers.

The Bobcats concluded a five-game, 10-day road trip and played like a team ready to get home. The Cavs shot a season-best 57 percent, outscored them in the paint 50-30 and gave the type of performance coach Byron Scott was expecting against an inferior opponent.

The Cavs have struggled against teams with losing records all season, but not on this night. The game was so out of hand, the starters didn’t play the fourth quarter.

The Bobcats lost all five games on this trip and have dropped eight of their last nine. They went scoreless for nearly four minutes in the second quarter while the Cavs scored 14 consecutive points to blow open a 50-29 lead. The Cavs extended the lead to 33 in the third quarter and took a 100-67 lead into the fourth. They began the night averaging 96 points per game.

Irving made all five of his 3-point attempts, Mo Speights had 11 points and 10 rebounds off the bench and the Cavs improved to 14-1 at home all-time against the Bobcats.

The victory was the Cavs’ largest since a 124-95 win over the Boston Celtics in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference