Final Score: Cavs beat Wizards 140-135 in overtime thriller

So far this season, the Cleveland Cavaliers have struggled when LeBron James isn’t on the floor. Monday night’s game against the Washington Wizards was the exception.

After LeBron banked in a three to send the game into overtimes, James fouled out early in overtime. In his absence, Kyrie Irving scored 11 of his 23 points - including a go-ahead three from the same spot as his title winning three - in overtime and Kevin Love hit two foul shots with 3.6 seconds left to seal Cleveland’s 140-135 win.

James finished with 32 points, a career-high 17 assists and seven rebounds. His banked in three - set up by a Love pass - with .9 seconds left in regulation sent the game to overtime a possession after he blew a wide open layup. In the fourth, he scored 13 points to carry Cleveland.

He also passed former Cavs coach and NBA legend Lenny Wilkens for 13th on the NBA’s all-time assist list. His foul out was his first since 2014 when he was still with the Miami Heat and just the fifth time he’s ever fouled out.

Love finished with 39 points and 12 rebounds. During a key stretch in the third quarter, he kept the Cavs in it during a 19-4 stretch and scored 15 points in the period. Tristan Thompson added a season-high 22 points to along with 12 boards.

The Wizards came into the game as one of the East’s hottest teams. They had won 17 straight at home and seven straight overall. Bradley Beal lead Washington with 41 points with John Wall adding 22 and Otto Porter adding 25, including 15 from behind the arc.

The only blip on the night was losing Iman Shumpert to an ankle sprain. Shumpert hurt his ankle with guarding Beal in the first half and did not return. His status for Wednesday’s game against the Indiana Pacers is not yet known. Tipoff for Cavs-Pacers is at 7 p.m. in Indianapolis.