A January night to remember in June

CLEVELAND: The team that has some kind of fourth-quarter mojo going this season did it again Thursday night.

In a January game with June feelings, the Cavs played without Mo Williams and faced the defending-champion Los Angeles Lakers.

No Mo?

No problem.

Well, small problem. Nothing that a superstar could not overcome, though.

With the game on the line, the Cavs turned to the guy they turn to with Williams in the game. LeBron James, the reigning MVP, made play after play after play in the final quarter as the Cavs beat the Lakers for the second time in two games this season.

''That's what it's about,'' James said. ''I know you guys like asking why we're waiting 'til the fourth quarter so much. We just know that's money time.

''Eighty-five percent of the time we know games are won in the fourth quarter. In our case 95 percent of the time.''

First, James scored seven points in a row (on a 3 and jumpers from 20 and 24 feet) to give the Cavs an 87-80 lead.

The Lakers came back — they are the Lakers — but James made an out-of-this-world block on Pau Gasol and followed with a driving layup to put the Cavs up by two.

When Gasol missed two free throws with 24.1 seconds left, the Cavs had command.

With 23.4 seconds left and the Cavs waiting to inbound the ball, James rapped right along to Forever with Eminem.

See the superstar.

See the superstar sing to every word.

Anyone here nervous?

''It was a fun game,'' James said. ''A lot of people told me it was fun to watch. Well it was fun to play.''

The game was sealed when James made a flying between-his-legs save and the Cavs up 92-87.

In the end, it was a fourth quarter for forever, as James scored 12 points, grabbed three rebounds and added the block and nearly inexplicable save.

And the Cavs beat the Lakers 93-87.

Which makes a statement in the regular season. But as everyone learned a year ago, the regular season takes a very significant back seat to the playoffs.

In this game, Lakers coach Phil Jackson made the unusual move of sitting Kobe Bryant for more than six minutes of the fourth quarter.

When Bryant went back in the game, Cavs coach Mike Brown doubled him every time he touched the ball.

Jackson chose not to double James.

Somehow you'd have to think a 10-ring coach like Jackson would have something else in store come the playoffs.

Just as you'd think Gasol would not clank two free throws in a clutch situation.

Another moment came in the third quarter, when James ran full tilt down the court and toward the first row of fans.

James hurdled full speed over the front row — just to the right of Jackson.

Jackson leaned ever-so-slightly to the left as James flew by.

With most attention on James, Jackson then gestured toward the court to voice his displeasure about something.

It was that kind of game, that kind of night — where a flying superstar was barely noticed and secondary to the game on the court.

It really doesn't get a lot better on a Thursday night in January. A raucous and earsplitting crowd jamming the Q. Lil Wayne sitting courtside, Kim Kardashian throwing a party downtown after the game.

The night even included Bryant scoring his 25,000th point, making him the youngest in NBA history to reach that mark.

But for the Cavs, this night was also about the next six weeks. The news that Mo Williams' strained left shoulder could keep him out that long brought a sobering tone to the pregame.

Williams is the Cavs' second-leading scorer. He's played in all but one game since he joined the Cavs. He shoots 90 percent on free throws.

Most important, he provides a legitimate scoring option outside — as his 43 percent on 3-point attempts attests.

The Cavs missed that scoring against the Lakers, as Delonte West was not the good Delonte, and Anthony Parker scored just eight points.

The Cavs will have to adjust for Williams' absence, but they've made adjustments in the past.

Last season, West broke a bone in his wrist.

Zydrunas Ilgauskas missed a few games.

The Cavs still won 66 games.

Injuries happen in the NBA. Bryant played against the Cavs with a fracture in his right index finger. This season's Cavs might have more and better depth, what with Shaquille O'Neal and Zydrunas Ilgauskas and J.J. Hickson (an outstanding game with 11 points and 14 rebounds) and Anderson Varejao.

It will miss Williams.

But it has West — and it's obvious now why the Cavs treated him so delicately after his weapons-possession arrest in the offseason. He now becomes the starting point guard.

Make no mistake: The Cavs will win.

They will win because they have James, who will not let them lose.

And they will win because they have the personnel to adjust and the flexibility to play different lineups. They will win.

Just as they did against the Lakers, twice.

They will win, and they will play deep into the postseason in May and June.

Of that, we can be sure.