CLEVELAND, Ohio – LeBron James always beats the Charlotte Hornets.

He beats them whether he's playing for the Cavaliers or the Heat. Whether they're called the Hornets or the Bobcats.

Either way and any way, when it's James vs. Charlotte, the outcome is predetermined. Forty-one times James has opposed the Hornets/Bobcats in 12 seasons, counting playoffs. He's won 36. And 20 in a row.

James' career high in points was against Charlotte, last season, when he dropped 61 on the Michael Jordan-owned club on March 3. The following month, James and the Heat swept the Bobcats (that's what they were called then) out of the Eastern Conference playoffs.

It is with the aforementioned anecdotes that we present the Cavaliers' 129-90 mugging of Charlotte Friday night. With all of those other wins and milestones to consider, the repeated beatings James has laid upon the team owned by his boyhood idol, this single game in January means a lot.

"This one stands out because of how well we played together as a team," he said. "Obviously the 61 I had last year stood out as well, from an individual standpoint, but tonight everyone played great. Everyone felt a great rhythm and defensively we're flying around, we're communicating, we're helping each other, and that results in us playing some really good basketball."

Yes, the Cavaliers are playing really well right now. And so were the Hornets.

Cleveland hung 75 first-half points on a Charlotte team that had won 8-of-9. The Cavs' 35-point advantage at halftime was the largest in franchise history, their 129 points in regulation the most ever at The Q.

James played a season-low 27 minutes. His line: 25 points, six rebounds, nine assists, and four steals. He shot 9-of-15. More on his play later.

Elsewhere, Kyrie Irving scored 18 points. Timofey Mozgov contributed his third consecutive double double with 14 points and 10 boards. J.R. Smith added 21 points on seven three-pointers. Iman Shumpert played for the first time with Cleveland.

That's five wins in a row after losing six straight. They limited the Hornets to 40 percent shooting and caused 12 turnovers.

"Right now, I feel like this is the team that I envisioned," James said.

In the middle of a long season, there really isn't anything more important James could say than that.

It's been a turbulent return campaign for James, and even with these last five victories the Cavs are only 24-20 and in fifth place in the East. James admitted his team is just one losing streak from all the progress, all the good feeling, unraveling again. He sounded, and looks, like he plans to guard against that.

A three-minute, 20-second stretch in the second quarter said it all. Cleveland was already up by 22 when James came charging into the lane before pulling up for a short floater. Thirty-seven seconds later, he drove in for a finger roll and was fouled.

Then, a steal. After that, another layup. Next possession, two free throws.

Oh, there's more.

James stole the ball again, this time dribbling down for a left-handed windmill dunk that sounds easier than it looked. Irving drained a three and then he stole the ball. Four seconds later, Smith tossed a half-court alley-oop to James that he might not have even tried to catch a few weeks ago.

Still not done. James stole the ball, again, and the Cavs scored on a lob, again. James passed (from halfcourt, no less) and Kevin Love caught it for a layup.

At the end of that sequence, it was 62-27 with 5:48 to play in the half.

"This is the style of basketball I envisioned," James said. "Obviously the points we put up I don't envision that every night, but how we share the ball, how we defend, that should be our staple."

Charlotte coach Steve Clifford was asked before the game if James looked different on film recently than when the Hornets last played him on Dec. 15. The reason for the question – James' obvious progress athletically since his two-week rest from nagging injury.

"He always looks pretty good," Clifford said. "So yesterday when I started, he's always fun to watch. And then as you get closer to the game time and making decisions about how you're going to try to stop him, it's not nearly as much fun."

For the Hornets, it never is when it comes to James.