CLEVELAND (AP) — LeBron James had an NBA playoff debut that was simply Magical.

Showcasing his spectacular skills as a pro in the postseason for the first time, James recorded a triple-double and brought the Cleveland Cavaliers back to the playoffs in style with a 97-86 win over the Washington Wizards on Saturday.

James finished with 32 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists, becoming the first player since Magic Johnson to post a triple-double in his first playoff game.

“It’s a great class to be in,” James said.

If Game 1 of his playoff resume was any indication, James may one day be in a class by himself.

Over 48 minutes, the 21-year-old, who is battling a cold, did a little of everything to help the Cavaliers land the first blow in what could be a lengthy series between the Nos. 4 and 5 seeds in the Eastern Conference.

As always, the pregame hype centered around James, who barely missed the playoffs in his first two seasons. He hadn’t been in such a pressure-packed game since he was a high school senior, and many wondered if he could handle the pressure.

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“He’s played on big stages his whole life,” Cavs forward Drew Gooden said. “It’s expected of him.”

James is just the third player in history to get a triple-double in his playoff debut. Johnson (13 points, 12 rebounds and 16 assists) did it for the Los Angeles Lakers on April 8, 1980, and Johnny McCarthy (13 points, 11 rebounds, 11 assists) had one for St. Louis on March 16, 1960.

“Nothing he does surprises me anymore,” Cavs center Zydrunas Ilgauskas said. “He’s just a terrific player. He’s a tremendous luxury to have, knowing he can go out there any time and put up numbers like that.”

Cleveland’s first game back in the playoffs since 1998 — when James was a seventh grader — couldn’t have gone much better.

James got plenty of help from his supporting cast as Donyell Marshall added 19 points, Eric Snow 14 and Ilgauskas and Flip Murray 10 apiece for the Cavs. Game 2 is scheduled for Tuesday night at Quicken Loans Arena.

The Wizards have some work to do before then. Not only do they have to rethink their defensive strategy on James, who threw over or drove around double teams, but Washington needs to work on its free-throw and 3-point shooting.

The Wizards were only 25-of-36 from the 15-foot line and just 3-of-22 from long range.

Gilbert Arenas, Antawn Jamison and Caron Butler, Washington’s usually reliable offensive trio that came in averaging 67.4 points combined, scored 48 as Cleveland’s defense made it tough for any of them to get a good look at the basket.

“What hurt me most was my team not playing the way we are supposed to play,” Wizards coach Eddie Jordan said. “They did. We didn’t.”

Arenas led Washington with 26 points, but he got 17 of them in the fourth quarter when the Cavs were already up by double digits. Arenas fouled out with 49 seconds left when he hacked Snow, who used his thumb to show Washington’s guard the way back to the bench.

James got his 10th rebound with 22 seconds to go, prompting Cavs fans into another chorus of “M-V-P! M-V-P!,” a chant they started early in the game when Cleveland’s superstar helped an official corral a stray balloon floating near the floor.

“I was going to let the ref get it, but figured that if I grabbed it, maybe he’d give me a few more calls,” James joked.

Cleveland was up by 14 at halftime, and James helped push the Cavs’ advantage to 17 after three with a memorable assist to Murray. Driving the lane, James went into the air, turned his head to the right and delivered a left-handed scoop underneath to Murray, whose layup made it 74-57.

When the Wizards closed within 13 in the fourth, James isolated Butler on the left side, blew past him and soared for a strong layup to make it 89-74 with 4:44 remaining.

“He controlled the game,” Wizards forward Jared Jeffries said. “You could live with him getting 30 points, but what you don’t want is 11 rebounds and 11 assists.”

James showed a bit of nervousness early on, shooting an airball on his first jumper. But once he settled down, it was business as usual. He scored 13 points with four assists and three rebounds in the first quarter, helping the Cavs open a 31-20 lead.

“My first shot in my first All-Star game was an airball, too,” James said.

With the score tied 18-all, James drained a 3-pointer from up top and scored nine straight points. He then fed Marshall in the right corner for a 3 as the Cavaliers ripped off 12 in a row and closed the period with a 13-2 spurt.

Notes

James had his choice of three new pairs of Nikes to wear in his playoff debut. He selected white ones with large gold straps across the tongue. James wrote “Brenda. R.I.P” on them, a salute to a high school teammate’s mother who died recently. … The Wizards were to return home after the game. “Being an afternoon game, we can rest at home tonight and have a light practice Sunday,” Jordan said. “It’s always better to be comfortable at home.” … Wizards C Etan Thomas, who missed the final three regular-season games with back spasms, played 7 minutes and scored 2 points.

CLEVELAND (AP) — As shiny maroon and gold-colored confetti fluttered around them, the Cavaliers circled on the floor after winning their regular-season finale and peeled off their home jerseys.

Then, they kicked off their sneakers and handed the items to some lucky fans.

The Cavs don'’t have to wait until next season for new ones. This spring, there are more games to be played.

For the first time in a long time, Cleveland won'’t be watching the NBA playoffs.

A season of highs and lows, twists and turns and countless hold-your-breath moments from LeBron James will reach another level on Saturday when the Cavaliers host the Washington Wizards in Game 1 of their first-round Eastern Conference series. Game 2 of the best-of-seven series is set for Tuesday.

“Yeah, I think we'’re ready,” said Cavs guard Larry Hughes, who spent three seasons with Washington before leaving as a free agent last summer. “I know we'’ve been tested by our circumstances.”

Sure enough. The Cavaliers (50-32), returning to the playoffs for the first time since 1998, overcame losing Hughes for 45 games after he had two surgeries on a fractured middle finger. The club also withstood other ailments that necessitated continuous lineup changes and the Cavs had to shake off the lingering effects of their second-half collapse in 2005.

Despite a rookie coach, a roster of new players and James having to log too many minutes while contending with double- and triple-teams, the Cavaliers held together and posted one of the most successful regular seasons in franchise history.

“I know there were a lot of people who thought we would fold after the All-Star break, just like last year’’s team did,” said forward Donyell Marshall, who like Hughes, chose the Cavs over the Wizards in free agency. “We didn'’t.”

On their previous visit to the playoffs, the Cavaliers were a young, promising team — a lot like this one, really. Led by a still slender Shawn Kemp in ‘’98, Cleveland lost in four games to a more experienced Indiana Pacers team.

A rookie back then, Cavs center Zydrunas Ilgauskas figured he would be playing regularly in the postseason.

“I thought that was the way it always would be, you play the regular season and go to the playoffs,” said Ilgauskas, the only Cleveland player left from the ‘’98 squad. “Little did I know that it would be a long time before I got back and it really makes me appreciate it.”

Ilgauskas'’ gratitude stems from a series of medical setbacks for the 7-foot-3 Lithuanian, who nearly retired because of serious foot injuries and only came back following a radical procedure during which his left foot was rebuilt.

His comeback parallels one by the Cavaliers, who went 17-65 in the season before James arrived.

“I'’ve gone through a lot in the last eight years,” said Ilgauskas, who except for a recent sprained ankle has been exceptionally durable the past four seasons. “All the work to put my body in shape to play in the NBA paid off. I was thinking about that when we made the playoffs, but this is hopefully just the first step. This team is good enough to win in the playoffs, too.”

The Wizards took the season series between the clubs, going 3-1 by winning the final three matchups.

Recently, a few of the Washington players said they would prefer playing the Cavaliers.

“They won the series,” coach Mike Brown said. “I would want to play us, too.”

Although the No. 4 seed, the Cavaliers are seen by many as the underdog in the series because of their lack of recent playoff experience. The Wizards, on the other hand, made it to the playoffs a year ago, eliminating Chicago in the first round before losing to Miami in the conference semifinals.

But Cleveland does have players who have been to the postseason, including Hughes, who feels the biggest adjustment to playing deeper in April is staying focused during a time when there are distractions — family and friends in need of tickets, media, the warmer weather — all around.

“A lot of people say the fouls are harder, the intensity is more in the playoffs,” Hughes said. “But during the course of the season there are four or five big games that are playoff-type games, so you kind of know the intensity level.

“But for me it’s all about the focus. You know, the sun is out, every day is nice from this point on, but you’ve got to be ready to play.”

CLEVELAND (AP) — Don’t tug on Superman’s cape. Don’t touch LeBron James’ headband. Those are the rules.

Next time, the Chicago Bulls will know better.

James scored 27 of his 37 points in the second half, and took exception to the Bulls knocking his headband askew as the Cleveland Cavaliers had one of their best performances since the All-Star break, a 91-72 win over Chicago on Sunday night.

James scored eight points, including two on a ridiculous dunk, as the Cavs opened the fourth with 11 straight points to go up by 14. James had 16 points in the fourth, outscoring the Bulls, who dared mess with his headband.

“That’s like my cape,” James said. “If you knock a superhero’s cape off they get very angry.”

Playing all but 1 minute, 33 seconds, James added nine rebounds and seven assists as Cleveland went 4-0 against Chicago this season. It’s the first time the Cavs swept a season series against the Bulls since going 3-0 in the lockout-shortened 1998-99 season.

Drew Gooden added 13 points and 11 rebounds and Anderson Varejao added 13 boards for Cleveland.

Ben Gordon had 17 points, and Kirk Hinrich and Luol Deng 15 apiece for the Bulls, who could do little but watch James take over in the fourth.

“LeBron was able to get off on us a little, and we didn’t do a good job of stopping him,” Hinrich said. “He’s made big plays against us all season.”

In Cleveland’s four wins over Chicago, James averaged 34.8 points, 8.3 rebounds and 6.8 assists.

After blowing a 25-point lead in a win at Chicago last week, once the Cavs finally opened a sizable advantage they never gave it back. Cleveland was only up 63-60 entering the fourth before their 11-0 burst.

The Bulls closed within eight, but Eric Snow hit a baseline jumper and Flip Murray buried a 3-pointer to make it 79-66 with 4:55 remaining.

“We got up by double digits, and in everyone’s mind was what happened on Thursday when they made their run,” James said. “I didn’t want that to happen again.”

James fed Donyell Marshall for nearly identical 3-pointers from the corner late in the third period as the Cavs pushed their lead to 63-60 entering the fourth.

On Cleveland’s second possession of the final period, Marshall hit another 3 from the same spot to put the Cavs ahead by eight. Then, James knifed between two defenders near the foul line, blasted down the lane and dunked to make it 70-60 with 10:33 left.

Led by Darius Songaila’s 14 points and 56 percent shooting from the floor, the Bulls led 42-40 at halftime. But Songaila didn’t score in the second half and Chicago cooled off, too, going just 12-of-35 in the second half.

“We just couldn’t hit shots,” Deng said. “We had good looks but they weren’t falling and we kept turning the ball over.”

The first LeBron-leave-you-shaking-your-head moment came in the second quarter when he sprinted down the right side, filled the lane and soared for an alley-oop pass from Snow for a ferocious two-handed slam.

Notes

Chicago’s 72 points were a season-low. … James, one of 23 players selected Sunday to try out for the U.S. team for this year’s world championships and 2008 Beijing Games, had trouble remembering the last time he had to make a team. “Sixth grade, I think,” he said. James played on the 2004 team in Athens which settled for a bronze. He said a three-summer commitment is worth every second to re-establish America’s supremacy in hoops. “It’s not like we’re giving up three years,” he said. “Plus, we’ve got some unfinished business.” … Bulls F Malik Allen was inactive with a sprained neck that has been bothering him for more than a week. Andres Nocioni started in his place, but was on the bench in early foul trouble. … Cavs coach Mike Brown (36) and Bulls coach Scott Skiles (42) both celebrated their birthdays. … Bulls C Luke Schenscher, who signed a 10-day contract earlier in the day, had a No. 54 on the back of his jersey but not his last name.

CLEVELAND (AP) — In 6 shining seconds, LeBron James made a block at one end, a dunk at the other and left a lasting memory of greatness.

“It was unbelievable,” said Phoenix guard Leandro Barbosa.

James scored 32 of his 44 points in the second half, and brought Cleveland back almost all by himself as the Cavaliers rallied for their fifth straight win, 113-106 over the Phoenix Suns on Sunday.

James added 11 rebounds and seven assists for the Cavs, who trailed by 17 midway through the third quarter when their third-year superstar took control of the game.

And, in a stirring 6-second sequence of the fourth, James made one of the best plays of this NBA season — or any other.

First, he hustled back on defense and blocked a floating layup by the speedy Barbosa, whose shot would have tied it. Then, James quickly retrieved the ball, sped down the floor, eluded Boris Diaw with a head fake and delivered a vicious, right-handed dunk that gave the Cavaliers a 97-93 lead.

Two plays. Six seconds. Over 100 feet. Thousands of dropped jaws.

“I was like, ‘Holy Moley!”‘ Cavs coach Mike Brown said. “That was one of the most athletic plays I’ve ever seen.”

The Suns were stunned.

“He made a million highlights in a very short time,” said reigning league MVP Steve Nash, who led Phoenix with 24 points.

James scored 16 points in the third and added another 16 in the fourth when Cleveland’s defense finally slowed the Suns, holding the NBA’s highest-scoring team to 19 points on just 6-of-20 shooting.

During the Cavs’ winning streak, James is averaging 37.2 points, 7.8 rebounds and 7.6 assists, and his 44-point, 11-rebound, 7-assist effort has only been matched by Michael Jordan, Larry Bird and Hakeem Olajuwon since 1991-92.

But it was his game-changing block of Barbosa that stood out.

“That play was very key,” James said. “I just wanted to make a play to try and take the life out of them a little bit.”

Even more than one-half hour following the game, Barbosa got wide-eyed as he tried to describe how James ran him down from behind.

“I never saw him,” said Barbosa, who started for the injured Raja Bell. “I asked coach, ‘How did he do that?’ My teammates said I was dribbling like crazy and he still caught me. All of a sudden, he’s at the other end.”

Shawn Marion added 22 points and James Jones 20 for the Suns, who shot 66 percent from the field in the first half but only 37 percent in the second.

Sasha Pavlovic had 15 points, Donyell Marshall 14 and reserve Anderson Varejao six with seven rebounds in a season-high 19 minutes for Cleveland. The wild-haired Varejao, a Cavs fan favorite because of his hustle, missed the first two months of the season following shoulder surgery.

“We know what we are going to get out of Andy every night, that is hustle, rebounding and defense,” James said. “I know he feels good to be back playing with us. I know it’s good to see him.”

Eddie House scored 16 points for Pacific Division-leading Phoenix, which dropped to 2-2 on a six-game road trip.

James single-handedly brought the Cavs back in the third quarter, scoring 14 of his 16 in the final 7:49 of the period as Cleveland trimmed a 72-55 deficit to 87-84 going into the fourth period.

Leading 60-55, the Suns ran off 12 straight points early in the third and seemed on the verge of pulling away for good before James took it upon himself to carry the Cavs. He made a three-point play and two 3-pointers while scoring 14 of Cleveland’s final 20 points in the quarter.

Barbosa made his sixth start because Bell sat out with a sore calf. Bell, averaging 14.2 points in 38 minutes, strained his calf in practice on Saturday.

The lightning-quick Barbosa drove past Cleveland defenders and picked up five assists in the first six minutes of the first quarter as the Suns shot 70 percent (14-of-20) to open a 10-point lead.