LOS ANGELES: The Cleveland Cavaliers played physical and the frustrated LA Lakers lost their cool, as did their fans.

Mo Williams scored 28 points, LeBron James added 26 and the visiting Cavaliers manhandled the defending NBA champions 102-87 on Friday.

The highly anticipated Christmas Day showdown between superstars James and Kobe Bryant turned into nothing more than a blowout for the Cavs.

Afterward, James insisted it was not about sending a message to the Lakers, but gauging where the Cavs stand.

“It was about sending a message to ourselves and seeing how we match up with the best team in the NBA at this point,” he said. “It was a good road win for us. I think it ranks up there, just because of the caliber of the team and the caliber of the players they have.”

The Lakers entered the contest with a league-best 23-4 record and winners in 16 of their 17 last contests. However, they were outworked, outplayed and out-hustled from the second quarter until the nasty end to have their 11-game home winning streak halted.

“I think you could definitely rank this up there as one of the best defensive efforts we’ve had this year, just because of the caliber of team and the caliber of players that they have and on the road,” James said. “Everyone did a wonderful job of communicating, trusting the system and just being aggressive.”

Reserve Jamario Moon scored 13 points while Shaquille O’Neal had 11 and seven boards against his former team as the Cavaliers (23-8) completed a 4-1 west coast road trip.

“I’m not surprised how well we played,” O’Neal said. “We know that we can match up well with anybody. The Lakers are the best team in the league and they have won it before.”

Bryant led the Lakers with a game-high 35 points but shot 11-of-32 to go along with nine rebounds and eight assists.

“We were expecting to win the game,” said Spanish native and Lakers forward Pau Gasol, who finished with 11 points. “We didn’t come out right and weren’t ready to play. So they played harder, better and they took the game.”

The Cavs utilized their size to push around the Lakers for most of the game. They led by as many as 21 before having it sliced to six in the third quarter.

However, Cleveland quickly resumed control, and the frustrated Lakers lost their cool late, turning a sunny Southern California Christmas Day into an ugly one inside Staples Center.

With the Cavs leading 93-73, Lamar Odom was whistled for his second technical and was ejected with over four minutes left for jawing with Williams.

It triggered two more Lakers T’s, including one on their bench and another on Bryant, prompting the equally frustrated fans to throw their pre-game giveaway over-sized foam hands onto the court.

Following another foul, more hands hit the floor along with a water bottle before referees restored order several minutes later and the Cavs coasted to the easy win.

“Celtics 86, Magic 77: Ray Allen scored 18, Rajon Rondo had 17 with 13 rebounds and eight assists, and the short-handed Celtics held off the host Magic in a match-up of Eastern Conference powerhouses.

Tony Allen, filling in for Paul Pierce (right knee infection) added 16 points for the Celtics (23-5) who tied the Lakers atop the NBA standings following their 14th win in the last 15 games.

Vince Carter led Orlando (22-8) with 27 points, while Dwight Howard had 20 rebounds but just five points.

Trail Blazers 107, Nuggets 96: Brandon Roy scored 41 points, reserve Steve Blake had 14 of his 17, including four threes in the final frame, and the injury- decimated Blazers (20-12) pulled away for their sixth win in seven games.

League top gun Carmelo Anthony had 32 points, while J.R. Smith added 20 off the bench for visiting Denver (20-10), which was outscored 33-20 in the final 12 minutes.

Suns 124, LA Clippers 93: Amare Stoudemire scored 26 points, Jared Dudley and Jason Richardson added 18 apiece, leading the Suns (19-11) to their most lopsided win of the season.

Rasual Butler scored 22 points for the visiting Clippers (12-17) who have lost six straight in the series.

Heat 93, Knicks 87: Dwyane Wade collected 30 points with nine rebounds, Michael Beasley scored 19 and the visiting Heat snapped the Knicks’ three- game winning streak.

Italy’s Danilo Gallinari scored 26 points, David Lee had 19 with 16 rebounds for the Knicks (11-18) whose six-game home winning streak came to an end.