The Associated Press

CLEVELAND - Rookie LeBron James had 23 points and nine assists, and Carlos Boozer scored a career-high 28 as the Cleveland Cavaliers finally won on national TV, 95-86 over the Detroit Pistons on Thursday night.

James, whose addition to the Cavs has given them unprecedented exposure and pressure, helped Cleveland improve to 1-5 in prime-time telecasts. The Cavs have won just two of 11.

Cleveland also snapped an eight-game losing streak to Detroit. The Cavs hadn't beaten the Pistons since Dec. 4, 2001.

The win was also Cleveland's first over a team with a winning record since the Cavs defeated New Orleans last April 5.

Ricky Davis, whose name continually pops up in trade rumors, had 15 points, nine rebounds and five assists. Davis also had a vicious dunk, cutting through four Pistons in the fourth quarter to throw one down as the Cavs were putting it away.

Richard Hamilton, who scored a career-high 44 points in a win over Cleveland on Nov. 28, led the Pistons with 19 points but was bottled up by the Cavs.

Tayshaun Prince added 14 points for Detroit, which shot just 36 percent from the floor and were outrebounded 45-28.

Cavaliers coach Paul Silas has been urging James to be more aggressive on offense, and the rookie was just that in the first half with several drives to the basket.

He scored 16 points in the opening half, including the Cavs' last seven.

BULLS: Hold off on those retirement gifts for Scottie Pippen.

The Chicago Bulls forward will have surgery on his left knee today with the intention of playing again. There's no timetable for his return, but the forward was back less than a month after having a similar procedure last spring.

Pippen has missed eight of the team's first 20 games, all but one because of pain and swelling in his left knee. He'll miss his fourth straight game today, when the Bulls travel to Milwaukee.

The frustration of not being able to play is clearly getting to Pippen, who raised the possibility of retirement Wednesday when asked when he might return.

"I question myself whether or not I can play another year. Or this year," he said Wednesday. "I just have to wait and see."

But Paxson said Thursday that he and Pippen have talked often, and retirement has never come up. Pippen wasn't available for comment Thursday.

The 38-year-old Pippen missed 17 games last season after having arthroscopic surgery on his left knee.

ALL STAR VOTING: Kobe Bryant tops the Western Conference in voting for the NBA All-Star game, leading the Los Angeles Lakers this season while his sexual assault case in Colorado goes forward.

He drew 577,505 votes in the fan vote for the Feb. 15 game in Los Angeles.

Vince Carter of the Toronto Raptors led all players with 696,652 votes.

The vote totals Thursday were the first released by the league. Balloting continues through Jan. 18.