BROOKLYN NETS (16-14) 103, CLEVELAND CAVALIERS (7-25) 100
Barclays Center
Saturday
Radio/TV: WTAM (1100 AM), WFUN (970 AM)/Fox Sports Ohio

WHAT HAPPENED: The Cavs had a chance to send it into overtime, but point guard Kyrie Irving missed a 3-pointer at the buzzer.

It capped off a horrible shooting night for the second-year guard. He finished with 13 points and seven assists. However, Irving shot 5 of 16 from the field, 1 of 6 from behind the arc.

Don't laugh when I say this, but I think Luke Walton has a better feel for finding the open man than Irving. Walton just has a knack for making the right pass when he has the ball. He knows how to penetrate and kick.

Walton ended with four points, four rebounds and six assists.

Swingman C.J. Miles was fantastic on the night. He had a season-high 33 points. He made 11 of 15 from the field, 8 of 10 from behind the arc. Unbelievable. He kept them in the game with his long-range shooting. He's capable of nights like that.

Also, I was impressed with how hard Tristan Thompson played. He finished with 17 points and a game-high 15 rebounds. It's his fifth double-double in the last six games.

He worked hard around the basket. After Tyler Zeller fouled out, he was forced to guard Nets center Brook Lopez, who was an absolute load in the paint. He had a season high in points (35) and rebounds (11).

He got on a roll early against Zeller and never slowed down. He was 13 of 20 from the field.

Nets interim coach P.J. Carlesimo is now 2-0 since taking over for the fired Avery Johnson. The Nets were 14-14 when he was dispatched.

Carlesimo has a 206-296 record as a head coach (.409), with stints in Portland, Golden State, Seattle (Oklahoma City) and now the Nets. He brings 35 years of coaching experience into his current role, but he'll be forever remembered for getting choked by Latrell Sprewell.

Rebounding machine Kris Humphries was inactive with a sore abdominal muscle. That meant more minutes for Reggie Evans, who had 10 rebounds.

The last time the Cavs were in Brooklyn, they dropped a 114-101 decision. Irving scored a career-high 34 points in the Nov. 13 game. He since broke that mark with 41 against the Knicks a few weeks later.

The Cavs are now 4-15 on the road this season.

They are having their fair share of problems. Every game, it's something else: Poor shooting, a failure to close out games, defense, turnovers and poor overall play. You name it, they've had it.

Besides an overall lack of talent on this team, it's not come together like they thought it would. Not that anyone in their right mind thought they'd be a playoff team, they've flopped miserably this season. Even for those expecting them to lose, this has been a disappointment.

They'll play without two of their three veteran players on Saturday: center Anderson Varejao and guard Daniel Gibson. This will be the sixth game in a row Varejao has missed with a bruised right knee. He said before Friday's game he can't bend the knee or push off on his right leg.

Gibson suffered a concussion in Friday's game after he got bashed in the face by Hawks forward Anthony Morrow.

The lone veteran still standing was Walton, who played 30 minutes.

Also, forward Samardo Samuels is also serving a D-League assignment.

Here's an interesting side note: Nets point guard Deron Williams and Miles were drafted by Utah in the 2005 draft. Williams was their first-round pick and Miles their second-rounder.

LAST GAME: The Cavs lost to Atlanta on Friday, 102-94.

UP NEXT: The Cavs host Sacramento at 7 p.m. Wednesday at Quicken Loans Arena.

STARTERS
SF Alonzo Gee (6-6, 219) vs. Keith Bogans (6-5, 215)
PF Tristan Thompson (6-9, 227) vs. Gerald Wallace (6-7, 220)
C Tyler Zeller (7-0, 250) vs. Brook Lopez (7-0, 265)
SG Dion Waiters (6-4, 221) vs. Joe Johnson (6-7, 240)
PG Kyrie Irving (6-3, 191) vs. Deron Williams (6-3, 209) 
INACTIVE LIST
Cavs – G Daniel Gibson, C Anderson Varejao, F Samardo Samuels
Nets - F Kris Humphries, F Josh Childress
OFFICIALS
Tom Washington, Brent Barnaky, Tony Brown

ATLANTA HAWKS (18-9) 102, CLEVELAND CAVALIERS (7-24) 94
Quicken Loans Arena
Friday
Radio/TV: WTAM (1100 AM), WFUN (970 AM)/Fox Sports Ohio

WHAT HAPPENED: A few timely shots down the stretch and the media would be he talking about the Cavs' third consecutive win. Obviously, that wasn't the case.

They really fell apart down the stretch. They allowed the Hawks to score the last nine points of the game to win going away. Cavs coach Byron Scott said it was a case of youth vs. experience.

The Cavs need to learn how to close out games. I've been writing that all season. They are in games at the end, but don't make enough plays to win.

With about 2 minutes to play, Scott called a timeout. The Cavs were still very much in the game. Irving advanced the ball up the court and launched a 3-pointer with a lot of time left on the 24-second clock. I guarantee Scott didn't draw up that play in the huddle.

Now, is Irving not listening to what the coach is saying? That doesn't sound like him.

A little while later, Dion Waiters took a wild-looking 3 that wasn't even close.

While Hawks point guard Jeff Teague was penetrating into the key and kicking the ball to open teammates, the Cavs were launching crazy shots.

Teague was very good. He scored a career-high 27 points and dished out eight assists.

He joined forces with Lou Williams to give the Hawks' perhaps the quickest and most athletic backcourt in the NBA.

Teague is averaging 6.5 assists. The Hawks rank fifth in the NBA with 22.9 per game.

The Hawks currently have the third seed in the East. They defend with the best of them. They allow 94.8 points a game, eighth in the NBA, and limit opposing teams to 43.9 percent shooting from the field, which ranks 13th. They've allowed just two teams to shoot better than 50 percent this season.

At the end of the game, the Hawks were playing without forward Ivan Johnson, forward Josh Smith, swingmen DeShawn Stevenson and Anthony Morrow and guard Devin Harris. Smith blocked five shots before he injured his hip flexor and sat out the fourth quarter.

The Cavs' best defender is center Anderson Varejao, who missed his fifth consecutive game with a bruised right knee. He won't play in Brooklyn on Saturday, either. He said before the game he's just not ready to play. He can't bend the knee or push off on his right leg.

With the Cavs already knowing they were thin on the front line, they sent Samardo Samuels to the Canton Charge. There's something fishy about that move. No team would purposely handicap its team by sending a player to the D-League. There's more to the story, but I haven't been able to find it just yet.

Cavs guard Daniel Gibson took a hard fall on his head in the second quarter. He didn't return.

After the game, he was wandering in the halls.

"Hey, Boobie, do you have a concussion?" I asked.

"No," he said.

"Did you hit your head?" I asked.

"I don't know," he replied.

So, I walked into the post-game interview room.

"Do you have an update on Boobie?" Scott was asked.

"He has a concussion," Scott said.

LAST GAME: The Cavs defeated Washington on Wednesday, 87-84.

UP NEXT: The Cavs travel to Brooklyn at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at Barclays Center.

STARTERS
SF Alonzo Gee (6-6, 219) vs. Kyle Korver (6-7, 220)
PF Tristan Thompson (6-9, 227) vs. Josh Smith (6-9, 225)
C Tyler Zeller (7-0, 250) vs. Al Horford (6-10, 250)
SG Dion Waiters (6-4, 221) vs. Lou Williams (6-1, 175)
PG Kyrie Irving (6-3, 191) vs. Jeff Teague (6-2, 181) 
INACTIVE LIST
Cavs – C Anderson Varejao, F Samardo Samuels
Hawks - G Devin Harris
OFFICIALS
Bill Kennedy, Curtis Blair, Derrick Collins

CLEVELAND CAVALIERS (7-23) 87, WASHINGTON WIZARDS (3-23) 84
Verizon Center
Wednesday
Radio/TV: WTAM (1100 AM), WFUN (970 AM)/Fox Sports Ohio

WHAT HAPPENED: For the first time since last March, the Cavs have won two games in a row. They did it despite shooting 37.8 percent from the field.

Kyrie Irving is normally a deadly foul shooter. He made just 1 of 5 foul shots in the last 1:50 of the game. What's going on here?

He did lead all scorers with 26 points, six rebounds, a game-high eight assists and two steals. He had just two turnovers in 37 minutes.

Irving didn't shoot the ball particularly well - 8 of 23 from the field, 2 of 9 from the 3-point arc and 7 of 11 from the foul line.

Power forward Tristan Thompson is really making a move. He recorded his fourth consecutive double-double with 15 points, 12 rebounds and one block. The box score said his rebounds are a season high, but that's not correct. He had 14 rebounds in Milwaukee last Saturday.

He's averaging 12.4 points, 12 rebounds and 1.4 blocks in his last five games. He's also shooting 53.5 percent from the field and 75 percent from the foul line in that stretch.

The Cavs improved to 4-14 on the road this season. They are also 2-2 without center Anderson Varejao, who missed his fourth consecutive game with a bruised right knee. He is listed as day-to-day and could play Friday vs. Atlanta.

Rookie center Tyler Zeller struggled mightily with six points, seven rebounds and two blocks. He had four turnovers.

The Cavs had just 10 turnovers, one off their season low, compared to 20 by the Wizards.

Emeka Okafor and Jordan Crawford each had 17 for Washington, off to the worst start in franchise history.

Newly acquired Shaun Livingston didn't get in the game for the Cavs, who are scheduled to practice at Cleveland Clinic Courts on Thursday. However, because of the inclement weather, they remained in Washington after the game. They'll fly in on Thursday.

LAST GAME: The Cavs defeated Milwaukee last Saturday, 94-82.

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

STARTERS
SF Alonzo Gee (6-6, 219) vs. Martell Webster (6-7, 235)
PF Tristan Thompson (6-9, 227) vs. Nene (6-11, 250)
C Tyler Zeller (7-0, 250) vs. Emeka Okafor (6-10, 250)
SG Dion Waiters (6-4, 221) vs. Bradley Beal (6-5, 207)
PG Kyrie Irving (6-3, 191) vs. Shelvin Mack (6-3, 205) 
INACTIVE LIST
Cavs – C Anderson Varejao, F Samardo Samuels
Wizards - F Trevor Booker, G John Wall
OFFICIALS
Scott Foster, Kane Fitzgerald, Olandis Poole

CLEVELAND CAVALIERS (6-23) 94, MILWAUKEE BUCKS (14-12) 82
BMO Harris Bradley Center
Saturday
Radio/TV: WTAM (1100 AM), WFUN (970 AM)/Fox Sports Ohio

WHAT HAPPENED: The Cavs snapped a 17-game losing streak in the Central Division, dating back to last Feb. 21 vs. Detroit. They are now 1-8 in the division this year.

The last time they ventured into the Bradley Center, Bucks point guard Brandon Jennings buried a 3-pointer at the buzzer in his team's 105-102 win on Nov. 3. The Cavs claimed the shot came after the final buzzer.

There wasn't any drama to Saturday's game. The Cavs led from start to finish. They led by 20 points at one point in the third quarter.

The Cavs were unable to fly because of bad weather after their loss to Indiana on Friday. They flew into Wisconsin on Saturday morning. Center Anderson Varejao, the league's leading rebounder, didn't make the trip.

It will be the third consecutive game in which Varejao didn't play. He has a bruised right knee. The target date is Wednesday in Washington for his return.

Rookie Tyler Zeller has already gone up against Boston's Kevin Garnett, Indiana's Roy Hibbert and Milwaukee's Larry Sanders, the Human Pogo Stick. Sanders is second in the NBA in blocks at 3.04 per game.

He might be the league's Most Improved Player. He's added shooting to his skill set. He's always been able to rebound, block shots and run the floor.

Zeller had 11 points and 10 rebounds vs. the Bucks. He's averaged 14.3 points and 6.7 rebounds in his three starts.

The Bucks' strength, though, is their backcourt. Jennings and shooting guard Monta Ellis put a big strain on the Cavs' defense. Ellis had a game-high 37 points on Saturday.

The Cavs snapped a nine-game losing streak to the Bucks, including their last six at the Bradley Center. They hadn't won in the series since Nov. 24, 2010.

For the second consecutive game, the Cavs had all five starters in double figures. With Varejao out of the lineup, they need that kind of balanced scoring.

Rookie guard Dion Waiters paced the Cavs with 18 points, five rebounds and two assists. He even shot better than 50 percent - 9 of 17. He missed all three of his attempts from behind the arc.

Power forward Tristan Thompson has been really good in each of the last two games. Against the Pacers, he had 12 points and 13 rebounds. He was even better on Saturday with 14 points and 14 rebounds.

Part of his success is not having Varejao getting every loose ball and rebound. With Varejao not even in the same state on Saturday, Thompson was very good. He made 6 of 8 from the field.

The Cavs will be off on Sunday. They'll return to the practice court on Monday and Tuesday. Yes, they'll practice on Christmas, and are scheduled to fly to Washington Tuesday night.

LAST GAME: The Cavs lost to Indiana on Friday, 99-89.

UP NEXT: The Cavs travel to Washington at 7 p.m. Wednesday at Verizon Center.

STARTERS
SF Alonzo Gee (6-6, 219) vs. Marquis Daniels (6-6, 200)
PF Tristan Thompson (6-9, 227) vs. Luc Mbah a Moute (6-8, 230)
C Tyler Zeller (7-0, 250) vs. Larry Sanders (6-11, 235)
SG Dion Waiters (6-4, 221) vs. Monta Ellis (6-3, 185)
PG Kyrie Irving (6-3, 191) vs. Brandon Jennings (6-1, 169) 
INACTIVE LIST
Cavs – C Anderson Varejao, G Donald Sloan
Bucks - F Tobias Harris, G Beno Udrih
OFFICIALS
Joe Crawford, Brian Forte, Haywoode Workman

INDIANA PACERS (15-12) 99, CLEVELAND CAVALIERS (5-23) 89
Quicken Loans Arena
Friday
Radio/TV: WTAM (1100 AM), WFUN (970 AM)/Fox Sports Ohio

WHAT HAPPENED: The Cavs weren't up to the task of trying to upend the Pacers without center Anderson Varejao in the lineup.

He missed the game with a bruised right knee. Varejao probably won't play in Milwaukee on Saturday, either. His target date for his return is Wednesday at Washington.

Rookie Tyler Zeller will remain in the starting lineup at center. The 7-footer is a quality player with good offensive skills. The Cavs won't miss much on offense with Zeller in the lineup. But they'll miss Varejao's defensive energy.

Varejao attacks the boards with a vengeance. Zeller is not a great rebounder or defender. He also doesn't block many shots. What he does is drain jump shots and has the ability to score in the post. He'll get better the more he plays. He's been a good addition to the team.

Besides his shooting, another thing I like about him is that he has a little bit of a nasty streak. The Cavs need more guys like him. I could live with adding Indiana power forward Cody Zeller in the 2013 draft. But I'm getting away from the task as hand.

Pitting Tyler Zeller against All-Star center Roy Hibbert was a bit of a mismatch. Hibbert, had a game-high 18 points, six rebounds and two blocks. He's so long. He also had a 30-pound advantage on Zeller.

Hibbert has been bothered by a bruised left thigh. It didn't look like it on Friday.

The Cavs have lost their last four games to the Pacers. They have now lost 21 of their last 24 games. They are 0-8 in the Central Division, 0-17 dating back to last year. That's an incredible stat.

They are also just 3-9 at The Q.

Cavs coach Byron Scott said afterward that he's nearing his wit's end with all the losing. I'm going to delve into that even further in my NBA notes on Sunday. I was not trying to do any cross promotion there, but I guess that's what this is.

LAST GAME: The Cavs lost to Boston on Wednesday, 103-91.

UP NEXT: The Cavs travel to Milwaukee 8:30 p.m. Friday at the Bradley Center.

STARTERS
SF Alonzo Gee (6-6, 219) vs. Paul George (6-8, 215)
PF Tristan Thompson (6-9, 227) vs. David West (6-9, 240)
C Tyler Zeller (7-0, 250) vs. Roy Hibbert (7-2, 280)
SG Dion Waiters (6-4, 221) vs. Lance Stephenson (6-5, 228)
PG Kyrie Irving (6-3, 191) vs. George Hill (6-2, 190) 
INACTIVE LIST
Cavs – C Anderson Varejao, G Donald Sloan
Pacers - F Danny Granger, G Orlando Johnson
OFFICIALS
Jason Phillips, Eric Dalen, Eric Lewis

BOSTON CELTICS (13-12) 103, CLEVELAND CAVALIERS (5-22) 91
TD Garden
Wednesday
Radio/TV: WTAM (1100 AM)/Fox Sports Ohio

WHAT HAPPENED: The Cavs dropped their fifth game in a row, but they played hard. They used a 20-2 run to cut a 20-point deficit to two points early in the fourth quarter.

But the Cavs didn't have enough umph to get over the hump. One reason they hung around was they turned the ball over a season-low nine times.

They also battled the Celtics on the boards, 35-35, despite missing the league's top rebounder in Anderson Varejao. He missed the game with a right knee contusion. Contusion is the new catch phrase with the Cavs. They've had about 10 of them this year. In layman's terms, it's a bruise.

Rookie Tyler Zeller stepped in and made his first career start. It won't be his last. The Cavs found out what life would be without Varejao. If they decide to trade him - a very bad idea in my book - Zeller would be the starter. Zeller had a career-high 20 points and three rebounds. He made 9 of 15 from the field.

He doesn't provide the defensive energy that Varejao does, but is more skilled offensively. He'll eventually move into the starting lineup. He's just too talented not to.

The Cavs hope that Varejao can return for the Indiana game on Friday. He might be questionable for the Pacers.

One could make a case he outplayed Celtics center Kevin Garnett, who finished with 12 points, six rebounds and three blocks.

All five starters scored in double figures, led by Kyrie Irving's 22 points, four rebounds and two assists. The Cavs had just 18 assists in the game. Shooting guard Dion Waiters ended with 13 points, four rebounds and a team-high four assists.

Power forward Tristan Thompson had 11 points and a game-high 12 rebounds. He didn't shoot the ball well, just 2 of 10 from the field. He did knock down 7 of 9 from the foul line. The only two he missed came after he was clobbered in the face by Celtics forward/center Jason Collins, who drew a flagrant-1 foul.

The Cavs have now lost 20 of their last 23 games. They are 2-14 on the road and 0-8 on the second night of a back-to-back set.

Celtics forward Paul Pierce had a season-high 40 points. It was his 21st game of 40 or more points in his career. He made 13 of 16 from the field, 6 of 7 from the 3-point line and 8 of 8 from the foul line. Cavs forward Alonzo Gee tried to guard him to no avail.

Point guard Rajon Rondo came into the game leading the league in assists at 12.7 per game. He was very good on Wednesday with 20 points, four rebounds, a game-high eight assists and two steals.

The Cavs were also playing without backup guard Daniel Gibson, who missed the game with a sprained right ankle. They have had their whole team together for seven games this season.

LAST GAME: The Cavs lost to Toronto on Tuesday, 113-99.

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

STARTERS
SF Alonzo Gee (6-6, 219) vs. Paul Pierce (6-7, 235)
PF Tristan Thompson (6-9, 227) vs. Jason Collins (7-0, 255)
C Tyler Zeller (7-0, 250) vs. Kevin Garnett (6-11, 253)
SG Dion Waiters (6-4, 221) vs. Jason Terry (6-2, 180)
PG Kyrie Irving (6-3, 191) vs. Rajon Rondo (6-1, 186) 
INACTIVE LIST
Cavs – C Anderson Varejao, F Jon Leuer
Celtics - C Fab Melo
OFFICIALS
Zach Zarba, Scott Bolnick, John Goble

TORONTO RAPTORS (7-19) 113, CLEVELAND CAVALIERS (5-21) 99
Quicken Loans Arena
Tuesday
Radio/TV: WTAM (1100 AM)/Fox Sports Ohio

WHAT HAPPENED: The Cavs got waxed by one of the worst teams in the league. They've now lost their last four home games to the Raptors.

The Cavs are terrible at home, as evidenced by their 3-8 mark at The Q. Normally, even young, developing teams are decent at home. This team is horrible at home.

If one of the top teams in the league come to The Q, it gets their attention. However, if one of the poor teams come to town, it just doesn't catch their attention.

Guard Dion Waiters returned after an eight-game absence. He looks like the same player that was injured on Dec. 1. He jacked up a lot of poor outside shots.

The Cavs talked about him attacking the basket. I think he ventured in the lane once or twice and gave up on the idea.

He missed the previous eight games with a sprained left ankle and bone bruise.

The Waiters-Kyrie Irving backcourt has been together for just 11 games this season. The Cavs hope they can stay healthy the rest of the season. Of course, that's wishful thinking.

They can both penetrate and kick. They can pass the ball and shoot it. It could be quite a formidable duo for years to come.

Whereas the Cavs are healthy, the Raptors come into the game banged up. They are missing two starters in point guard Kyle Lowry (partially torn right triceps) and center Andrea Bargnani (torn right elbow ligament and strained right wrist). That's a lot of firepower and production out of the lineup.

So, what happens with them out of the lineup? The Raptors defeated Houston and Dallas.

This will be Cleveland fans' first look at Raptors center Jonas Valanciunas. He was the No. 5 pick in the 2011 draft, one spot after the Cavs selected Tristan Thompson. He spent a year playing in Lithuania after the draft. The 7-footer ranks 10th in scoring (8.0) and fourth in rebounding (5.4) among rookies.

He's hit a tough stretch as of late. He had 15 points and four rebounds against Brooklyn on Dec. 12, but hasn't reached double figures in any of his last five games. Those who wanted the Cavs to select Valanciunas might back off for now.

Thompson isn't terrorizing the league, either, but he's a little further along than the Lithuanian big man.

Thompson finished with 10 points and nine rebounds. Valanciunas ended with eight points and seven rebounds.

LAST GAME: The Cavs lost to New York on Saturday, 103-102.

UP NEXT: The Cavs travel to Boston 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at TD Garden.

STARTERS
SF Alonzo Gee (6-6, 219) vs. Mickael Pietrus (6-6, 215)
PF Tristan Thompson (6-9, 227) vs. Ed Davis (6-10, 228)
C Anderson Varejao (6-11, 260) vs. Jonas Valanciunas (7-0, 257)
SG Dion Waiters (6-4, 221) vs. DeMar DeRozan (6-7, 217)
PG Kyrie Irving (6-3, 191) vs. Jose Calderon (6-3, 208) 
INACTIVE LIST
Cavs – G Jeremy Pargo, F Jon Leuer
Raptors - G Kyrle Lowry, C Andrea Bargnani
OFFICIALS
Michael Smith, Kevin Cutler, Josh Tiven

NEW YORK KNICKS (18-5) 103, CLEVELAND CAVALIERS (5-20) 102
Madison Square Garden
Saturday
Radio/TV: WTAM (1100 AM)/Fox Sports Ohio

WHAT HAPPENED: The "Dark Knight" was almost unstoppable. Kyrie Irving, wearing a black mask, resembled Isiah Thomas on Saturday.

He scored a career-high 41 points. He was phenomenal.

He broke his maxillary bone on Friday after his hard fall in the first quarter. He remained in Cleveland and Cavs athletic trainer Max Benton came up with the black mask. He was fitted for a see-through, protective mask like the one worn by Tristan Thompson and Tyler Zeller. That will likely be ready for Tuesday's game against Toronto.

The mask slid all over the place on Saturday. He still scored 17 of his 41 points in the fourth quarter. People will remember Anderson Varejao missing a free throw with 1 second left. That could have sent it into overtime.

However, with 4:44 to play, Irving scored a driving layup in traffic. He was fouled and his shot bounced off the backboard and into the hoop. Official Monty McCutchen refused to call the continuation foul and sent Irving to the line for two free throws. He blew the call, plain and simple. Irving split the two free throws, which came back to haunt them later. So, instead of a potential three-point play, they scored one point.

Irving made 15 of 25 from the field, 5 of 8 from the 3-point line and 6 of 7 from the foul line.

His big night came one night after Coach Byron Scott called him out for his shoddy defense on Friday. After Saturday's game, that was totally forgotten.

The high-flying Knicks have now won four in a row, including nine of the last 10. The Atlantic Division-leader has the best record in the Eastern Conference and has a 10-0 record at The Garden.

The Cavs are now 2-13 on the road this season. They are also 0-8 on the second night of a back-to-back this year.

They caught a break when Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony was sidelined with a sprained ankle. He's having a standout season and is averaging 27.9 points and 6.4 rebounds.

Anthony is a legitimate MVP candidate. He's been playing power forward in their offense. What happens once Amar'e Stoudemire returns, no one knows.

After committing a season-high 27 turnovers on Friday, the Cavs had just 12 miscues against the Knicks.

I wondered how Irving would react to Scott's comments on Friday. I will say Scott has to be careful about ripping Irving, even though he might have deserved it in this instance. He's got to give better effort on defense. And so does the rest of this team.

LAST GAME: The Cavs lost to Milwaukee on Friday, 90-86.

UP NEXT: The Cavs host Toronto at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Quicken Loans Arena.

STARTERS
SF Alonzo Gee (6-6, 219) vs. Ronnie Brewer (6-7, 235)
PF Tristan Thompson (6-9, 227) vs. Chris Copeland (6-8, 235)
C Anderson Varejao (6-11, 260) vs. Tyson Chandler (7-1, 240)
SG C.J. Miles (6-6, 222) vs. Raymond Felton (6-1, 205)
PG Kyrie Irving (6-3, 191) vs. Jason Kidd (6-4, 220) 
INACTIVE LIST
Cavs – G Dion Waiters, F Jon Leuer
Knicks - F/C Amar'e Stoudemire, G Iman Shumpert
OFFICIALS
Monty McCutchen, Bennie Adams, Karl Lane

MILWAUKEE BUCKS (12-9) 90, CLEVELAND CAVALIERS (5-19) 86

Quicken Loans Arena
Friday
Radio/TV: WTAM (1100 AM)/Fox Sports Ohio

WHAT HAPPENED: The Cavs don't match up well with the Bucks. They've lost nine in a row to Milwaukee, including their last four at home. They haven't beaten the Bucks in more than two years, since Nov. 24, 2010.

The Bucks appear to be getting it together and have won four in a row.

It all starts in the backcourt for the Bucks. Monta Ellis and Brandon Jennings combined for 49 points and 12 assists on Friday.

But enough about the Bucks. The Cavs sleep-walked through most of this game. When they did engage, they couldn't help but turn the ball over. They had a season-high 27 turnovers - the most in a regulation game in the NBA this season. Dallas had 28 vs. Boston on Dec. 12, but it was a double-overtime game.

It the most turnovers by the Cavs since they had 28 on Jan. 17, 2003, at Denver.

Cavs coach Byron Scott was furious after the game. He went so far as to criticize guard Kyrie Irving's defense.

He said the Cavs didn't get back in the game until they put Alonzo Gee on point guard Brandon Jennings. Why did he do that?

"Kyrie wasn't guarding him," he said.

He's right. Irving isn't much of a defender, but he's his best player. He doesn't want to upset his star player. This whole team waits until Irving starts playing before they follow. Without Irving, there is no one to follow.

He got his sore face examined after the game. Irving took a hard fall in the first quarter. The one you might have to worry about is center Anderson Varejao. He got kicked in the calif in the second quarter and had X-rays. He vowed to play in New York on Saturday.

The Knicks game will be the Cavs' second back-to-back set this week. They are 0-7 this year on the second night of a back-to-back. That doesn't bode well for their game at New York on Saturday. The Knicks are 9-0 at Madison Square Garden.

It might not matter if Carmelo Anthony plays or not. They have the best record in the Eastern Conference. He might not play because of a sprained ankle.


LAST GAME: The Cavs lost to Indiana on Wednesday, 96-81.

UP NEXT: The Cavs travel to New York to face the Knicks at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at Madison Square Garden.

STARTERS
SF Alonzo Gee (6-6, 219) vs. Marquis Daniels (6-8, 200)
PF Tristan Thompson (6-9, 227) vs. Luc Mbah a Moute (6-8, 230)
C Anderson Varejao (6-11, 260) vs. Larry Sanders (6-11, 235)
SG C.J. Miles (6-6, 222) vs. Monta Ellis (6-3, 185)
PG Kyrie Irving (6-3, 191) vs. Brandon Jennings (6-1, 169) 
INACTIVE LIST
Cavs – G Dion Waiters, F Jon Leuer
Bucks - F Tobias Harris, G Beno Udrih
OFFICIALS
Ron Garretson, Mark Ayotte, Sean Wright

INDIANA PACERS (11-11) 96, CLEVELAND CAVALIERS (5-18) 81
Bankers Life Fieldhouse
Wednesday
Radio/TV: WTAM (1100 AM)/Fox Sports Ohio

WHAT HAPPENED: After the Cavs' huge victory over the Lakers on Tuesday, the tendency would be to let down against the Pacers.

That's exactly what happened, especially in the second half when the Cavs were outscored, 44-23.

The 23 points were the fewest in a half in franchise history. The previous record was achieved twice: at Miami on Nov. 4, 1995; and at San Antonio on March 25, 1997.

The Cavs made 8 of 41 shots in the second half for 19.5 percent. That's hard to do, especially in the NBA.

Guard Kyrie Irving, coming off a magnificent 28-point performance against the Lakers, was held to nine points. He made just 4 of 12 shots, 0 of 3 from the 3-point line. The point total matched his season low.

Shooting guard C.J. Miles had a game-high 28 points. He was the only Cavs' starter - and one of only two Cavs' players - in double figures. He shot 8 of 18 from the field, 6 of 9 from behind the arc.

That comes one day after scoring 28 points against the Lakers. He's averaged 18.8 points in his last five games and reached double figures in all of them.

He is really becoming an offensive threat. His outside shooting is a welcomed sight. It's definitely needed.

The Cavs had a 16-point lead, 54-38, with 3:39 left in the second quarter. The Pacers whittled their deficit to 58-52 at halftime. Indiana clamped down on the defensive end in the third quarter when they outscored the Cavs, 28-12. The Cavs never recovered.

The Pacers might be the best defensive team in the league. They are at the top or near the top of almost every defensive category. The Cavs saw that first-hand on Wednesday.

Even though many picked the Pacers to win the Central Division this season, they have been quite ordinary for most of the season. They miss forward Danny Granger, who remains out of the lineup with left patellar tendinosis. He's about five weeks into an approximate 12-week recovery period.

Some think Paul George might potentially be the Pacers' best player. He looked pretty darn good against the Cavs with 27 points and seven rebounds.

Granger, though, is the Pacers' go-to player. They've missed him in a big way. When they need to make a shot late in the game, they used to turn to Granger.

Power forward David West never seems to get old. The former Xavier star is having a good season and is averaging 17.5 points and 8.6 rebounds. He's also shooting 50.5 percent from the field.

The Cavs have lost their last three games to the Pacers. They've dropped five in a row at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. They haven't won in Indiana since Jan. 29, 2010.

LAST GAME: The Cavs defeated the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday, 100-94.

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

STARTERS
SF Alonzo Gee (6-6, 219) vs. Paul George (6-8, 215)
PF Tristan Thompson (6-9, 227) vs.David West (6-9, 240)
C Anderson Varejao (6-11, 260) vs. Roy Hibbert (7-2, 280)
SG C.J. Miles (6-6, 222) vs. Lance Stephenson (6-5, 228)
PG Kyrie Irving (6-3, 191) vs. George Hill (6-2, 190) 
INACTIVE LIST
Cavs – G Dion Waiters, F Jon Leuer
Pacers - F Danny Granger, F Miles Plumlee
OFFICIALS
Zach Zarba, Eric Lewis, Ben Taylor

CLEVELAND CAVALIERS (5-17) 100, LOS ANGELES LAKERS (9-13) 94
Quicken Loans Arena
Tuesday
Radio/TV: WTAM (1100 AM)/Fox Sports Ohio

WHAT HAPPENED: It seems like it's been a while since the Cavs played a good game at The Q. Adding Kyrie Irving to the mix was a godsend to the Cavs.

He makes a huge difference on this team. First of all, he's a floor general. Second, he's can penetrate and dish. Third, the guy's a natural scorer.

The Cavs are fun to watch when he plays. I don't care that this was two sub-.500 teams. This was an exciting game in front of a large audience.

The Cavs just needed a win in the worst way.

This was anything but just another game to Cavs coach Byron Scott. He won three NBA championships as a player for the Lakers. He also lives in the LA area in the offseason. He'll be linked forever to the Lakers.

He celebrated in post-game with his infant granddaughter, Kyla Aklilu, who was laughing during his press conference. She's cute as a button. Hey, after you beat the Lakers, you can bring whoever you want to the press conference.

This sounds kind of goofy, but this team is not that far away from being damn good. Another high lottery pick in June, coupled with a few veteran pieces, and they could be a playoff contender next year. How I long for good basketball!

The less said about the Lakers the better. That team just hasn't come together. It's a mess. It's getting old.

Yes, they still have Kobe Bryant. But even he's getting frustrated with this team. He had 42 points and was his normal self, but they really need Steve Nash and Pau Gasol if they think they're going anywhere this season.

Coach Mike D'Antoni is 4-8 as the Lakers' coach this season.

Irving sure didn't look like a player who had missed the previous 11 games with a hairline fracture of his left index finger. He might have been a little rusty, but one would never know it. His 28 points were outstanding.

C.J. Miles had his best game of the season with 28 points. The third Cavs player to have 20 points was Anderson Varejao.

Once they get shooting guard Dion Waiters back, maybe they can make a little run. But it could be a while for Waiters, who has a bone bruise and a sprained left ankle.

LAST GAME: The Cavs lost to Detroit on Saturday, 104-97.

UP NEXT: The Cavs travel to Indiana at 7 p.m. Wednesday at Bankers Life Fieldhouse.

STARTERS
SF Alonzo Gee (6-6, 219) vs. Metta World Peace (6-7, 260)
PF Tristan Thompson (6-9, 227) vs. Jordan Hill (6-10, 235)
C Anderson Varejao (6-11, 260) vs. Dwight Howard (6-11, 265)
SG Daniel Gibson (6-2, 200) vs. Kobe Bryant (6-6, 205)
PG Kyrie Irving (6-3, 191) vs. Chris Duhon (6-1, 190) 
INACTIVE LIST
Cavs – G Dion Waiters, F Jon Leuer
Lakers - G Steve Blake, G Darius Johnson-Odom, G Steve Nash
OFFICIALS
Marc Davis, Kevin Fehr, Courtney Kirkland

DETROIT PISTONS (7-15) 104, CLEVELAND CAVALIERS (4-17) 97
Quicken Loans Arena
Saturday
Radio/TV: WTAM (1100 AM)/Fox Sports Ohio

WHAT HAPPENED: The Cavs and Pistons were playing for the second time in five days. The outcome on Saturday wasn't any better than last Monday's game at The Palace of Auburn Hills.

The Cavs' losing streak has stretched to five games in a row, as well as 15 of the last 17. This team was 2-2 at one point this season.

Cavs coach Byron Scott threw the media a bone in his pre-game availability. He said there's a slight chance Kyrie Irving and/or Dion Waiters could play on Tuesday against the Los Angeles Lakers. First, they must get medical clearance to play. Neither player has gotten the OK as of yet.

Then, they'd have to participate in the full-contact practice on Monday.

I don't think either one will play. Irving, their leading scorer at 22 per game, was supposed to out for four weeks. It will be three weeks on Monday. They won't take any chances with their star player, who has a hairline fracture of his left index finger..

Waiters has a sprained left ankle. According to Kenny Roda of WKNR, Waiters also has a bone bruise. If that's the case, he probably won't play on Tuesday.

Do you think the Cavs need those two players back? Absolutely.

At the end of games, one can see they don't have the players who want to step up and take - and make - big shots. That's one of Irving's strengths. Waiters also has no problem taking that shot.

Normally, Daniel Gibson is a guy like that. He made just 2 of 11 shots from the field, 2 of 9 from behind the arc. They were good looks, too. He said he normally makes those shots, but not on Saturday.

Up next is a date with the struggling Los Angeles Lakers. They haven't hosted the Lakers for two seasons. The last time they played at The Q, Ramon Sessions had 32 points in the Cavs' win.

LAST GAME: The Cavs lost at Minnesota on Friday, 91-73.

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

STARTERS
SF Alonzo Gee (6-6, 219) vs. Tayshaun Prince (6-9, 215)
PF Tristan Thompson (6-9, 227) vs. Jason Maxiell (6-7, 265)
C Anderson Varejao (6-11, 260) vs. Greg Monroe (6-11, 250)
SG Daniel Gibson (6-2, 200) vs. Kyle Singler (6-8, 230)
PG Jeremy Pargo (6-2, 219) vs. Brandon Knight (6-3, 187) 
INACTIVE LIST
Cavs – G Kyrie Irving, G Dion Waiters, F Jon Leuer
Pistons - C Viacheslav Kravtsov, F Khris Middleton
OFFICIALS
Monty McCutchen, Pat Fraher, Karl Lane

MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES (9-9) 91, CLEVELAND CAVALIERS (4-16) 73
Target Center
Friday
Radio/TV: WTAM (1100 AM)/Fox Sports Ohio

WHAT HAPPENED: Cavs center Anderson Varejao had his double-double streak end at 10 games. He was one shy of Elmore Smith's team record set in the 1977-78 season.

Varejao finished with four points and a game-high 14 rebounds. He was just 2 of 10 from the field, 6 of 26 in his last two games.

He was matched up against Timberwolves forward Kevin Love for much of the night. Love showed why he's an All-Star and a gold medalist on the U.S. Olympic team. He ended with 36 points and 13 rebounds.

One would never know he missed the first nine games this season with a broken right hand. Of course, he got injured doing knuckle push-ups. How would you like to have been the person who had to call Minnesota coach Rick Adelman and tell him that news?

He's an absolute load. Love picked up where he left off before he was hurt. He came into the game being the T-Wolves' leading scorer (19.4) and rebounder (14.4). He recorded his 16th career 20/20 game on Nov. 27. The Cavs have 19 20/20 games in their 42-year history.


Love came into the game shooting an uncharacteristically low 36.1 percent from the field and 19.6 percent from behind the arc. Of course, he drained 10 of 19 shots on Friday, including 2 of 5 from the 3-point arc and 14 of 18 from the foul line.

Conversely, the Cavs were 6 of 9 from the free-throw line.

They have now lost four in a row. That includes 10 of their last 11 on the road.


Forward Alonzo Gee was the only Cavs' starter in double figures in scoring with 16 points. He had four rim-rattling dunks.

That can't continue. That's probably why Coach Byron Scott is close to making a change at point guard. Jeremy Pargo just hasn't been getting the job done. I think it's time to take a look at Donald Sloan in the starting lineup. He had 10 points and five rebounds against Minnesota. He has 24 points in his last two games.

The Cavs also shot 34.5 percent from the field and committed 20 turnovers, one off their season high. That led to 32 points by the T-Wolves.

Cavs shooting guard Dion Waiters (sprained left ankle) didn't make the trip. He is not expected to play on Saturday, either.

Playing without their starting backcourt (Kyrie Irving has a hairline fracture of his left index finger) has been impossible to overcome for the Cavs. They don't have enough firepower with everyone healthy, much less taking their top two scorers and playmakers out of the mix.

Irving has to be close. He was playing one-on-one with Jeremy Pargo after practice on Thursday.

The Cavs won't have Jon Leuer available for a while. He's been assigned to the D-League. He needs to go to Canton and regain his confidence. He's played a total of three minutes in the Cavs' last 11 games.

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

STARTERS
SF Alonzo Gee (6-6, 219) vs. Andrei Kirilenko (6-9, 234)
PF Tristan Thompson (6-9, 227) vs. Kevin Love (6-10, 253)
C Anderson Varejao (6-11, 260) vs. Nikola Pekovic (6-11, 281)
SG Daniel Gibson (6-2, 200) vs. Malcolm Lee (6-5, 203)
PG Jeremy Pargo (6-2, 219) vs. Luke Ridnour (6-2, 173) 
INACTIVE LIST
Cavs – G Kyrie Irving, G Dion Waiters, F Jon Leuer
Timberwolves - F Chase Budinger, G Brandon Roy, G Ricky Rubio
OFFICIALS
Derrick Stafford, Eric Dalen, Brian Forte

DETROIT PISTONS (6-13) 89, CLEVELAND CAVALIERS (4-14) 79
The Palace of Auburn Hills
Monday
Radio/TV: WTAM (1100 AM)/Fox Sports Ohio

WHAT HAPPENED: The Pistons are last in the NBA in attendance. The Cavs got to see that up close and personal on Monday. Their announced attendance was 11,352. One operative said there were about 3,000 in the seats.

For some reason, the fans are turned off by this Pistons' team. I don't know why. I kind of like it. They went with a big lineup for much of the second half with 6-11 giants Andre Drummond and Greg Monroe. I'd consider putting them together in the starting lineup. Throwing in the long-armed Jason Maxiell, who had five blocks, the Pistons recorded a season-high 13 swats on the night.

The Cavs were already short-handed in the backcourt with starters Dion Waiters (sprained left ankle) and Kyrie Irving (hairline fracture of his left index finger) out of the lineup.

Coach Byron Scott shifted Alonzo Gee from small forward to shooting guard. He responded with one of his worse games of the season. He had six points and shot 2 of 10 from the field, 0 of 3 from the 3-point arc.

His other move was to insert Omri Casspi into the starting lineup at small forward. That worked a little better, as he had 10 points and four rebounds. He had trouble hanging with Kyle Singler, who had 15 points and six rebounds. The rookie from Duke is giving Coach Lawrence Frank good minutes.

The Cavs were atrocious in the first half when the Pistons stormed out to a 56-39 lead.

One thing they did do was play hard. Of course, that should be there almost every night. And, lately, it has.

Once they get Irving and Waiters back, they should be much better. Irving is still a couple weeks away. There's an outside shot that Waiters plays on Wednesday, but I'd say the weekend is a safer bet. 

UP NEXT: The Cavs host Chicago at 8 p.m. Wednesday at Quicken Loans Arena.

STARTERS
SF Omri Casspi (6-9, 225) vs. Tayshaun Prince (6-9, 215)
PF Tristan Thompson (6-9, 227) vs. Jason Maxiell (6-7, 260)
C Anderson Varejao (6-11, 260) vs. Greg Monroe (6-11, 250)
SG Alonzo Gee (6-6, 219) vs. Kyle Singler (6-8, 230)
PG Jeremy Pargo (6-2, 219) vs. Brandon Knight (6-3, 187) 
INACTIVE LIST
Cavs – F Kevin Jones, G Dion Waiters
Pistons - C Viacheslav Kravtsov, F Khris Middleton
OFFICIALS
Rodney Mott, Sir Allen Conner, Sean Corbin

PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS (7-10) 118, CLEVELAND CAVALIERS (4-13) 117 (2 OT)
Quicken Loans Arena
Saturday
Radio/TV: WTAM (1100 AM)/Fox Sports Ohio

WHAT HAPPENED: The hope was that the Cavs got over their problems closing out games after their exciting win over Atlanta on Friday.

No, that's not the case. The Cavs blew an eight-point lead in the fourth quarter and allowed the Blazers to send it into overtime.

The teams played 58 minutes of basketball during the two-overtime affair. It came after both teams played on the road the night before.

The teams were tied at 91 after the fourth quarter and 103 after the first overtime period. The Cavs dodged a bullet at the end of the first OT when Blazers forward Nicolas Batum's 12-foot jumper was overturned by video review.

The video couldn't help them at the end of the second OT. Let's set this up for a second. Cavs forward Alonzo Gee was at the foul line with 2.5 seconds left. He split two free throws, which had much to do with this loss. Had he made both free throws, the Cavs would have been up by three, 118-115. Gee is the Cavs' best free-throw shooter at 83.9 percent.

After a time out, which advanced the ball to half court, Batum ran off a pick and received a pass in the corner - directly in front of the Cavs' bench. He turned and buried the 24-foot, 3-point goal with 0.2 seconds left. How the heck can that happen? Where were the defenders?

His clutch shot eradicated an encouraging game from rookie center Tyler Zeller, who finished with 14 points, 10 rebounds and two blocks. The only negative to his game was when he passed up an open look, tried to drive to the basket and was whistled for traveling.

Other than that, he was quite good. He'll continue to get minutes if he makes shots.

The other rookie, guard Dion Waiters, might not play on Monday in Detroit. He was limping noticeably after the game. I was standing in the locker room. He came to get something out of his locker. He sure didn't look like he was ready to guard Rodney Stuckey to me.

I would be surprised if he even travels to the Motor City. That's still to be determined. The Cavs might send out an injury report on Sunday.

Another angle to the Batum shot was whether the Cavs made an offer to him in free agency. Some say they did. He never signed the offer sheet. He did sign one from Minnesota, which was matched by Portland. Batum would have been an interesting player for the Cavs at small forward. He would have been the starter at "3," and not Gee. Batum can shoot the ball, can defend and is still a young player.

I went down to ask Batum before the game, but never found him in the locker room. I ran into J.J. Hickson instead.

UP NEXT: The Cavs travel to Detroit to face the Pistons at 7:30 p.m. Monday at The Palace of Auburn Hills.

STARTERS
SF Alonzo Gee (6-6, 219) vs. Nicolas Batum (6-8, 210)
PF Tristan Thompson (6-9, 227) vs. LeMarcus Aldridge (6-11, 255)
C Anderson Varejao (6-11, 260) vs. J.J. Hickson (6-9, 239)
SG Dion Waiters (6-4, 221) vs. Wesley Matthews (6-5, 214)
PG Jeremy Pargo (6-2, 219) vs. Damian Lillard (6-3, 195) 
INACTIVE LIST
Cavs – F Kevin Jones, G Kyrie Irving
Blazers - G Elliot Williams, F Victor Claver
OFFICIALS
Ed Malloy, Mark Lindsay, Leon Wood