Cleveland ? LeBron James delivered what meant most him when it mattered most to his team – a go-ahead basket in the final seconds.

Needing one rebound for a triple-double, James instead powered his way to a layup with 18.7 seconds left, and the Cleveland Cavaliers held off Milwaukee’s late comeback for an 89-86 victory Monday night.

“I knew I had to be aggressive,” said James, who drove around Bobby Simmons at the foul line and easily scored for an 87-86 lead.

“This was an important game. What’s awesome is that we won the season series and have done a great job in our division.”

Cleveland won three of four from the Bucks and is 9-2 in the Central Division.

Simmons scored 21 points to lead Milwaukee, which has lost five of eight including four in a row on the road.

James added 12 assists and nine rebounds, but said he wasn’t concerned about getting an eighth career triple-double and fourth of the season.

“If we had lost, I would’ve cared,” he said. “We won. That’s all that matters to me.”

Milwaukee’s Michael Redd scored 18 points, seven under his average, but came alive as the Bucks battled back from an 83-72 deficit with five minutes to play.

Redd missed 10 of his first 14 shots, but scored five points in a 1:06 span late. He hit a driving layup, then less than a minute later nailed a three-pointer from the top of the key that got Milwaukee to 85-84 with 1:07 remaining.

Cleveland Cavaliers forward Drew Gooden, right, puts up a shot over Milwaukee Bucks forward Tony Kukoc during the first quarter. Gooden scored 15 points, and the Cavaliers won, 89-86, Monday in Cleveland.

“I just knew we had them then, but I was wrong,” Redd said. “LeBron made a huge play.”

Drew Gooden and Sasha Pavlovic each scored 15 points for Cleveland, which was without injured Larry Hughes, Ira Newble and Luke Jackson.

James scored seven points just before halftime to help Cleveland lead at the break, 44-37.

Rockets 87, 76ers 81

Philadelphia – Yao Ming scored 27 points and grabbed 13 rebounds, and Houston held the 76ers without a field goal for more than 15 minutes in the second half.

Allen Iverson scored 32 points and went 20-for-24 from the line for the Sixers.

Wizards 94, Magic 82

Washington – Gilbert Arenas had 23 points and eight assists, Antawn Jamison had 21 points and 11 rebounds, and the Wizards finally returned to .500.

Arenas struggled from the field, making only six of 24 shots.

DeShawn Stevenson scored 20 points on 9-of-15 shooting to lead Orlando.

Nets 99, Hornets 91

East Rutherford, N.J. – Richard Jefferson scored 26 points, and Vince Carter added 21 to help New Jersey win its 11th straight at home.

Jason Kidd, the NBA’s active leader with 70 triple-doubles, missed his 71st by one rebound as he finished with 14 points, 11 assists and nine boards.

Heat 114, Celtics 98

Miami – Dwyane Wade had 34 points, eight rebounds and eight assists to lead the Heat.

Shaquille O’Neal added 21 points to help Miami win for the fifth time in six games.

The Heat held a 77-74 lead with a 1:13 left in the third quarter, before going on a 22-6 run over the next seven minutes to seal the victory.

Bobcats 119, Sonics 106

Charlotte, N.C. – Raymond Felton scored 24 points, and Melvin Ely added 23, both career highs, to lead the suddenly streaking Bobcats.

Charlotte snapped its record 13-game losing streak on Friday night with a shocker over the Los Angeles Lakers, then followed it with a decisive and dominating victory over the Sonics. Charlotte led from the opening tip, built a second-half lead of 25 points, and won consecutive games for the first time since Dec. 27-28.

T’wolves 103, Suns 101

Phoenix – Kevin Garnett blocked Shawn Marion’s short jumper at the buzzer to preserve the Timberwolves’ victory.

The Suns complained vehemently that it was goaltending, but it was to no avail, and Minnesota had its first victory in five tries against Phoenix.

Garnett scored Minnesota’s last five points to finish with 19, but missed the second of two free throws with 14.6 seconds to go. The Suns worked the ball down court. Steve Nash got the ball inside to Marion, who went up for what would have been tying basket from about eight feet, and Garnett soared to knock it down.

Jazz 109, Bulls 107, OT

Salt Lake City – Mehmet Okur hit a three-pointer with 0.7 seconds left in overtime, and Matt Harpring had 28 points to help Utah.

Devin Brown tipped an outlet pass, which Andrei Kirilenko caught with three seconds left. He passed it to Keith McLeod, who found Okur for the winner.

Warriors 122, Nuggets 114

Oakland, Calif. – Baron Davis had 23 points and 12 assists, and Jason Richardson added 28 points to help Golden State.

Derek Fisher scored 12 of his 14 points in the fourth quarter, including seven in the final 1:52, to hold off the Nuggets.