NBA - Skinner scores 20 as Bucks beat Cavaliers ( 2003-10-14 14:44) (Agencies)
Rookie LeBron James didn't do much but help sell tickets to his home
exhibition debut Monday night as the Cleveland Cavaliers lost 87-81 to the
Milwaukee Bucks.
James finished with 10 points on 4-of-14 shooting for the Cavs (2-1). The No.
1 overall draft pick, who played at Gund Arena in high school but never in an
NBA uniform, added six rebounds and three assists in a team-high 29 minutes.
Brian Skinner scored 20 points and Michael Redd added 15 to pace the Bucks
(2-2), who outscored the Cavs 29-15 in the third period to blow it open.
Skinner sat out Milwaukee's previous two preseason games and was listed as
day to day before the game. However, the former Cavs player looked fine while
going 9-for-12 from the floor and adding five rebounds.
Skinner capped a 25-5 run at the end of the third quarter by stripping James
under the basket and making a layup just before the buzzer.
Because of James, the Cavs are selling tickets like never before for the
upcoming season and 16,354 came out to see James' first game at the Gund.
It took only 12 seconds for James to energize the home crowd and give them a
glimpse of the future.
After picking up a loose ball, James threw a long pass to Ricky Davis, who
went in for a dunk for the game's first basket. When Davis slammed it through,
James raised both arms and index fingers in the air.
He made a few more nice passes, but seemed reluctant to drive to the basket
until late in the game and never really got into the flow of the offense.
J.R. Bremer led the Cavs with 16 points, Davis had 14 and Carlos Boozer added
13 rebounds.
Bucks rookie T.J. Ford had six points and five assists before fouling out.
