James breaks Bryant's record in Cavs win

The Cleveland Cavaliers won their eighth game in a row while LeBron James became the youngest player to score 11,000 career NBA points in a 106-82 win over the New Jersey Nets on Tuesday.

A third-quarter surge put the Cavaliers in command as they improved to 9-2 and remained half a game behind NBA champions Boston Celtics, who have the best record in the Eastern Conference.

Cavs forward James scored 31 points to lead the visiting team and succeed Kobe Bryant as the youngest to reach the 11,000-point mark.

Cleveland scored the first 12 points after the break for a 61-52 lead, which they increased to 14, sparked by Delonte West's 4-for-4 shooting from three-point range.

"It's good that we have that killer mentality early in the season," James told reporters. "Delonte shot the lights out."

Nets coach Lawrence Frank said his team had come out flat after half-time.

"That third quarter started with very, very low energy," he said.