CLEVELAND, Ohio -- There are at least two competing theories for J.R. Smith's sudden emergence Tuesday from a season-long slump.

There's a conversation with Smith's parents. And one with LeBron James. About shoes.

"I told him it was the shoes," James said, following Smith's 20-point performance in the Cavs' 124-119 win over Milwaukee. "He finally decided to wear my shoes. After a long conversation we finally decided to wear them and he had a breakout game."

Indeed, a pair of James' signature Nike basketball shoe was cooling in Smith's locker after the game.

"I don't know, honestly," Smith said. "I just thought about it when I was on my way to the arena today. I talked to my dad, I talked to my mom, pretty much like I always do on my way to the arena.

"The hell with it. I'm going to go back to my old way of playing, just shoot, shoot, shoot and see if I can get myself out of this thing."

Whatever the reason behind it, the Cavs just want this to be the Smith who suits up for them each night. He was 7-of-12 from the field and 5-of-7 from 3-point range. Smith's 37 minutes were a season high.

Entering Tuesday's game, Smith was shooting a career-worst .234 from 3-point range (11-of-47). His 5.3 points per game were a career low. He was passing up shots. In 10 games, he'd scored over 10 points just twice, and his season high was 11.

The Cavs are 20th in the NBA in 3s per game with 10.1. They were second in the league last year with 13 3s. Kyrie Irving's departure is one big reason for the slip. But Smith hasn't picked up any slack.

Smith began the year on the bench, behind Dwyane Wade, but they switched places after three games. Coach Tyronn Lue wants Smith -- the one who shoots 3s and spreads the floor -- out there with the starters and Wade coming off the bench, so Smith had the chance to shoot himself out of his problems.

One game does not break a slump. But it's a welcome pause.

"When J.R. is scoring the basketball, that's big for us," Lue said. "Because he's usually making 3s and having him or (Kyle) Korver or both, when they're both on, it's really a good night for us. So, just getting those guys both to play well together would be big for us."

Korver shot 2-of-5 with one 3-pointer against the Bucks in 18 minutes. The Cavs were 9-of-18 from 3-point range as a team.

Smith passed Rashard Lewis (1,787 3s) for 14th on the NBA's all-time list. This was the second consecutive game in which three Cavs scored at least 20 points, as Kevin Love led with 32 and James added 30.

"That was Swish," James said. "We're gonna need more of that from him a lot coming up. ... That's something that we've relied on over the last 21/2 years. So, to have him have a breakout game tonight, especially the way we've been struggling at home, it was right on time."