Listen to Kyrie Irving's acceptance speech

(Independence) -Cavaliers guard Kyrie Irving is the NBA's Rookie of the Year, winning the award with the same ease as he dribbled past defenders this season.

Irving received 117 of 120 possible first-place votes from a nationwide media panel of 120 writers and broadcasters.

Irving finished with 592 points, way ahead of Minnesota’s Ricky Rubio (170) and Denver’s Kenneth Faried (129), who was third.

Faried, San Antonio’s Kawhi Leonard and New York’s Iman Shumpert received the other first-place votes, denying Irving’s bid to become the fourth player to win the award unanimously.

The 20-year-old is the second Cleveland player to win the award, joining LeBron James in 2004.

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(Copyright © 2012 by Clear Channel and the Associated Press, all rights reserved. Photo by Getty Images.)

CLEVELAND — Kyrie Irving began his first pro season as the top pick and ended it as the top rookie.

Cleveland’s smooth, playmaking point guard has been chosen as the NBA”s Rookie of the Year, a person familiar with the voting told the Associated Press on Sunday.

Irving’s selection is hardly a surprise since the 20-year-old led all first-year players in scoring — 18.5 points per game — and renewed hope for Cleveland’s franchise. He’ll receive the award on Tuesday, said the person who spoke on condition of anonymity because the league has not yet announced the winner.

ESPN.com and The Cleveland Plain Dealer first reported Irving’s win.

Results of the voting won’t be available until Tuesday, but it’s safe to assume Irving’s victory will be lopsided. After Minnesota guard Ricky Rubio suffered a season-ending knee injury, Irving was far and away the best all-around player in the rookie class.

The Cavs used the No. 1 overall pick in last year’s draft to select Irving, who played in just 11 games as a freshman at Duke because of a toe injury. However, it didn’t take long for the 6-foot-3 Irving to establish himself as one of the game’s rising stars.

With a fearlessness on the floor, Irving made clutch shots, orchestrated fourth-quarter comebacks and managed to keep the Cavs competitive and in the playoff picture for several months before they traded guard Ramon Sessions in March and injuries took their toll.

Irving is the second Cavaliers player to win the award, joining LeBron James in 2004.

Irving’s is the final postseason award to be announced by the league. On Saturday, James, who spent seven seasons in Cleveland before signing with Miami, won his third MVP award in four seasons.

Irving recently treated himself to a postseason vacation in the Bahamas. In June, he’s expected to play on the Cavs summer league team in Las Vegas and will be part of a U.S. Select Team which will train against the American Olympic team going to the London Games.

Copyright 2012 Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.

..CLEVELAND (AP) Kyrie Irving began his first pro season as the top pick and ended it as the top rookie. Cleveland's smooth, playmaking point guard has been chosen as the NBA''s Rookie of the Year, a person familiar with the voting told the Associated Press on Sunday.

Irving's selection is hardly a surprise since the 20-year-old led all first-year players in scoring - 18.5 points per game - and renewed hope for Cleveland's franchise. He'll receive the award on Tuesday, said the person who spoke on condition of anonymity because the league has not yet announced the winner.

 ESPN.com and The Cleveland Plain Dealer first reported Irving's win. Results of the voting won't be available until Tuesday, but it's safe to assume Irving's victory will be lopsided.

After Minnesota guard Ricky Rubio suffered a season-ending knee injury, Irving was far and away the best all-around player in the rookie class. The Cavs used the No. 1 overall pick in last year's draft to select Irving, who played in just 11 games as a freshman at Duke because of a toe injury.

However, it didn't take long for the 6-foot-3 Irving to establish himself as one of the game's rising stars. With a fearlessness on the floor, Irving made clutch shots, orchestrated fourth-quarter comebacks and managed to keep the Cavs competitive and in the playoff picture for several months before they traded guard Ramon Sessions in March and injuries took their toll.

Irving is the second Cavaliers player to win the award, joining LeBron James in 2004. Irving's is the final postseason award to be announced by the league.

On Saturday, James, who spent seven seasons in Cleveland before signing with Miami, won his third MVP award in four seasons. Irving recently treated himself to a postseason vacation in the Bahamas. In June, he's expected to play on the Cavs summer league team in Las Vegas and will be part of a U.S. Select Team which will train against the American Olympic team going to the London Games.

INDEPENDENCE, Ohio (AP) Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert pointed to the gold-colored horseshoe pin on his lapel, a not-so-subtle reminder his downtown casino is days from opening. These are good times for Gilbert, who believes his NBA team isn't far from a return to glory. Back to when LeBron James led the Cavs.

Although they've won just 40 games the past two seasons - following James' departure as a free agent - Gilbert feels the Cavaliers, being built around presumptive rookie of the year Kyrie Irving, can return to the playoffs as early as next season. ''I certainly think it's a possibility we are in the playoffs next year,'' he said. ''I think we play every year to be in the playoffs regardless of who is on the court. So I don't think anyone has put any limits on where the team can go in any year.''

That's ambitious talk, but that's Gilbert, who has never shied away from offering his opinion on almost any subject, whether in an email like the scathing one he sent after James left or via Twitter. Gilbert seems more optimistic than coach Byron Scott, who recently said a return to the playoffs is ''is still going to be a long process.''

After answering questions for nearly 20 minutes, Gilbert, who is doing the media rounds this week to promote his latest business venture, Horseshoe Casino Cleveland, was asked about James' comments in February when the two-time MVP said during Miami's visit that he could envision playing again for the Cavaliers before his career ends. ''I think it would be great,'' James said. ''It would be fun to play in front of these fans again.'' Gilbert initially balked at discussing James, saying he couldn't speak about any player under contract with another team. However, when asked if he was surprised by what James said, Gilbert opened up - a little. ''Nothing in the NBA surprises me,'' he said. ''Honestly, nothing that happens.''

 Has he forgiven James? ''The truth of the matter is July 11, 2010, we just started focusing on the future and you just try to look ahead and look forward,'' he said. ''That's where we're at.'' That date, of course, is when James announced on a nationally televised special that he was leaving Cleveland as a free agent and signing with the Heat to join Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. The Cavs have struggled since James left, but Gilbert believes the team has progressed to the point that the postseason is again possible. A little luck would help, and Gilbert got some last year when the Cavs won the NBA draft lottery and selected Irving with the top overall pick.

 The former Duke guard was better than advertised, averaging 18.5 points per game and renewing optimism in Cleveland. Gilbert's teenage son, Nick, represented the Cavs at last year's drawing. Gilbert plans to send him again. ''If he doesn't get the first pick, he will be grounded all summer,'' Gilbert joked.

 ''This is a very important draft for us. We hope to add some key pieces this summer.'' Gilbert was more serious about his confidence in Cavs coach Byron Scott, who has been charged with rebuilding a young team amid two seasons of costly injuries. ''Byron has been great for the franchise,'' he said. ''He's the consummate professional in every possible way. He hardly ever gets rattled one way or another. I think he brings stability to the team and the franchise. He brings credibility and we love having Byron Scott here.''

 Thanks to Irving and the development of rookie forward Tristan Thompson, Gilbert said it was much easier to watch the Cavs this season than last, when Cleveland won just 19 games. ''This year we had hope for the future with Kyrie and Tristan and a couple of the other players that are coming back,'' he said. ''Whether it's this year or in the future, you know you've got pieces you are developing so last year was much more difficult. This year you can see the path.'' Gilbert has acknowledged past mistakes with James, who may have abused some of the owner's generosity during his seven seasons with the Cavs.

Gilbert was asked if some of the team's philosophies have changed. ''You mean since Zendon Hamilton left?'' he joked, referring to a former forward. Gilbert then acknowledged the Cavs are doing things differently. ''We learn from everything we do, right decisions made, wrong decisions made, right strategies, wrong strategies and you try to repeat the things you do right,'' he said. ''We want to build a franchise with Kyrie or with other superstars - not around superstars. We think that's probably not a great formula for success or else we would have rings already here. We would have championship trophies. ''We believe 'the with' is the key here and we're looking forward to adding more great pieces.''

CLEVELAND -- At the end of a wild season, the Washington Wizards found peace.

It may have taken firing a coach and making a major trade to get them there, but the Wizards are winning the way they once did.

John Wall scored 21 points and added 13 assists as the Wizards extended their longest winning streak since 2007 to five games with a 96-85 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday night.

Wall had 12 points, six assists and four steals in the third quarter, accounting for 24 of Washington's 28 points and helped the Wizards open a 14-point lead. He added seven rebounds and seven steals for the Wizards, whose erratic play got coach Flip Saunders fired on Jan. 24.

In March, the team traded center JaVale McGee and guard Nick Young and wound up with centerNene. Those moves and a few other tweaks to the roster have the Wizards finally feeling good about their future.

"Everybody plays good and plays hard," Wall said. "Nobody worries about how many points you're going to score. You can tell the whole group is having a lot more fun."

While Washington's star guard put on a show, Cleveland's watched.

Kyrie Irving, expected to be named the NBA's rookie of the year next month, played only 10 minutes -- all in the first quarter -- of the Cavs' home finale. He scored just five points and may have gotten his biggest assist afterward when he and his teammates lined up near mid-court and handed over their game-worn jerseys to fans.

D.J. Kennedy led Cleveland with 12 points in his NBA debut.

Wizards rookie forward Jan Vesely had a season-high 12 rebounds and Kevin Seraphin scored 12.

Washington is finishing a disappointing season with an unexpected flourish.

"It's a positive thing for our guys," said interim coach Randy Wittman, who replaced Saunders. "I thought our defense was what broke the game open for us. Our defense ignited things for us offensively."

It wasn't long ago when games between the Wizards and Cavaliers meant something. Washington and Cleveland met in the postseason three straight times from 2006-08, with the Cavs winning all three physical series. However, these days the clubs are collecting lottery Ping Pong balls instead of playoff wins.

Although the game was meaningless, Wall played as if it mattered.

He scored Washington's first basket with a layup to start the third quarter, and using that speed that few, if any, players in the league can match, Wall blazed through Cleveland's defense almost at will. He went coast-to-coast for one layup, and later threw down a dunk left-handed.

Washington led 77-63 after three before the Cavs climbed back within 10 while Wall took a break. But Wittman brought Wall back with 5:31 left and he quickly turned things back around, grabbing a loose ball before delivering a one-handed, behind-the-back pass to a trailing Vesely for a dunk.

Vesely was fouled and completed the three-point play to make it 94-77.

"When he gets going up and down the floor like that, we're very effective," Wittman said of Wall.

Irving missed the Cavs' morning shootaround with the stomach flu, and the club sent out a release saying the 20-year-old was "doubtful" for the season's final home game.

But Irving was determined to play as a way of thanking Cleveland's fans, and after warming up he was cleared by Cleveland's medical staff. The final decision, though, was left to coach Byron Scott and general manager Chris Grant, who didn't announce Irving would suit up until 30 minutes before tipoff.

"I'm pretty content just to get out there and play in the final home game. Coach Scott told me I was going to get 10 minutes and I got 9:47," Irving said with a smile. "I'll roll those 13 seconds over and I'll have some rollover minutes going forward."

Scott said Irving will sit out Thursday's season finale in Chicago.

Antawn Jamison likely played his final home game for Cleveland. The 35-year-old will be a free agent this summer and said it's improbable he'll sign with the Cavs.

"I definitely have a great feeling this is probably my last home game and tomorrow will be my last game as a Cav," said Jamison, acquired in a 2010 deadline trade to help the Cavs win a title. "I wish the rest of these guys great luck. I definitely think this organization is going in the right direction as far as getting some great talent and slowly but surely putting a championship caliber team together.

"With this coaching staff, some good prospects in this draft, Cleveland can get back to what it once used to be."

The Wizards played without starting guard Jordan Crawford, who is done for the season with a sprained right ankle.

Copyright 2012 Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- Marreese Speights had 17 points and 10 rebounds, Marc Gasol also scored 17 points, and the Memphis Grizzlies beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 109-101 Monday night for their fifth straight win.

Rudy Gay scored 15 points, O.J. Mayo had 14, Tony Allen added 13 points and a franchise-record eight steals and Mike Conley had 12 for the Grizzlies, who won their 10th straight at home. Gay and Mayo led a rally that allowed Memphis to finally put the game away in the closing minutes.

The Grizzlies pulled one-half game behind the Los Angeles Clippers for fourth place in the Western Conference and home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs. The Clippers hold the tiebreaker between the two teams.

Rookie Kyrie Irving led the Cavaliers with 25 points on 10-for-16 shooting, Antawn Jamison scored 17 points and Tristan Thompson finished with 12. Manny Harris added 11 points, including nine in the fourth quarter as Cleveland lost its second straight and fifth in its last six.

The score was tied at 98 -- the 12th tie of the game -- when Thompson hit two a pair of free throws for the Cavaliers with 3:27 left. However, Memphis closed the game on an 11-3 run as Cleveland struggled from the free throw line down the stretch.

The Cavaliers used 3-point shooting to build a 10-point lead early in the second quarter before the Grizzlies, who appeared lethargic in the early going, put together a 14-0 run behind its reserves.

That helped Memphis take a 55-52 lead into halftime as Speights had 15 points and Allen 10 -- with at least three of Allen's field goals coming on dunks when Memphis turned up the defensive intensity.

Cleveland started out using accurate shooting by

Irving started off strong, scoring 13 of his 19 first-half points in the opening quarter. He was 7 for 10 from the field, including 2 for 4 on 3-pointers in the first two periods. Jamison added 12 for the Cavaliers, who settled into 45 percent shooting in the half.

Irving continued to score in the third with help from Jamison. Despite Allen having three steals in the period, the Cavaliers led 78-77 heading to the fourth quarter.

The final period started with a handful of lead changes before Memphis created some space behind Mayo and Gay. Harris was able to pull Cleveland back into the game with all nine of his points in the period during the first eight minutes.

Copyright 2012 Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.

A string of lackluster opponents couldn't have come at a much better time for the Memphis Grizzlies, who are attempting to secure homecourt advantage for the opening round of the playoffs. The Grizzlies, though, aren't necessarily making it easy on themselves in those games.

After surviving a late comeback attempt, Memphis will try to stay alive in the race for a top-four finish in the Western Conference by beating another sub-.500 team, the Cleveland Cavaliers, on Monday night.

The Grizzlies' four straight wins have all come over teams with losing records but they've prevailed by an average of seven points in those games. They had to rally from an eight-point deficit in the fourth quarter to pull out an 85-80 victory Friday against league-worst Charlotte and nearly blew a 12-point advantage in the final 4:15 of a 93-89 win over Portland the next day.

Rudy Gay made a key block on a 3-point attempt with five seconds left and had a team-best 21 points during that game.

"Sometimes, we play to the level of our opponents," center Marc Gasol said. "If we play a good team, we play a lot better. If we play the not-so-good teams, we play to their level. That's a part of the process of getting better and being a good team. At least, we get up at the end and realize that we've actually got to win."

Memphis (39-25) is 14-4 over its last 18 with some of those early wins coming on the road against marquee opponents Oklahoma City, Miami and the Los Angeles Lakers. The Grizzlies also recorded home wins over Dallas and the Los Angeles Clippers, who lead Memphis by one game for fourth place in the West.

"Those are the kind of games these guys get up for," coach Lionel Hollins said. "Then after we had that stretch of those teams, all of a sudden, we get a stretch of a bunch of teams that aren't in the playoffs. I can't say we struggled. We haven't been as focused to go out and dominate them."

The Grizzlies and Clippers each have two games remaining with Los Angeles holding the tiebreaker. That means Memphis needs to beat the Cavaliers (21-42), losers in 19 of 24, to maintain its chances of a top-four finish.

The Grizzlies also don't hold the tiebreaker over the third-place Los Angeles Lakers, who lead the Clippers by one-half game in the Pacific Division.

After earning one of its rare wins Friday against New York, Cleveland fell 114-98 in San Antonio on Sunday. Antawn Jamison scored 21 points and Kyrie Irving had 19 during their team's ninth defeat in 11 road games.

"There are (three) games that we have left, but right now, it's just about getting better every day and just having a good momentum going into the summer," Irving said.

Cleveland has lost in each of its last two trips to Memphis after winning three in a row there, but those two defeats have been by a combined nine points. The Grizzlies had four players score 19 or more points, led by Zach Randolph with 29, in a 112-105 win at the FedExForum on Feb. 4, 2011.

Gay, averaging 22.6 points on 50.9 percent shooting over his last 10 games, had 26 points despite an 8-of-20 shooting performance. The Cavaliers put only eight players on the court during that defeat.

Copyright 2012 Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.

SAN ANTONIO -- Tim Duncan rested, and Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili called it an early night.

With another win Monday, the Spurs' veterans can take the remainder of the regular season off.

Ginobili scored 20 points Sunday to lead San Antonio to its seventh straight victory, 114-98 over the Cleveland Cavaliers.

San Antonio (47-16) moved 1 1/2 games ahead of Oklahoma City, which lost to the Lakers earlier Sunday, in the race for the best record in the Western Conference. A victory in any of their final three games would secure the top spot in the West for the Spurs, who own the tiebreaker over the Thunder.

Ginobili said the Spurs were keeping an eye on the Lakers' double-overtime victory before their game. San Antonio hosts Portland on Monday.

"We want to clinch as soon as possible," Ginobili said. "Tomorrow we have a good game here, so we're going to trying to play our best and keep improving. We have room for improvement, where we can pick up the aggressiveness. We want to try and set the pace for the playoffs."

Cleveland (21-42) lost for the fourth time in its last five games despite the Spurs giving Duncan the night off. With the playoffs right around the corner, the 35-year-old Duncan was the only active Spur not to play.

Stephen Jackson scored 17 points for the Spurs, DeJuan Blair added 15 points and seven rebounds, and Danny Green had 14 points. Antawn Jamison led Cleveland with 21 points, Kyrie Irving had 19, and Manny Harris added 14.

"I thought it was a relatively sloppy game, but we managed to keep our lead," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. "Sometimes in the NBA that's hard to do. We stuck with it and got the win."

Besides limiting Duncan's minutes this season, Popovich has given his star forward six nights off to rest. Thanks to another easy victory, their other veterans didn't play too much.

Ginobili and Parker each played just 22 minutes. The Spurs entered the game having won four straight games by at least 21 points. During that span, Ginobili has played 30 or more minutes only one time, and Parker has done so just twice.

"Any time we get a chance to rest Tim and Tony doesn't play that much, and we get away with a win, that's always a plus," Jackson said. "As long as we take care of business and continue to build and not take steps back, we'll be all right."

Parker had six points and nine assists for the Spurs, who swept the season series.

"When you have three Hall of Famers on one team, it's tough to beat them," Irving said. "A lot of people are downplaying them just because their age is up there a little bit. But they're still one of the best, if not the best, teams in all of basketball."

One of those potential Hall of Famers, Ginobili, showed off his full arsenal of plays, hitting layups, runners and step-back jumpers. The veteran forward was hampered by injuries earlier this season, but he's now looking like the Ginobili of old.

"For sure, I'm feeling better than a month ago," Ginobili said. "That's promising, and that makes me feel good and in a better mood."

The Spurs led only 52-44 at halftime behind 11 points from Green, but the starting forward left the game in the second quarter after a flagrant foul by Harris. Green was hit in the left eye by Harris while going up for a layup with 5:35 left in the second quarter. Green stayed on the ground for several minutes before getting up to hit one of two free throws. He then left for the locker room for the rest of the quarter before returning for the second half.

Copyright 2012 Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.