NEW YORK KNICKS (18-18) 120, CLEVELAND CAVALIERS (13-20) 103
Madison Square Garden
Wednesday
Radio/TV: WTAM/Fox Sports Ohio

WHAT HAPPENED: The Knicks scored 71 points in the second half, often times scoring at will, as they erased a 17-point deficit.

A night after the Cavs outscored Boston, 42-22, in points in the paint, they were blitzed on Wednesday. The Knicks outscored them, 68-46, in the paint. That's a staggering number.

The Cavs looked like they were in total command at halftime, 61-49.

The Knicks' point guard position was in shambles just a couple weeks ago. Now, they have two very good ones in Jeremy Lin and former Cav Baron Davis. They combined for 21 assists on Wednesday, which matched the Cavs' total as a team.

They are a completely different team with Lin in the lineup.

They are 9-3 with Lin in the starting lineup. He has nine 20-point efforts in his last 13 games. Lin made his first start of the season on Feb. 6 vs. Utah. It's going to be difficult for Coach Mike D'Antonio to remove him from the starting lineup.

Remember, it was supposed to be Davis who was the Knicks' savior. That didn't exactly work out. Now, he plays behind the 6-3, 200-pound Lin.

He came into Wednesday's game averaging 14.4 points, 2.8 rebounds and 5.8 assists. He had 19 points and a game-high 13 assists against the Cavs. Davis, waived by the Cavs in December, added four points and eight assists.

Cavs point guard Kyrie Irving said after the loss to Boston on Tuesday that he's looking forward to facing Lin. Irving was real good in the first half, and finished the game with 22 points and seven assists. He turned the ball over four times in 34 minutes.

I've received several questions about Lin being a Rookie of the Year candidate. This is his second year in the NBA. He played 29 games for Golden State last season, where he was waived. Houston had him in training camp, but cut him again.

The Knicks claimed him on waivers on Dec. 27 and their front office should be commended. D'Antoni might have saved his job by making the move to Lin in the starting lineup. Even after he was added to the roster, he was sent to the D-League Erie (Pa.) BayHawks for a week. He was recalled on Jan. 23.

This is the second of four meetings with the Knicks this season. The Cavs won at Quicken Loans Arena on Jan. 25, 91-81. Forward Antawn Jamison paced the Cavs with 23 points on Wednesday. He added a team-high 10 rebounds.

It was reserve forward Steve Novak who torched the Cavs. He buried 5 of 8 3-pointers for 17 points.

After making his last 11 3-point attempts heading into the game (8 of 8 in the Rising Stars Challenge, 3 of 3 against the Celtics), Irving managed just 2 of 7 from behind the arc on Wednesday.


UP NEXT: The Cavs host Chicago at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Quicken Loans Arena. 

STARTERS

SF Omri Casspi (6-9, 225) vs. Carmelo Anthony (6-8, 230)

PF Antawn Jamison (6-9, 235) vs. Amar'e Stoudemire (6-11, 260)
C Semih Erden (7-0, 240) vs. Tyson Chandler (7-1, 240)
SG Anthony Parker (6-6, 210) vs. Landry Fields (6-7, 215)
PG Kyrie Irving (6-3, 191) vs. Jeremy Lin (6-3, 200) 
INACTIVE LIST
Cavs – G/F Christian Eyenga, C Anderson Varejao 
Knicks - C Jerome Jordan, F Bill Walker 
OFFICIALS

Ed Malloy, Mark Ayotte, James Williams

BOSTON CELTICS (16-17) 86, CLEVELAND CAVALIERS (13-19) 83
Quicken Loans Arena
Tuesday
Radio/TV: WTAM/Fox Sports Ohio

WHAT HAPPENED: Cavs point guard Kyrie Irving outscored Celtics point guard Rajon Rondo, 24-0. But it was Boston which prevailed. Rondo dished out a game-high 11 assists.

He looked like he had two weeks off instead of the last two games. Rondo served a two-game suspension for throwing a ball at a referee. He made 0 of 6 shots from the field and had five turnovers in 32 minutes.

The Celtics can use Rondo's on-the-ball defense in a how-to video. He just hawks opposing point guards and forces mistakes. But Irving was outstanding, especially in the second half when he had 19 points.

"He's terrific," Celtics coach Doc Rivers said. "His ballhandling skills and his moxie in the fourth quarter, I don't know if we've ever seen it (by) a rookie. It's pretty amazing what he's doing. And, he's a Dukie!"

Counting the Rising Stars Challenge, Irving has made his last 11 3-point attempts.

Cavs shooting guard Anthony Parker, who missed the previous 12 games, played major minutes down the stretch. He scored just one point and dished out five assists. It was a bit surprising that he played as much as he did and also took the last shot.

The Cavs' four-guard rotation returned to normalcy, with Ramon Sessions and Boobie Gibson off the bench.

It's time for one of the centers to stand up and be counted. Semih Erden remains in the starting lineup for now. Ryan Hollins had been coming off the bench. He never played on Tuesday. Samardo Samuels played 11 minutes and had just two rebounds.

It's time to hand the job to Tristan Thompson, who was called a "walking double-double" by Coach Byron Scott.


UP NEXT: The Cavs travel to New York at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at Madison Square Garden. 

STARTERS

SF Omri Casspi (6-9, 225) vs. Paul Pearce (6-7, 235)

PF Antawn Jamison (6-9, 235) vs. Brandon Bass (6-8, 250)
C Semih Erden (7-0, 240) vs. Kevin Garnett (6-11, 253)
SG Anthony Parker (6-6, 210) vs. Ray Allen (6-5, 205)
PG Kyrie Irving (6-3, 191) vs. Rajon Rondo (6-1, 186) 
INACTIVE LIST
Cavs – G/F Christian Eyenga, C Anderson Varejao 
Celtics - G E'Twaun Moore, C Jermaine O'Neal

OFFICIALS

Jason Phillips, Nick Buchert, Leon Wood

NEW ORLEANS HORNETS (8-25) 89, CLEVELAND CAVALIERS (13-18) 84

Quicken Loans Arena
Wednesday
Radio/TV: WTAM/Fox Sports Ohio

WHAT HAPPENED: This might be the most obscure team in the NBA, especially with Eric Gordon, Emeka Okafor and Carl Landry out with injuries.

On paper, the Hornets looked like an easy mark. As you know, that was anything but the case. The short-handed Hornets never trailed.

The Cavs failed to win three in a row for the first time this season. They were lucky to win the previous two games, as they made up big deficits after deciding it was time to play. That didn't happen on Wednesday. Teams can't keep relying on comebacks like that.

I will say, when they got it to 71-70. they had several shots rim out. If they had taken the lead there, I bet they would have won the game.

Their center position right now is in shambles. Neither Semih Erden nor Ryan Hollins are doing much of anything. Erden was benched for the second half because of ineffective play. I have a feeling Coach Byron Scott is tired of looking at him.

Rookie Tristan Thompson had 10 points and 10 rebounds on Wednesday. His only drawback was that he was 2 of 8 from the foul line. That's going to keep him on the bench during crunch time.

Just play the kid. You could do a lot worse. He makes things happen.

This is the last game before the All-Star break. This game was very ragged, as expected.

UP NEXT: The Cavs host the Boston Celtics at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Quicken Loans Arena. 

STARTERS

SF Omri Casspi (6-9, 225) vs. Trevor Ariza (6-8, 210)

PF Antawn Jamison (6-9, 235) vs. Gustavo Ayon (6-10, 250)
C Semih Erden (7-0, 240) vs. Chris Kaman (7-0, 265)
SG Daniel Gibson (6-2, 200) vs. Marco Belinelli (6-5, 195)
PG Kyrie Irving (6-3, 191) vs. Greivis Vasquez (6-6, 211) 
INACTIVE LIST
Cavs – G Anthony Parker, C Anderson Varejao 
Hornets - F Carl Landry, G Eric Gordon 
OFFICIALS

Ken Mauer,

Michael Smith,

Ben Taylor

CLEVELAND CAVALIERS (13-17) 101, DETROIT PISTONS (11-23) 100
Quicken Loans Arena
Tuesday
Radio/TV: WTAM/Fox Sports Ohio

WHAT HAPPENED: This Kyrie Irving kid might have a future in this league.

Just kidding. He was sensational on Tuesday, especially in the fourth quarter when he once again took over the game. He had 17 of his 25 points in the final quarter.

He made all three of his 3-pointers in the fourth.

His sidekick on Tuesday was forward Alonzo Gee. Between the two of them, they had 30 of the Cavs' 35 fourth-quarter points.

Gee has been struggling with his shot. He made 5 of 11 from the field against the Pistons, who had been on a recent tear. They opened up a 17-point lead in the third quarter and it appeared as if the game was over. But the Cavs refused to go down easily, and eventually came back and won.

Fans like to criticize forward Antawn Jamison, but he was pretty darn good on Tuesday. He scored 32 points and pulled down 10 rebounds.

For reasons known only to Coach Byron Scott, he played Ryan Hollins for almost 20 minutes. His only basket was a dunk. He had one rebound.

Semih Erden, the starting center, wasn't a whole lot better. He had five points, three rebounds and four stitches to close a wound above his right eye.

What has happened to Samardo Samuels? I forget what he looks like.

The Cavs signed guard Manny Harris earlier on Tuesday, but he never got off the bench.

I thought he would play to help counter the Pistons' strong backcourt. Brandon Knight (24 points) and Rodney Stuckey (16 points) make up a formidable guard tandem.

With Gibson back and Harris signed to a 10-day contract, the Cavs could move Gee back to small forward. He is not a shooting guard. Let me repeat: He is not a "2" guard. He doesn't handle nearly well enough to play the position. His shooting has also fallen off in the last week. Perhaps he's wearing down as the season progresses. He needs the All-Star break.

He said a couple weeks ago, he might not accept an invitation to the slam dunk contest so he could rest during the break. As far as we know, the invite never came. But he does need to take off a few games to clear his head. Despite all that, he was fantastic tonight with 16 points, a career-high 11 rebounds and three assists.

UP NEXT: The Cavs host the New Orleans Hornets at 7 p.m. Wednesday at Quicken Loans Arena. 

PROBABLE STARTERS

SF Omri Casspi (6-9, 225) vs. Tayshaun Prince (6-9, 215)

PF Antawn Jamison (6-9, 235) vs. Jason Maxiell (6-7, 260)
C Semih Erden (7-0, 240) vs. Greg Monroe (6-11, 250)
SG Daniel Gibson (6-2, 200) vs. Rodney Stuckey (6-5, 205)
PG Kyrie Irving (6-3, 191) vs. Brandon Knight (6-3, 189) 
PROJECTED INACTIVE LIST
Cavs – G Anthony Parker, C Anderson Varejao 
Pistons - F Charlie Villanueva

OFFICIALS
Scott Foster, Eric Dalen, Gary Zielinski

CLEVELAND CAVALIERS (12-17) 93, SACRAMENTO KINGS (10-21) 92
Quicken Loans Arena
Sunday
RADIO/TV: WTAM/Fox Sports Ohio

WHAT HAPPENED: First, we had LeBron James playing in The Q. Now, we have J.J. Hickson. Wonder if he would consider coming back to the Cavs?

I asked him that in pregame, and we all had a good laugh about it. Something is drastically wrong with Hickson's game. Remember what a promising prospect he was? Now, he's digressed to the point of the Kings might not offer him a qualifying offer this summer. If they don't, he'll be an unrestricted free agent.

His play with the Kings has cost him millions of dollars. He played 16 scoreless minutes against the Cavs. He's playing behind DeMarcus Cousins and Jason Thompson.

It would be a toss-up between who was worse on Sunday: Hickson or Cavs center Semih Erden. He didn't score, either, and attempted and missed one shot.

Hickson left via a trade with the Kings last June 30. He hasn't fit in at all with the Kings, as evidenced by a his 5.2-point scoring average. Obviously, he's not a max player. But he is a middle-of-the-road player that has talent and athleticism.

The Kings have lost five in a row, including the last four on the road.

Coach Byron Scott said the Cavs were lucky to win on Sunday. He said the players thought they could flip that switch - again - and play when they wanted to.

After the game, the Cavs told guard Ben Uzoh that they are not re-signing him to another 10-day contract. I looked in his locker after the game and it was cleaned out. What they could really use right now is another shooting guard, especially if they are going to hold Boobie Gibson and Anthony Parker out until after the All-Star break.

It doesn't make a lot of sense to me to bring them back until after the break, other than they don't have a legitimate shooting guard available to play right now. Alonzo Gee is not a shooting guard. Ramon Sessions has been playing some "2," and so has Kyrie Irving.

UP NEXT: The Cavs host the Detroit Pistons at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Quicken Loans Arena. 

STARTERS

SF Omri Casspi (6-9, 225) vs. Marcus Thornton (6-4, 205)

PF Antawn Jamison (6-9, 235) vs. Jason Thompson (6-11, 250)
C Semih Erden (7-0, 240) vs. DeMarcus Cousins (6-11, 270)
SG Alonzo Gee (6-6, 219) vs. Tyreke Evans (6-6, 220)
PG Kyrie Irving (6-3, 191) vs. Isaiah Thomas (5-9, 185) 
INACTIVE LIST
Cavs – G Anthony Parker, G Daniel Gibson
Kings - F Tyler Honeycutt, C Hassan Whiteside
OFFICIALS
Eddie F. Rush, Bennie Adams, Kevin Cutler

MIAMI HEAT (24-7) 111, CLEVELAND CAVALIERS (11-17) 87
Quicken Loans Arena
Friday
RADIO/TV: WTAM/Fox Sports Ohio

WHAT HAPPENED: The Heat looked like a championship team on Friday. The Cavs were never in the game. The Heat scored the first 11 points. They extended it to 21-2.

It was former Cavs forward LeBron James who fueled the Miami win. He had 28 points and looked unstoppable.

Cavs coach Byron Scott was fired up after the game. He claimed the Cavs played scared, which the players disputed in the locker room.

Some thought the Cavs would be able to compete with the Heat, but that was anything but the case. The Cavs never led.

The Cavs were playing without three important players: center Anderson Varejao (broken right wrist), guard Daniel Gibson (sprained left ankle) and guard Anthony Parker (strained lower back). That's never a good thing when playing a team of Miami's caliber.

All talk has centered on James saying that he'd be open to returning to the Cavs in 2014. Frankly, I was shocked that he said what he said. He had every opportunity to divert talk away from a possible return. He just fueled speculation. I think he's actually considering it.

Many have said they don't want him back. Oh, really? If he wants to come back, you take him back. It's that simple, even for owner Dan Gilbert. Remember, he's a businessman. You think he'd like to have The Q filled to capacity night-after-night? Darn right. None of this 12,000 fans stuff like they had against Indiana on Wednesday.

James disputed a report that one of his people reached out to Gilbert about playing here. He said that wasn't true. 

UP NEXT: The Cavs host the Sacramento Kings at 6 p.m. Sunday at Quicken Loans Arena.

STARTERS
SF Omri Casspi (6-9, 225) vs. LeBron James (6-8, 250)

PF Antawn Jamison (6-9, 235) vs. Chris Bosh (6-11, 235)
C Semih Erden (7-0, 240) vs. Joel Anthony (6-9, 245)
SG Alonzo Gee (6-6, 219) vs. Dwyane Wade (6-4, 220)
PG Kyrie Irving (6-3, 191) vs. Mario Chalmers (6-2, 190) 
INACTIVE LIST
Cavs – G Anthony Parker, F/C Anderson Varejao 
Heat - C Dexter Pittman, G Terrel Harris 
OFFICIALS
Marc Davis, Derrick Collins, Scott Twardoski

CLEVELAND CAVALIERS (11-16) 98, INDIANA PACERS (17-12) 87
Quicken Loans Arena
Wednesday
RADIO/TV: WTAM/Fox Sports Ohio

WHAT HAPPENED: The Cavs welcomed back leading scorer Kyrie Irving to the starting lineup. He missed the previous three games with a concussion. Irving was very good in his return with 22 points.

He really didn't look like he had missed a week. He was his normal self.

The star of the game was center Semih Erden, who had a career-high 18 points and eight rebounds. One could make a case he outplayed Pacers center Roy Hibbert, who is headed to the All-Star game.

The key is whether Erden shows up against Miami. He could return to his former self against the Heat, who really don't have any big centers like Hibbert. They start Joel Anthony, who is a 6-9 athlete who likes to run the floor. Udonis Haslem also logs some time at center.

These guys will draw Erden out from around the basket, which provides driving lanes for LeBron James and Dwyane Wade.

The Pacers have lost their last five games. Leading scorer Danny Granger sprained his ankle in the Heat game on Tuesday and didn't play.

The Pacers looked like a solid playoff team, at least before their losing streak. Shooting guard Paul George is starting to come into his own this season, even though he didn't play well on Wednesday.

This is the middle game of the Pacers' back-to-back-to-back set. They lost to Miami on Tuesday. The Heat came to Cleveland after that game and will remain here until their game against the Cavs on Friday.

UP NEXT: The Cavs host the Miami Heat at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Quicken Loans Arena.

STARTERS
SF Omri Casspi (6-9, 225) vs. Dahntay Jones (6-6, 225)

PF Antawn Jamison (6-9, 235) vs. David West (6-9, 240)
C Anderson Varejao (6-11, 260) vs. Roy Hibbert (7-2, 260)
SG Daniel Gibson (6-2, 200) vs. Paul George (6-8, 215)
PG Kyrie Irving (6-3, 191) vs. Darren Collison (6-0, 180) 
INACTIVE LIST
Cavs – G Anthony Parker, G/F Christian Eyenga 
Pacers - none
OFFICIALS
Greg Willard, Brian Forte, Matt Myers

PHILADELPHIA 76ERS (19-9) 99, CLEVELAND CAVALIERS (10-16) 84
Quicken Loans Arena
Saturday
RADIO/TV: WTAM/Fox Sports Ohio

WHAT HAPPENED: The Atlantic Division leaders lived up to their advanced billing. They are talented and deep. They are good enough to win a round in the playoffs this year.

They are very strong in the backcourt, which wasn't a good thing for the Cavs. The Cavs were playing with their starting backcourt of Kyrie Irving (concussion) and Anthony Parker (strained lower back).

There's a chance Irving returns for the Indiana game on Wednesday. He's needed, even though Ramon Sessions has been solid in his place.

The Sixers' talent in their backcourt might be unprecedented in the NBA. They come at teams in droves with Jrue Holiday, Lou Williams, Evan Turner and Jodie Meeks. Holiday had 20 points and Williams added 19.


And, don't forget swingman Andre Iguodala, who earned his first nod to the All-Star game this season.

Cavs center Anderson Varejao has a non-displaced fracture of his right wrist. We probably won't see him on the court for a month - and probably a lot more. He left the arena on Saturday with his wrist in a cast.

Semih Erden, who made his first start of the season at center, played 14 invisible minutes. He didn't score a point. He has one more chance to show what he can do. He'll be needed to face off against the Pacers' Roy Hibbert on Wednesday. If he lays another egg, Coach Byron Scott will move on to one of his other options.

Scott said he didn't consider starting Thompson at center. That's who I'd like to see. He'd be a little undersized, but he's cause problems for other NBA starters by running the floor.

UP NEXT: The Cavs host the Indiana Pacers at 7 p.m. Wednesday at Quicken Loans Arena.

STARTERS
SF Omri Casspi (6-9, 225) vs. Andre Iguodala (6-6, 207)

PF Antawn Jamison (6-9, 235) vs. Elton Brand (6-9, 254)
C Anderson Varejao (6-11, 260) vs. Nic Vucevic (7-0, 240)
SG Daniel Gibson (6-2, 200) vs. Jodie Meeks (6-4, 208)
PG Ramon Sessions (6-3, 190) vs. Jrue Holiday (6-1, 180) 
INACTIVE LIST
Cavs – G Anthony Parker, G Kyrie Irving 
76ers - C Spencer Hawes, F Craig Brackins 
OFFICIALS
Bill Kennedy, Brent Barnaky, Zach Zarba

MILWAUKEE BUCKS (12-14) 113, CLEVELAND CAVALIERS (10-15) 112, OT
Quicken Loans Arena
Friday
RADIO/TV: WTAM/Fox Sports Ohio

WHAT HAPPENED: It's easy to pin this on Cavs forward Antawn Jamison, who missed two free throws with 3.7 seconds left in regulation.

But the real blow was the wrist injury to Anderson Varejao. If he is forced to miss a number of games, it could be disastrous. The Cavs defense, especially on the interior, will suffer.

There was no word on whether he'll miss any (many?) games with the sprained right wrist. He left the arena wearing a brace. He didn't speak to the media.

They have other bigs to put in the game, but not at his level. I'm guessing Tristan Thompson will start at center if Varejao can't go.

The Bucks are dealing with injury problems in the middle. Andrew Bogut, a 7-foot center, is sidelined with a fractured left ankle. Former Cavs forward/center Drew Gooden has moved into Bogut's spot as starting center. He played three and a half seasons with the Cavs, including all 82 games during the 2004-05 season when he averaged a career-high 14.4 points and 9.2 rebounds.

He had 19 points on Friday, including six in overtime.

Say what you want about Gooden, but he puts up numbers. Ironically, the player who will be guarding him tonight - Anderson Varejao - came with him in a trade from Orlando on July 23, 2004. That was one of the best trades the Cavs ever made.

The Cavs will be without the services of rookie point guard Kyrie Irving, who is sidelined with a concussion. He'll be held out of Saturday's game as well.

That opens the door for another start for Ramon Sessions. He alternates between being really good and really bad in games. He made some terrible decisions (5 turnovers), but still dished out 16 assists.

The Cavs might have second thoughts about trading Sessions, judging by how he's playing. But he might be a luxury the Cavs can't afford to have right now. Few teams have that kind of quality depth at point guard.

The Cavs have so many holes elsewhere, if a team offers a first-round pick for Sessions, the Cavs almost have to take it.

As an aside, I have a new appreciation for Cavs forward/center Samardo Samuels, who knocked Clippers All-Star Blake Griffin on his rear end in Wednesday's game. It's about time someone on one of the Cleveland teams stood up for their own players.

UP NEXT: The Cavs host the Philadelphia 76ers at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at Quicken Loans Arena.

STARTERS
SF Omri Casspi (6-9, 225) vs. Carlos Delfino (6-6, 230)

PF Antawn Jamison (6-9, 235) vs. Luke Mbah a Moute (6-8, 230)
C Anderson Varejao (6-11, 260) vs. Drew Gooden (6-10, 250)
SG Daniel Gibson (6-2, 200) vs. Shaun Livingston (6-7, 175)
PG Ramon Sessions (6-3, 190) vs. Brandon Jennings (6-1, 169) 
INACTIVE LIST
Cavs – G Anthony Parker, G Kyrie Irving 
Bucks - C Andrew Bogut

OFFICIALS

Tom Washington,  John Goble,  Olandis Poole

CLEVELAND CAVALIERS (10-14) 99, LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS (15-8) 92
Quicken Loans Arena
Wednesday
RADIO/TV: WTAM/Fox Sports Ohio

WHAT HAPPENED: This was the Clippers' first game without guard Chauncey Billups, who tore his Achilles' tendon against Orlando on Monday. He will miss the rest of the season. Judging by the seven-point loss to the Cavs, "Mr. Big Shot" will be missed.

Even though they have plenty of guards, including former Cav Mo Williams, they will miss Billups' leadership qualities. Billups was a big part of that team. Williams was one of my favorite guys when he played for the Cavs. He sure didn't show up on Wednesday, as he made just 2 of 10 shots for five points. He missed a key layup with 1:10 to play.

Some observers thought the Clippers were good enough to get out of the Western Conference come playoff time. They do appear to be the best team in the Pacific Division.

Cavs guard Kyrie Irving was so looking forward to playing against Paul, one of his heroes. However, he missed his first game as a pro with a concussion.

My guess is that he'll miss both weekend games. I predict he won't play until at least Feb. 15 against Indiana. But that's me talking and not the Cavs.

The Cavs played with just 11 healthy players for the second consecutive night. Daniel Gibson (neck infection) returned for tonight's game. He had missed the previous five games. He had 17 points, despite not playing since Jan. 27.

Power forward Tristan Thompson (sprained left ankle) is also very close to returning. He is expected to return on Friday vs. Milwaukee.

The Cavs have not lost to the Clippers at home since March 10, 2002 - a string of nine consecutive games. Overall, the Cavs have won won 10 of the last 11 games against the Clippers.

Containing power forward Blake Griffin was the focal point of the defense.The 6-10 Griffin averaged 31 points against the Cavs last season. The teams split the two games against each other last year. He finished with 25 points and 15 rebounds on Wednesday. He wasn't very good in the first half. It wasn't until he got mad that he started playing well.

He is an immense talent.

UP NEXT: The Cavs host the Milwaukee Bucks at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Quicken Loans Arena.

STARTERS
SF Omri Casspi (6-9, 225) vs. Caron Butler (6-7, 228)

PF Antawn Jamison (6-9, 235) vs. Blake Griffin (6-10, 252)
C Anderson Varejao (6-11, 260) vs. DeAndre Jordan (6-11, 265)
SG Daniel Gibson (6-2, 200) vs. Randy Foye (6-4, 213)
PG Ramon Sessions (6-3, 190) vs. Chris Paul (6-0, 175) 
INACTIVE LIST
Cavs – G Anthony Parker, F Tristan Thompson

Clippers - G Chauncey Billups
OFFICIALS

Mike Callahan,

Pat Fraher,

Scott Wall

MIAMI HEAT (19-6) 107, CLEVELAND CAVALIERS (9-14) 91
AmericanAirlines Arena
Tuesday
RADIO/TV: WTAM/Fox Sports Ohio

WHAT HAPPENED: Memo to Byron Scott: Leave Alonzo Gee in the starting lineup at shooting guard. He is one of your best players. He acts like he belongs there. It's time to make a clean break away from Anthony Parker, whose back is going to bother him all season.

Of course, if it were up to me, Gee would have replaced Omri Casspi a long time ago.

Gee had 17 points and two steals in the loss to Miami on Tuesday. Only Antawn Jamison with 25 points and nine rebounds had more points against the Heat. Jamison was limping badly when the game ended. The last thing the Cavs need is another injury.

This game started a stretch of four games in five nights. The last thing Scott needs at this point is a depleted roster. He played Tuesday's game with an 11-man roster.

Their top three shooting guards didn't make the trip to Miami. That's not an ideal situation when facing Heat shooting guard Dwyane Wade, who led all scorers with 26 points on Tuesday. The Cavs left Anthony Parker (strained lower back) and Daniel Gibson (neck infection) in Cleveland. They also waived Mychel Thompson, who had started the previous three games.

That left Scott extremely short-handed in the backcourt. Gee more than held his own at shooting guard, even though he's more of a natural "3" in my opinion.

The Cavs are now 0-2 vs. Miami, which they will face three times in a span of 23 days. The Cavs were trimmed by the Heat on Jan. 24, 92-85.

They've now lost four in a row in South Florida.

They'll start a stretch of nine consecutive home games at The Q. The Los Angeles Clippers come into town on Wednesday. We'll have to see what former Cavs guard Mo Williams will have to say. The Clips lost Chauncey Billups for the season with a torn Achilles' tendon.

Scott was forced to play Christian Eyenga on Tuesday. He played 21 scoreless minutes against the Heat. He was 0 of 4 from the field, but had four rebounds, one steal and one monster blocked shot on Norris Cole's drive to the basket. He swatted Cole's shot almost into orbit.

Scott was sending Eyenga a message to work harder in practice. He had played a total of one minute this season in the Cavs' first 22 games. That's not exactly the way it was supposed to go on Eyenga's development agenda. The problem with sending messages to Eyenga, he doesn't always get them. He lives in his own little world.

On this team, he should be playing. He can help this team with his athleticism and uncanny jumping ability. He can run the floor and dunk with the best of them. It's all about defense with him. In time, he should be a great defender. He won't getting any better sitting on the bench.

UP NEXT: The Cavs host the Los Angeles Clippers at 7 p.m. Wednesday at Quicken Loans Arena.

STARTERS
SF Omri Casspi (6-9, 225) vs. LeBron James (6-8, 250)

PF Antawn Jamison (6-9, 235) vs. Chris Bosh (6-11, 235)
C Anderson Varejao (6-11, 260) vs. Joel Anthony (6-9, 245)
SG Alonzo Gee (6-6, 219) vs. Dwyane Wade (6-4, 220)
PG Kyrie Irving (6-3, 191) vs. Mario Chalmers (6-2, 190) 
INACTIVE LIST
Cavs – G Anthony Parker, F Tristan Thompson, G Daniel Gibson 
Heat - G Terrel Harris
OFFICIALS

Ken Mauer,

Josh Tiven,

Gary Zielinski

CLEVELAND CAVALIERS (9-13) 91, DALLAS MAVERICKS (14-11) 88
Quicken Loans Arena
Saturday
RADIO/TV: WTAM/Fox Sports Ohio

WHAT HAPPENED: This was the Cavs' first win over a team above .500 this season. The defending NBA champion Mavericks have now lost three in a row. They have been struggling as of late, winning just three of their last eight games.

Future Hall of Fame point guard Jason Kidd has been sidelined with a strained right calf. He didn't make the trip to Cleveland. He was injured against Utah on Jan. 27 and has missed the previous four games. His replacement, former Cavs guard Delonte West, was very good in his place with 11 points, seven assists and three steals.

"These Cleveland fans are more than fans," West said after the game. "They are friends. It's good seeing a lot of their faces in the same seats. They have a great owner here. They have a great nucleus of young guys. This organization is on its way. I can see them being a contender a few years from now."

West, who played with the Cavs from 2007-10, was guarding Kyrie Irving on the latter's drive to the basket that won the game. Irving was lethal down the stretch and ended with 20 points and seven assists.

He's getting better right before our eyes. It's actually fun watching him turn into an All-Star.

The Cavs snapped a three-game losing streak to the Mavs. They won despite shooting just 39.8 percent from the field. They had just nine turnovers. They also pulled down 17 offensive rebounds, seven by league leader Anderson Varejao.

He's just been playing out of his mind. He had 17 points and 17 rebounds on Saturday.

Forward Dirk Nowitzki led all scorers with 24 points. He made 9 of 15 from the field. The Mavs should have gone to him more often, as Cavs forward Antawn Jamison was at a size disadvantage in the matchup.

Jamison, who played for the Mavs from 2003-04, made Nowitzki work on the other end, too, with 19 points and nine rebounds.

All three injured players - guards Anthony Parker (strained lower back) and Daniel Gibson (neck infection) and forward/center Tristan Thompson (sprained left ankle) were held out of Saturday's game. The Cavs want them to practice on Monday before they decide whether to activate them.

Rookie Mychel Thompson has been struggling with his shot, but he buried two 3-point goals in the third-quarter comeback on Saturday.

UP NEXT: The Cavs travel to Miami at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at AmericanAirlines Arena.

STARTERS
SF Omri Casspi (6-9, 225) vs. Shawn Marion (6-7, 228)

PF Antawn Jamison (6-9, 235) vs. Dirk Nowitzki (7-0, 245)
C Anderson Varejao (6-11, 260) vs. Brendan Haywood (7-0, 263)
SG Mychel Thompson (6-6, 211) vs. Vince Carter (6-6, 220)
PG Kyrie Irving (6-3, 191) vs. Rodrigue Beaubois (6-2, 182) 
INACTIVE LIST
Cavs – G Anthony Parker, F Tristan Thompson, G Daniel Gibson 
Mavs - G Jason Kidd, F/C Sean Williams 
OFFICIALS

Monty McCutchen,

Curtis Blair,

Tre Maddox

ORLANDO MAGIC (14-9) 102, CLEVELAND CAVALIERS (8-13) 94
Amway Center
Friday
RADIO/TV: WTAM/Fox Sports Ohio

WHAT HAPPENED: The Magic have now beaten the Cavs seven times in a row, including their last four meetings in Orlando.

This team is going nowhere fast this year. Something is missing. Some think there is a black cloud hanging over the Magic caused by the trade demand made by All-Star center Dwight Howard. Is he naive enough to think that's not affecting his team? Apparently.,

He sees all the other players who forced their way out of other teams and he wants some of that for himself. What he's done is ruined this team.

Howard finished with 19 points, 16 rebounds and eight blocks. He swatted at least three shots by Cavs guard Kyrie Irving, who really didn't impact the game. He ended with 18 points, four rebounds and six assists.

It was reserve forward Alonzo Gee who was the star of the night with a career-high 20 points, five rebounds and one block. He made 3 of 4 from behind the 3-point arc.

Center Anderson Varejao was also very good, at least on the boards with 15 rebounds. He added 12 points, three steals and a block.

Forward Antawn Jamison didn't shoot the ball well (6 of 19), but he pulled down a season-high 12 rebounds. The Cavs couldn't "throw it in the ocean." They shot 36.7 percent from the field.

With 3 minutes left in the game, the Cavs decided to Hack-a-Howard. They sent him to the line 16 times. He made nine. It helped them get back in the game, but it wasn't enough.

Coach Byron Scott dusted off backup center Semih Erden to defend Howard. Erden hadn't played in the previous five games. He didn't score, but had four rebounds.

Speaking of hitting the boards, the Cavs pulled down a season-high 57 rebounds, including 18 on the offensive glass.

The Cavs played without three injured players: shooting guard Anthony Parker (strained lower back) and Daniel Gibson (neck infection) and forward/center Tristan Thompson (sprained left ankle). None of them made the trip to Orlando. My guess is that Gibson might attempt to play against Dallas on Saturday.

The Magic were without starting point guard Jameer Nelson and suspended forward Glen "Big Baby" Davis. He reportedly threw a tantrum after the morning shootaround. And to think, he doesn't want people to call him "Baby." 

ALL STAR RESERVES: All-Star reserves will be announced Feb. 9 on TNT. The following are the TNT analysts' picks for the Eastern Conference All-Star reserves. Note: Someone dear to Cavs fans' hearts is missing from every ballot. They will actually be selected by the 30 head coaches:
Charles Barkley 
Chris Bosh                Miami Heat               Forward
Deron Williams            New Jersey Nets          Guard
Joe Johnson               Atlanta Hawks            Guard
Josh Smith                Atlanta Hawks            Forward
Andre Iguodala            Philadelphia 76ers       Forward
Danny Granger             Indiana Pacers           Forward
Darren Collison           Indiana Pacers           Guard
Shaquille O’Neal

Joe Johnson               Atlanta Hawks            Guard
Josh Smith                Atlanta Hawks            Forward
Roy Hibbert               Indiana Pacers           Center
Andre Iguodala            Philadelphia 76ers       Forward
Chris Bosh                Miami Heat               Forward
Amar’e Stoudemire         New York Knicks          Forward
Rajon Rondo               Boston Celtics           Guard
Kenny Smith

Joe Johnson               Atlanta Hawks            Guard
Josh Smith                Atlanta Hawks            Forward
Roy Hibbert               Indiana Pacers           Center
Chris Bosh                Miami Heat               Forward
Danny Granger             Indiana Pacers           Forward
Carlos Boozer             Chicago Bulls            Forward
Louis Williams            Philadelphia 76ers       Guard
Chris Webber

Joe Johnson                 Atlanta Hawks             Guard
Josh Smith                  Atlanta Hawks             Forward
Roy Hibbert                 Indiana Pacers            Center
Chris Bosh                  Miami Heat                Forward
Andre Iguodala              Philadelphia 76ers        Forward
Jrue Holiday                Philadelphia 76ers        Guard
Ray Allen                   Boston Celtics            Guard
Ernie Johnson

Rajon Rondo                 Boston Celtics            Guard
Joe Johnson                 Atlanta Hawks             Guard
Chris Bosh                  Miami Heat                Forward
Luol Deng                   Chicago Bulls             Forward
Roy Hibbert                 Indiana Pacers            Center
Josh Smith                  Atlanta Hawks             Forward
Andre Iguodala              Philadelphia 76ers        Forward
 

UP NEXT: The Cavs will host Dallas at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at Quicken Loans Arena. 

STARTERS

SF Omri Casspi (6-9, 225) vs. Hedo Turkoglu (6-10, 220)
PF Antawn Jamison (6-9, 235) vs. Ryan Anderson (6-10, 240)
C Anderson Varejao (6-11, 260) vs. Dwight Howard (6-11, 275)
SG Mychel Thompson (6-6, 211) vs. Jason Richardson (6-6, 225)
PG Kyrie Irving (6-3, 191) vs. Chris Duhon (6-1, 190) 
INACTIVE LIST
Cavs – G Anthony Parker, F Tristan Thompson, G Daniel Gibson 
Magic - G Jameer Nelson, F Glen Davis 
OFFICIALS
Tony Brothers, Eli Roe, Haywoode Workman