Cavaliers-Hawks Preview

(AP) -- LeBron James is returning to Atlanta for the first time since he effectively ended last year's Eastern Conference finals with strong efforts in the first two games.

The Cleveland Cavaliers star just gave die-hard Hawks fans even more reason to boo him Friday night.

James just passed former Atlanta great Dominique Wilkins for 12th place on the NBA's career scoring list heading into this matchup with a Hawks team seeking to avoid consecutive defeats for the first time in over a month.

Cleveland (53-22) swept Atlanta in the East finals last season, with James totaling 61 points, 17 assists and 17 rebounds in the first two games on the road.

The four-time MVP had 24 points and 11 assists in Thursday's 107-87 rout of lowly Brooklyn, sitting out the fourth quarter. He passed Wilkins with a three-point play in the first quarter and has 26,689 career points.

"It's great to be in that position," said James, who needs 22 points to pass Oscar Robertson for 11th. "It's an honor."

Wilkins, who finished with 26,668, is expected to attend Friday. James says his focus isn't on greeting the legend.

"If the opportunity presents itself but obviously my mind is to try to knock off a team that is playing very well as of late," James said.

Nobody logged more minutes for Cleveland on Thursday than the 30 by James in a mismatch the Cavaliers led by 24 points at halftime. That was part of the plan, according to coach Tyronn Lue.

"(I'm) not resting anyone tomorrow," Lue said. "I thought tonight coming out to start the game, we wanted to come out and try to take care of this team early and try to have our legs for tomorrow night's game."

Atlanta (45-31) has won nine of 11 and holds a one-game lead over Miami and Charlotte in the Southeast Division race. The Hawks, whose last losing streak was a three-game slide Feb. 19-22, will feel they have something to prove after losing 105-97 at Toronto on Wednesday.

Jeff Teague was the only starter to reach double digits 18 points as the Hawks trailed by as many as 24.

"We have to be better against a team like this," coach Mike Budenholzer said. "I think it's hopefully a lesson for us."

These teams met for the first time since last year's playoffs in Cleveland's 109-97 home win Nov. 21. Kevin Love had 25 points and 11 boards and James added 19 and 11 with eight assists as the Cavaliers dominated and led by as many as 26.

Paul Millsap and Kyle Korver each had 14 points for the Hawks, who shot 37.2 percent - which is their third-worst mark of the season.

This contest will be different since Kyrie Irving had yet to make his season debut for the Cavs, while Hawks point guard Teague struggled to make 3 of 12 shots for 13 points after missing his previous three games with a sprained left ankle.

Cleveland is hoping Thursday's romp bodes well since it has lost its last three games on the second nights of back-to-backs.

"Hopefully this will help us out in tomorrow's game with having legs and being ready to play because we haven't been great on back-to-backs," Lue said.