With a highly-anticipated home game against Boston on the horizon, the Cavaliers will first try to improve upon their 17-0 record at Quicken Loans Arena on Wednesday against Charlotte, which is coming off a thrilling overtime win over the Celtics.

Cleveland (27-6) had won 17 of 18 games in dominant fashion from Nov. 22-Dec. 28, beating its opponents by an average of 15.7 points. However, as the Cavaliers prepare for a Friday clash with Boston - the Eastern Conference's other giant - they're struggling a bit.

Cleveland has a pair of tune-ups against East lightweights this week, but already dropped the first one in controversial fashion. The Cavaliers fell behind conference-worst Washington by as many as 16 points in the fourth quarter Sunday afternoon before rallying.

After an Antawn Jamison basket, James drove into the lane and made what appeared to be the tying score. Cleveland's superstar, though, was called for traveling on a hesitation move he called a "crab dribble," and the Wizards won 80-77.

"Bad call," said James, who had 30 points, 10 assists and six rebounds. "We all make mistakes, and I think I got the wrong end of the bargain. I watched it 10 times after the game, and it was clearly a good play."

While James was still defending the move on Tuesday, the Cavaliers' next opponent was recording its most impressive win of the season. Raymond Felton, Gerald Wallace and D.J. Augustin combined for 68 points as the Bobcats topped reigning champion Boston 114-106 in overtime.

"The one thing I always remember is when you're a good team, every team you play against is trying to bring their best game," Charlotte coach Larry Brown said. "We've got to learn to bring it every night like that and not just against Boston."

Charlotte (13-22) will need to shoot better Wednesday than it has previously against the Cavaliers, whom they've never beaten in eight tries in Cleveland. The Bobcats shot a woeful 33.8 percent at Quicken Loans Arena on Oct. 30 - their season opener - and lost 96-79. They struggled nearly as much at home on Dec. 6.

Charlotte's second-worst shooting performance of the season came that day, when Cleveland led by 16 points after one quarter and never looked back, holding the Bobcats to 36.2 percent from the field in a 94-74 rout. Gerald Wallace, Charlotte's leading scorer this season, had only one point.

James averaged 23.5 points in those two wins, but the Cavaliers' offensive star was Daniel Gibson. The reserve guard is averaging 8.9 points overall this season, but his only two 20-point performances have been against the Bobcats. He had 25 in the home victory, then scored 22 in Charlotte.

Gibson might need to step up again as the Cavaliers adjust to life without center Zydrunas Ilgauskas, expected to miss up to a month with a bone chip in his ankle.

Ilgauskas' absence should open up the paint for Charlotte's Emeka Okafor, who's played well recently. He's averaging 16.7 points, 12.4 rebounds and 2.0 blocks in his last seven games. Okafor hasn't fared well in this season's meetings with Cleveland, averaging 8.0 points on 33.3 percent shooting with only one blocked shot.

The Cavaliers have defeated Charlotte five straight times overall.