Cavaliers claim 3rd straight Central Division title with 112-105 win over the Charlotte Hornets

Lebron James carried the Cavaliers on his back Friday to a 112-105 win over the Charlotte Hornets and to their third straight Central division title.

James was on the attack all game and attempted 16 free throws as a result. He made 14 of them and ended up with 32 points on 14 shots. He dominated the Hornets, handing out 11 assists to just four turnovers, and was just a rebound away from another triple-double.

Lebron James got attacked when he got poked in the eye by Jeremy Lamb on his way to a layup with 31.2 seconds left in the third quarter. James said he suffered a scratched cornea in his right eye after being examined by a Hornets' team physician. He did return to the game and during the post-game interview session, he claimed that his vision was blurry.

Kyrie Irving added 26 points, and has now scored 20-plus points in 20 straight games, the longest active streak in the NBA. Kevin Love handed out four assists and didn't turn the ball over while chipping in 15 points and 12 rebounds.

Cavaliers did it with their defense on Friday night, holding the Hornets to 42 percent shooting from the field.

Cleveland Cavaliers (47-24) snapped Charlotte's three-game winning streak and have swept the season series with the Hornets seven times.

Cavaliers still hold a one game lead over the Celtics and a 3.5 game lead over the Wizards for the top seed in the Eastern Conference.

Charlotte (32-40) was led by Kemba Walker, who had 28 points on five three-pointers. Cody Zeller added 15 points and 11 rebounds.

COMING UP FOR THE CAVS: The Cleveland Cavaliers finally return home on Saturday night after completing a 2-2 road trip to host the Washington Wizards (44-28) in a huge Eastern Conference match-up.