Cleveland Cavaliers' LeBron James (23) drives past Washington Wizards' DeShawn Stevenson during Game Two of their NBA play-off series on Monday night in Cleveland. James, whom Stevenson called 'overrated', scored 30 points to lead Cleveland to a 116-86 win. - AP

CLEVELAND (AP):

LEBRON JAMES scored 30 points and Zydrunas Ilgauskas added 16 as the Cleveland Cavaliers beat the Washington Wizards 116-86 on Monday night to take a 2-0 lead in their opening-round play-off series.

The 30-point margin of victory was the largest in Cleveland's post-season history. The Cavs were playing in their 112th play-off game.

James scored 14 points in the third quarter when the Cavs opened a 25-point lead over the Wizards, whose defensive scheme coming into their third series in as many years with Cleveland was to slow James by roughing him up with hard, clean fouls.

No disturbance

The Wizards hardly bothered James, who finished with 12 assists and nine rebounds to barely miss his third career post-season triple-double. James went to the bench with 6:12 left in the game.

Wally Szczerbiak added 15 points for the defending Eastern Conference champions.

Washington have lost eight straight play-off games to Cleveland. Game Three is tomorrow night in Washington.

Gilbert Arenas went 2-for-10 from the field and Caron Butler and Antawn Jamison were both 4-of-13 as the Wizards' Big Three combined for 28 points.

Best-of-seven series

In Houston, Deron Williams scored 22 points and Mehmet Okur added 16 points and 16 rebounds as Utah beat Houston 90-84 to take a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series.

Game Three is tomorrow night in Utah, where the Jazz went 37-4 during the regular season.

Tracy McGrady, a seven-time All-Star who has never advanced past the first round of the play-offs, had 23 points, 13 rebounds and nine assists to just miss his first postseason triple-double. But he went 0-for-4 from the field and scored only one point in the final quarter as the Rockets lost to the Jazz for the eighth time in the last 10 meetings.

McGrady scored 20 points in Game One, but went 0-for-3 from the field in the fourth quarter of Utah's 93-82 victory. Bobby Jackson rebounded from a 3-for-15 effort in Game One to score 18 points for the Rockets.

Carlos Boozer added 13 points and Williams had five assists for the Jazz, who closed the game on a 14-8 run.