NEW ORLEANS HORNETS (26-48) 112, CLEVELAND CAVALIERS (22-50) 92
New Orleans Arena
Sunday
Radio/TV: WTAM (1100 AM), WFUN (970 AM)/Fox Sports Ohio

WHAT HAPPENED: Point guard Kyrie Irving finally returned to the lineup after missing eight games with a sprained left shoulder.

The Cavs are getting sneaky with injuries. Coach Byron Scott said there were no updates on injuries to Irving and Dion Waiters (sore left knee) on Saturday. If it wasn't for a slip of the tongue by Luke Walton, the media would have had no clue that Irving was going to play.

The Cavs kept Irving away from the media after he was injured in the Toronto game on March 10. Not even a few comments after the injury. They can't be bothered. It doesn't matter to them that he's about the only thing the general public cares about. "Sorry. He's not available."

Irving, who scored 31 points in his return on Sunday, missed three weeks. He will be inactive against Atlanta on Monday, as per the team's medical staff.

The Cavs lost their 50th game of the season against the Hornets. Irving averaged 33 points in two games against the future Pelicans this season.

They've now lost eight in a row, as well as 12 of the last 14.

Hornets point guard Greivis Vasquez is being billed as a Most Improved Player candidate, and rightfully so. He's leading the NBA in total assists with 662. His 9.2 average is third behind Boston's Rajon Rondo and Los Angeles Clippers' Chris Paul.

He was a handful for the Cavs with 25 points, two rebounds, nine assists and three steals. He made 10 of 14 from the field.

I was impressed with Hornets rookie Anthony Davis, who is so darn long. He had 17 points, a game-high 13 rebounds and two blocks. He's not quite in Damian Lillard's class in the Rookie of the Year voting, but he'll likely be second in voting.

I'd take him in a second.

Power forward Ryan Anderson really put a hurtin' on the Cavs with 23 points and six rebounds. He was 5 of 7 from behind the arc. Time and time again, the Cavs left him wide open at the 3-point line.

The Cavs came out and laid an egg in the third quarter - again! - and were outscored, 36-24. In the second half, it was also lopsided, 64-43. The Cavs just quit playing in the second half.

The Cavs are 9-27 on the road this year.

NEWS FEED: Jimmy Smith's story in the New Orleans Times-Picayune on three things to look for in tonight's game.

LAST GAME: The Cavs lost to Philadelphia on Friday, 97-87.

UP NEXT: The Cavs travel to Atlanta at 7:30 p.m. Monday at Philips Arena.

STARTERS
SF Alonzo Gee (6-6, 219) vs. Al Farouq-Aminu (6-9, 215)
PF Tristan Thompson (6-9, 227) vs. Anthony Davis (6-10, 220)
C Tyler Zeller (7-0, 250) vs. Robin Lopez (7-0, 255)
SG Wayne Ellington (6-4, 200) vs. Eric Gordon (6-3, 215)
PG Kyrie Irving (6-3, 191) vs. Greivis Vasquez (6-6, 211)
INACTIVE LIST 
Cavs - C Anderson Varejao, G Dion Waiters
Hornets - F/C Jason Smith, G Austin Rivers
OFFICIALS
Mike Callahan, Tony Brown, Kevin Cutler

PHILADELPHIA 76ERS (29-43) 97, CLEVELAND CAVALIERS (22-49) 87
Quicken Loans Arena
Friday
Radio/TV: WTAM (1100 AM), WFUN (970 AM)/Fox Sports Ohio

WHAT HAPPENED: There are 11 games remaining in the season. Will the Cavs win again? Probably. But their winning streak has stretched to seven in a row, as well as 11 of 13.

Right now, they look like they've packed it in. They got pushed around by the Sixers on Friday. They were 7-26 on the road this year. Only Charlotte (6-29) was worse in the NBA.

Their was a battle of 7-foot centers on Friday. Sixers center Spencer Hawes might be playing the best basketball of his career. He recorded his sixth double-double in his last eight games on Friday with 16 points, 11 rebounds, five assists and two blocks. He was pretty darn good.

Cavs center Tyler Zeller had one of his best games with 14 points, 10 rebounds and a block. He played 35 minutes on Friday. He sat for the last 14 minutes of the Boston loss on Wednesday. I knew he was going to play a lot of Friday.

The Cavs are 1-2 vs. the Sixers this season. 

NEWS FEED: The Philadelphia Inquirer reports that the Sixers are lottery-bound.

LAST GAME: The Cavs lost to Boston on Wednesday, 93-92.

UP NEXT: The Cavs travel to New Orleans on Sunday at 6 p.m. Sunday at New Orleans Arena.

STARTERS
SF Alonzo Gee (6-6, 219) vs. Evan Turner (6-7, 225)
PF Tristan Thompson (6-9, 227) vs. Thaddeus Young (6-8, 235)
C Tyler Zeller (7-0, 250) vs. Spencer Hawes (7-1, 245)
SG Wayne Ellington (6-4, 200) vs. Damien Wilkins (6-6, 225)
PG Shaun Livingston (6-7, 175) vs. Jrue Holliday (6-4, 205)
INACTIVE LIST 
Cavs - C Anderson Varejao, G Kyrie Irving
Sixers - C Andrew Bynum, G/F Jason Richardson
OFFICIALS
Tony Brothers, Scott Twardoski, Gary Zielinski

BOSTON CELTICS (37-34) 93, CLEVELAND CAVALIERS (22-48) 92
Quicken Loans Arena
Wednesday
Radio/TV: WTAM (1100 AM), WFUN (970 AM)/Fox Sports Ohio

WHAT HAPPENED: Can someone please explain how the Cavs continue to cough up big leads and continue to lose games they should win?

They blew a 14-point lead with 8 minutes to play. This one hurts, but remember the Cavs have squandered 27-, 26- and 22-point leads this year.

They've now lost six in a row, as well as 10 of their last 12. It's really getting ugly. They're not getting blown out (other than the debacle in Houston last weekend). They are piling up big leads and then allowing the opposition to storm back.

They were outscored, 21-6, down the stretch. The Cavs made just 1 of 9 shots and turned the ball over three times in the last 5:49.

Do you think they need Kyrie Irving and Dion Waiters in the lineup? In the worst way.

But there's a chance we don't see either one the rest of the way. Now, they are turning their attention to trying to get a top 3 pick in the 2013 draft.

There's little chance of overtaking Charlotte and Orlando, who have locks on the top two picks heading into the draft lottery. The Cavs can fall back further in the draft if they win a few games.

I'm starting to wonder if Coach Byron Scott is going to make it. Right now, I'd have to say he won't, despite the team picking up his option worth an estimated $4.5 million next year.

I like being around him, but perhaps the players have tuned him out.

On the game-winning drive by Celtics forward Jeff Green, there were defensive breakdowns. The biggest appeared to be by Wayne Ellington, who turned his back on the ball. That opened up the driving lane by Green.

That just can't happen there. Good teams find a way to make the opposition take a jump shot there. If he makes a contested jumper, so be it. You can't let him waltz all the way to the hole. Inexcusable.

Another thing that was kind of upsetting was Scott allowing 7-footer Tyler Zeller to sit out the last 14:05 of the game. He had 11 points, nine rebounds and a block. He was 5 of 6 from the field. He couldn't have helped?

Scott said if he was a post-up presence, he might have put him back in the fourth quarter. He's not, so he didn't. Marreese Speights ended with 13 points and six rebounds. He wasn't mincemeat. He was playing pretty well. So, Scott stuck with him. 

NEWS FEED: Steve Bulpett's story on the Celtics in the Boston Herald.

LAST GAME: The Cavs lost at Houston on Friday, 116-78.

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

STARTERS
SF Alonzo Gee (6-6, 219) vs. Jeff Green (6-9, 235)
PF Tristan Thompson (6-9, 227) vs. Brandon Bass (6-8, 250)
C Tyler Zeller (7-0, 250) vs. Chris Wilcox (6-10, 235)
SG Wayne Ellington (6-4, 200) vs. Paul Pierce (6-7, 235)
PG Shaun Livingston (6-7, 175) vs. Avery Bradley (6-2, 180)
INACTIVE LIST 
Cavs - C Anderson Varejao, G Kyrie Irving
Celtics - C Fab Melo, F/C Jared Sullinger, G Rajon Rondo
OFFICIALS
Bill Kennedy, Brian Forte, JT Orr

HOUSTON ROCKETS (38-31) 116, CLEVELAND CAVALIERS (22-47) 78
Toyota Center
Friday
Radio/TV: WTAM (1100 AM), WFUN (970 AM)/Fox Sports Ohio

WHAT HAPPENED: The less said about this game, the better.

The Cavs never showed up in this one. The Rockets did whatever they wanted. They shot 57.1 percent from the field. They outrebounded the Cavs, 54-32. The Cavs also dished out just 14 assists.

The Rockets have one of the most potent backcourts in the NBA. That would have been the focus of the Cavs' defense. But it was Houston's frontcourt that wreaked havoc.

The Rockets are starting two 7-footers: Donatas Motiejunas at power forward and Omer Asik at center. Asik was very good when he played for the Bulls, but he's almost like a new player now. He's bulked up a bit and really hits the boards. He had 13 points and 11 rebounds against the Cavs.

Montiejunas, from Zydrunas Ilgauskas' hometown of Kaunas, Lithuania, is a lot better than I thought he'd be. He had 10 points, four rebounds and two assists. I'd certainly take that out of Tyler Zeller, who was non-existent once again.

I can't believe how badly the Rockets mauled the Cavs on the boards.

Cavs coach Byron Scott said his bigs "weren't there." He's right. They didn't compete, as evidenced by the Rockets' 56-24 edge in points in the paint.

Tristan Thompson had a team-high eight rebounds to go along with his eight points. None of the other bigs are worth mentioning.

The Cavs had just three players in double figures, led by Shaun Livingston with 14 points and Wayne Ellington with 13. Between them, though, they had just three assists. In all, they had five players with two assists.

Maybe the Cavs' devastating loss to Miami on Wednesday have a negative effect on the team after all. They coughed up a 27-point lead in that game. The Cavs' 38-point loss on Friday was their worst of the season. Hopefully, they don't play like this for the rest of the season.

If so, it could cost some people their job, namely Scott. I've been told that he's safe for the rest of the year and the start of the 2013-14 season. But if they keep playing like this, that might not be the case.

Rockets guard James Harden had a game-high 20 points. However, he was just 5 of 9 from the field. He's a very efficient player, who lives at the foul line. He was 7 of 9 vs. the Cavs and made 3 of 5 from behind the arc.

LAST GAME: The Cavs lost to Miami on Wednesday, 98-95.

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

STARTERS
SF Alonzo Gee (6-6, 219) vs. Chandler Parsons (6-9, 227)
PF Tristan Thompson (6-9, 227) vs. Donatas Motiejunas (7-0, 222)
C Tyler Zeller (7-0, 250) vs. Omer Asik (7-0, 255)
SG Wayne Ellington (6-4, 200) vs. James Harden (6-5, 220)
PG Shaun Livingston (6-7, 175) vs. Jeremy Lin (6-3, 200)
INACTIVE LIST 
Cavs - C Anderson Varejao, G Kyrie Irving
Rockets - F Terrence Jones, F Royce White
OFFICIALS
Scott Foster, Matt Boland, Derrick Collins

MIAMI HEAT (53-14) 98, CLEVELAND CAVALIERS (22-46) 95
Quicken Loans Arena
Wednesday
Radio/TV: WTAM (1100 AM), WFUN (970 AM)/Fox Sports Ohio

WHAT HAPPENED: Is there any question who's the best player in the NBA? No, not Omri.

LeBron James was scary good with a triple-double. He had 25 points, 12 rebounds, 10 assists, three steals and two blocks in 42 minutes. It was his fourth triple-double of the season, 36th of his career.

Still, the Cavs appeared to be in total control of the game, midway through the third quarter. When you have a 27-point lead, you've got to find a way to close out the game. Actually, it's unacceptable what happened. This team is 13-21 at home. They've got to learn how to win these games.

They've now lost games in which they had 27-, 26- and 22-point leads this season. Those are the kind of stats that can cost coaches their jobs.

It was a crazy night, starting with Cavs owner Dan Gilbert tweeting about James. Many thought he offered an olive branch to James.

Then at game time, there was moisture on the floor. Thirty-five minutes later, the game finally started.

Then the Cavs proceeded to pound the crap out of the defending NBA champ. James was quiet. I don't know what got him going, but once he starting playing, it was lights out.

Then the goofball ran out on the court. Some thought he was drunk. He just wanted to come out and say hello to LeBron. James patted him on the head just before the kid was escorted off the court by the police.

The Heat recovered from their 27-point deficit and have now won 24 games in a row. They haven't lost since Feb. 1 at Indiana.

The Cavs are so banged-up. They were playing without Kyrie Irving, Dion Waiters and Anderson Varejao. Tristan Thompson was pretty good with 18 points and eight rebounds, while Tyler Zeller added 12 points and 11 rebounds for his sixth double-double. 

LAST GAME: The Cavs lost to Indiana on Monday, 111-90. 

UP NEXT: The Cavs travel to Houston at 8 p.m. Friday at Toyota Center.

STARTERS
SF Alonzo Gee (6-6, 219) vs. LeBron James (6-8, 250)
PF Tristan Thompson (6-9, 227) vs. Udonis Haslem (6-8, 235)
C Tyler Zeller (7-0, 250) vs. Chris Bosh (6-11, 235)
SG Wayne Ellington (6-4, 200) vs. Dwyane Wade (6-4, 220)
PG Shaun Livingston (6-7, 175) vs. Mario Chalmers (6-2, 190)
INACTIVE LIST 
Cavs - C Anderson Varejao, G Kyrie Irving 
Heat - F Juwan Howard, F Jarvis Varnado
OFFICIALS
Monty McCutchen, John Goble, Haywoode Workman

INDIANA PACERS (41-26) 111, CLEVELAND CAVALIERS (22-45) 90
Quicken Loans Arena
Monday
Radio/TV: WTAM (1100 AM), WFUN (970 AM)/Fox Sports Ohio

WHAT HAPPENED: This is unraveling quickly.

The Heat come into Wednesday's game riding a 23-game winning streak. The Cavs have now lost three in a row.

They face the possibility of facing the defending NBA champion Heat without Anderson Varejao, Kyrie Irving, Dion Waiters and possibly Marreese Speights.

In a real bonehead move, Speights grabbed Pacers forward Paul George around the neck and was ejected after a Flagrant-2 foul. He'll be fined for the ejection, and there's a slight chance he could be suspended by the commissioner. I don't think it was excessive enough to get suspended.

Now, you can see why I don't think he'll be back next year. The Cavs might want him to opt out of his deal.

Coach Byron Scott refused to say he was embarrassed after the game. Well, I was embarrassed enough for both of us.

He said they were just faced a better team (which is true) that jumped on them from the get-go (true that).

They are so much better than the Cavs. The Pacers' players have actually improved since the beginning of the season. They are also so well-coached.

They are now 3-0 vs. the Cavs this year. They came into the game with a 3 1/2-game lead on Chicago in the Central Division. They are now the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference playoff race.

Forward Danny Granger is out of the lineup again with a sore left knee. The Pacers are getting to the point where they have to move on without him. They have a chance - albeit a small one - to unseat the Miami Heat in the East finals.

Forward Paul George is their go-to guy now. He's one of the most improved players in the NBA. 

The Cavs have now lost five in a row overall to the Pacers. However, the Cavs are 11-6 in their last 17 games vs. Indiana at The Q.

Including the Indiana game, the Cavs play four of their next five games at home.

Since Feb. 2, the Cavs are averaging 102.6 points per game, which is the second-highest in the East over that stretch. The reason they've not winning consistently continues to be their shoddy defense. They just don't stop people.

NEWS FEED: David West's back injury could keep him out of tonight's game.

LAST GAME: The Cavs lost at San Antonio on Saturday, 119-113. 

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

STARTERS
SF Alonzo Gee (6-6, 219) vs.Paul George (6-9, 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 (6-6, 210)
PG Shaun Livingston (6-7, 175) vs. George Hills (6-2, 190)
INACTIVE LIST 
Cavs - C Anderson Varejao, F Kevin Jones, G Kyrie Irving 
Pacers - F Danny Granger, G Ben Hansbrough
OFFICIALS
Danny Crawford, Leroy Richardson, Eli Roe

SAN ANTONIO SPURS (51-16) 119, CLEVELAND CAVALIERS (22-44) 113
AT&T Center
Saturday
Radio/TV: WTAM (1100 AM), WFUN (970 AM)/Fox Sports Ohio

WHAT HAPPENED: The Cavs found out first hand why Tim Duncan might be the best power forward in NBA history. He was outstanding on Saturday with 30 points, 12 rebounds, four assists and five blocks. He was 13 of 19 from the field, 4 of 4 from the foul line.

Remember when he couldn't make a free throw? That's a thing of the past. He's shooting a career-high 80.3 percent from the foul line.

He was a handful on Saturday. Cavs power forward Tristan Thompson was certainly no match for him on this night, even though he finished with eight points and eight rebounds.

I had a sneaking feeling the Cavs were going to come out and compete on this night. They were outscored, 28-23, in the fourth quarter. That was the difference in the game.

The Cavs shot 50.6 percent from the field - good against a defensive team like the Spurs. But San Antonio shot 57.7 percent from the floor and outrebounded the Cavs by a wide margin, 43-29.

The Spurs have made the playoffs in 16 consecutive seasons. They hadn't been playing very well, but sure looked good on Saturday. They are the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference for a reason.

They've won 50 or more games in 14 consecutive seasons.

They are playing without former MVP candidate Tony Parker, who has a sprained left ankle. He's been replaced by the inexperienced Cory Joseph and Nando De Colo.

The Spurs have won five in a row over the Cavs. They are 34-6 lifetime in San Antonio vs. the Cavs.

San Antonio shocked the Cavs at The Q on Feb. 13, 96-95, when forward Kawhi Leonard hit the game-winning 3-pointer in the closing seconds. 

While we're on the subject of Leonard, he is a fabulous player. They traded promising point guard George Hill to the Pacers for Leonard's draft rights. I thought that was a steep price to pay at the time. But Leonard fits in with this team perfectly.

On Saturday, he finished with 24 points and a career-high 14 rebounds.

The Cavs managed five players in double figures, led by shooting guard Wayne Ellington's 21 points. He missed Friday's game vs. Dallas with a sprained ankle.

Point guard Shaun Livingston had a season-high 16 points, three rebounds and five assists.

Dion Waiters added 15 points and one assist  - his only assist on the two-game road trip through Texas. 

As expected, the Cavs were 0-2 on the trip. They'll be off on Sunday and then host Central Division-leading Indiana on Monday.

NEWS FEED: Jeff McDonald's story in the San Antonio Express News about the Spurs'  recent struggles.

LAST GAME: The Cavs lost at Dallas on Friday, 96-86. 

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

STARTERS
SF Alonzo Gee (6-6, 219) vs.Kawhi Leonard (6-7, 225)
PF Tristan Thompson (6-9, 227) vs. Tim Duncan (6-11, 255)
C Tyler Zeller (7-0, 250) vs. Tiago Splitter (6-11, 240)
SG Dion Waiters (6-4, 221) vs. Danny Green (6-6, 210)
PG Shaun Livingston (6-7, 175) vs. Cory Joseph (6-3, 185)
INACTIVE LIST 
Cavs - C Anderson Varejao, F Kevin Jones, G Kyrie Irving 
Spurs - F/C Aron Baynes, G Tony Parker
OFFICIALS
Ed Malloy, Eric Lewis, Eddie F. Rush

DALLAS MAVERICKS (31-34) 96, CLEVELAND CAVALIERS (22-43) 86
American Airlines Center
Friday
Radio/TV: WTAM (1100 AM), WFUN (970 AM)/Fox Sports Ohio

WHAT HAPPENED: The Cavaliers led by one point heading into the fourth quarter, 68-67.

That's when the total collapse occurred. They were outscored by the Mavericks, 29-18, in the fourth. They made just 7 of 19 shots (36.8 percent) and committed six turnovers. They allowed the Mavs to embark on a 15-2 run in the fourth.

Mavs guard Rodrigue Beaubois scored with 10:49 left for a 71-70 lead and never looked back.

Beaubois looked like the best player on the court. He scored nine of his team-high 18 points in the fourth. Darren Collison added 13 points and five assists. They were unstoppable for the Mavs.

The Mavs' bench was outstanding. It outscored the Cavs, 60-19. Other than Luke Walton's three 3-point goals, the Cavs got very little scoring off the bench.

If you think Friday's game was tough, wait until the Cavs pull into San Antonio on Saturday. It's the second night of a back-to-back, on the road, against a 50-win team. Even without Tony Parker, the Spurs could put a hurtin' on the Cavs.

The Cavs don't normally play well against the Spurs in San Antonio. With no Kyrie Irving, it could get ugly.

The Mavs looked a bit vulnerable on Friday. They have played in San Antonio on Thursday and lost. They were missing their top rebounder in Shawn Marion. Dirk Nowitzki is not the player he once was. He was 6 of 17 from the field on Friday.

All five starters scored in double figures on Friday for the Cavs, led by Dion Waiters' game-high 21 points and two steals. But he had no assists and just two rebounds. No one wants him to become a shameless gunner. He made 9 of 19 shots.

Shaun Livingston added 13 points, five rebounds, six assists and three steals. He made 5 of 11 from the field.

I have to give kudos to Cavs center Tyler Zeller. He recorded his fifth double-double of the season with 10 points, a team-high 10 rebounds and two steals. There's no reason this guy can't have games like this on a regular basis. He's certainly got the talent. It's a matter of competing. 

He totally outplayed Mavs center Chris Kaman, who had four points and no rebounds. 

The Mavs have won five of the last six meetings with the Cavs, including a 103-95 victory at The Q on Nov. 17. They've also beaten the Cavs in 10 of the last 12 games in Dallas.

Waiters is becoming the Cavs' go-to guy, even if Scott doesn't want to admit it. He'll be a first-team All-Rookie performer when the season is over. 

I have a feeling he'll finish third in the Rookie of the Year voting behind Damian Lillard and Anthony Davis.

Zeller, who has an outside chance to be a second-team pick, was originally drafted by the Mavs with the 17th overall pick in the 2012 draft. His draft rights were sent to Dallas for its No. 24 overall pick and two second-rounders. One of the second-rounders, Marquette forward Jae Crowder, pulled down a career-high 14 rebounds on Friday.

The Cavs played without backup shooting guard Wayne Ellington, who missed the game with a sprained ankle.

He was injured in the Washington game on Tuesday.

In Livingston's five starts, he's averaging 13 points, 2.8 rebounds and 3.8 assists. He's also shooting 55.6 percent from the field.

Waiters has served as the backup point guard, a role he fills very well. Scott has also moved Daniel Gibson back into his rotation. If he can stay healthy for two or three games, it will give him a chance to get back in Scott's good graces.

The Cavs are 5-11 this season without Irving, 9-22 since he's entered the league.

This will be a transition period for the Cavs. They'll have to learn how to play without Irving - possibly for the last 17 games of the season.

NEWS FEED: Eddie Sefko's story in the Dallas Morning News on forward Shawn Marion's injury problems.

LAST GAME: The Cavs defeated the Washington Wizards on Tuesday, 95-90. 

UP NEXT: The Cavs travel to San Antonio at 8:30 p.m. Saturday at AT@T Center.

STARTERS
SF Alonzo Gee (6-6, 219) vs. Jae Crowder (6-6, 235)
PF Tristan Thompson (6-9, 227) vs. Dirk Nowitzki (7-0, 245)
C Tyler Zeller (7-0, 250) vs. Chris Kaman (7-0, 265)
SG Dion Waiters (6-4, 221) vs. O.J. Mayo (6-4, 210)
PG Shaun Livingston (6-7, 175) vs. Mike James (6-2, 188)
INACTIVE LIST 
Cavs - C Anderson Varejao, F Kevin Jones, G Kyrie Irving 
Mavericks - F Shawn Marion, G Jared Cunningham
OFFICIALS
Bill Spooner, Pat Fraher, Courtney Kirkland

CLEVELAND CAVALIERS (22-42) 95, WASHINGTON WIZARDS (20-42) 90
Quicken Loans Arena

Tuesday
Radio/TV: WTAM (1100 AM), WFUN (970 AM)/Fox Sports Ohio

WHAT HAPPENED: The Cavs have beaten the Wizards in all three meetings this season. The Cavs tried to give it back to the Wizards in the fourth quarter, but Washington wouldn't take it.

The Cavs were up by 11 entering the fourth quarter, 76-65. In the final quarter, the Cavs shot 35.3 percent from the field and committed six turnovers. Ouch.

Cavs guard Dion Waiters had 12 of his 20 points in the fourth.

It was their first game since guard Kyrie Irving sprained his left shoulder. They are now 5-10 this season without Irving, 9-21 since he's entered the league.

This will be a transition period for the Cavs. They'll have to learn how to play without Irving - possibly for the last 19 games of the season.

Many think the Cavs shouldn't bring him back this season. What do the Cavs to gain by him coming back for five games at the end of the season? Probably not much.

My contention is that this team needs to play together, especially Irving and Waiters.

Shaun Livingston has moved into the starting rotation. He's a completely different player than Irving. He's a pass-first point guard, as opposed to Irving being a shoot-first player.

Livingston is 6-7 and uses it to his advantage. He's no longer the superior athlete he once was. But he knows how to play and where the ball should be. Much like teammate Luke Walton - which Coach Byron Scott said is the best passing forward in the league - the ball moves when Livingston is on the court.

The downside is that he's not a big-time scorer. He did have 12 points and six assists. If he continues to do that, the Cavs will be fine.

While we're on the subject, he should be re-signed for next year. The Cavs can do a lot worse for a backup point guard.

Irving's absence means more pressure will be placed on Waiters. He'll be expected to shoulder more off the offensive burden.

Strangely enough, many fans want the Cavs to lose more games so they can get a better draft pick in June. Enough is enough! It's time for this team to start winning. 

When human fastbreak John Wall returned to the lineup for the Wizards, things changed. The Wizards are 5-28 with Wall out of the lineup, and 15-14 with him playing. You think he makes a big difference for the Wizards? Darn right.

He can't shoot a lick, but he's a darn good player. He's an absolute blur on the fastbreak. He had 27 points, seven rebounds, 14 assists and one block on Tuesday.

NEWS FEED: Michael Lee's story in the Washington Post about John Wall being disappointed Kyrie Irving won't play. 

LAST GAME: The Cavs lost at Toronto Raptors on Sunday, 100-96. 

UP NEXT: The Cavs travel to Dallas at 8:30 p.m. Friday at American Airlines Center.

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. Garrett Temple (6-6, 195)
PG Shaun Livingston (6-7, 175) vs. John Wall (6-4, 207)
INACTIVE LIST 
Cavs - C Anderson Varejao, G Kyrie Irving 
Wizards - G Leandro Barbosa, Bradley Beal 
OFFICIALS
Jason Phillips, Brian Forte, Marat Kogut

TORONTO RAPTORS (25-39) 100, CLEVELAND CAVALIERS (21-42) 96
Air Canada Centre
Sunday
Radio/TV: WTAM (1100 AM), WFUN (970 AM)/Fox Sports Ohio

WHAT HAPPENED: The last time the Cavs visited Canada, Kyrie Irving stunned the Raptors with a last-second 3-pointer to win the game.

The news wasn't as encouraging for Irving on Sunday.

He suffered a contusion to his left shoulder in the third quarter and didn't return. Be prepared for him to miss some action.

Shooting guard Dion Waiters picked up the slack with Irving out of the game. He scored 13 of his game-high 21 points in the fourth quarter.

The game was lost - once again - in the third quarter when the Raptors outscored the Cavs, 33-19. In the Cavs' last four games, they've been outscored in the third, 111-69.

They made a big commotion about their third-quarter woes after the loss to Memphis on Friday. Not a thing changed on Sunday. This is a joke. Do something. Yank the starters out of the game. Call time out and yell at the players. Something. Anything. It doesn't do a bit of good talking about it AFTER the game.

This was the Cavs' first game on the road this month. Before Sunday, they hadn't played away from The Q since Feb. 26 at Chicago. They are 9-23 on the road this year.

The Cavs blew a 17-point lead in the first half. They were shooting 54 percent at halftime. In the second half, they shot just 31 percent. They were outscored in the second half, 54-41.

They split the season series with the Raptors, 2-2

It was time for center Tyler Zeller to start playing. He finished with eight points, eight rebounds and one block in 25 minutes. He competed. That's all you can ask from him.

Power forward Tristan Thompson recorded his 23rd double-double on the season with 11 points and 10 rebounds. It's always a big deal for him to return to Toronto and play before the hometown fans. He's beloved there.

The Cavs paid a lot of attention to Raptors shooting guard DeMar DeRozan, who was held to 13 points. He had 34 points against the Cavs on Feb. 27.

He came into the game averaging 21.7 and 4.7 rebounds in three previous games against the Cavs this season. He's 21st in scoring in the NBA at 17.8 points per game. He's turned into a legitimate offensive threat.

Leading scorer Rudy Gay (back spasms) and forward/center Andrea Bargnani (elbow) missed Sunday's game. It didn't matter. They couldn't keep Amir Johnson off the boards.

The Raptors finished 1-3 on their recently completed road trip. They changed time zones four times during their eight-day trip (March 2-10). Toronto will play 18 of its final 19 games against Eastern Conference opponents, starting with tonight..

NEWS FEED: Doug Smith's story in the Toronto Star about Raptors coach Dwane Casey wanting his team to play better defense.

LAST GAME: The Cavs lost to the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday, 103-92.

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

STARTERS
SF Alonzo Gee (6-6, 219) vs. Terrence Ross (6-7, 197)
PF Tristan Thompson (6-9, 227) vs. Amir Johnson (6-9, 237)
C Tyler Zeller (7-0, 250) 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. Kyle Lowry (6-0, 205) 
INACTIVE LIST
Cavs – C Anderson Varejao
Raptors - C Andrea Bargnani, F Quincy Acy
OFFICIALS
Ron Garretson, David Guthrie, Karl Lane

MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES (41-19) 103, CLEVELAND CAVALIERS (21-41) 92
Quicken Loans Arena
Friday
Radio/TV: WTAM (1100 AM), WFUN (970 AM)/Fox Sports Ohio

WHAT HAPPENED: The Cavs' biggest problem on the night was lack of defense. They just couldn't get the defensive stops needed with the game on the line. The Grizzlies shot 52.3 percent from the field.

They are not a strong offensive team, but you'd never know it on Friday.

Center Marc Gasol took shot after shot from the perimeter with his defensive player standing in the middle of the lane watching him shoot. He made 11 of 16 from the field and was quite good. All but a couple of his points came on set shots from about 20 feet.

There was a lot of rhetoric earlier in the day about whether Cavs point guard Kyrie Irving was going to play. He sucked it up and played, and played quite well. He scored 24 points.

He was listed as doubtful earlier in the day.

Irving complained about soreness in his knee after Wednesday's game. After talking to Cavs athletic trainer Max Benton, Coach Byron Scott said Irving's knee is not a concern. We'll leave it at that for now.

I commend Cavs shooting guard Dion Waiters for playing. However, he probably should have sat out his third consecutive game. He was dragging, as evidenced by his three points and 0 of 4 shooting.

The Grizzlies have now won 11 of their last 12 games.

It all starts on the defensive end for the Grizzlies, who are first in the NBA in points allowed. They allow just 89.4 points per game. They held the Cavs to 45.8 percent shooting.

That's where the Cavs hope to eventually get. They are ranked 23rd in the league by allowing 101.1 points per game. It's a night-and-day difference. The Grizzlies have two outstanding perimeter defenders in Tayshaun Prince and Tony Allen.

The Cavs have lost their last four games against Memphis. However, they had a seven-game winning streak at The Q vs. Memphis snapped.

The Grizzlies nipped the Cavs on Nov. 26 at FedExForum, 84-78. Randolph had 19 points and eight rebounds in the game. The Cavs were leading by seven points after three quarters. However, they were outscored, 22-9, in the fourth.

The Cavs acquired center Marreese Speights and guard Wayne Ellington from Memphis on Jan. 22 in exchange for forward Jon Leuer. The Cavs are 11-8 since the deal.

Speights finished with nine points and one rebound. Ellington added seven points and five rebounds. Speights had a right elbow laceration. 

NEWS FEED: Ron Tillery's story in the Memphis Commercial Appeal about the Grizzlies' comebacks this season.

LAST GAME: The Cavs defeated the Utah Jazz on Wednesday at The Q, 104-101.

UP NEXT: The Cavs travel to the Toronto Raptors at 6 p.m. Sunday at Air Canada Centre.

STARTERS
SF Alonzo Gee (6-6, 219) vs. Tayshaun Prince (6-9, 215)
PF Tristan Thompson (6-9, 227) vs. Ed Davis (6-10, 225)
C Tyler Zeller (7-0, 250) vs. Marc Gasol (7-1, 265)
SG Dion Waiters (6-4, 221) vs. Tony Allen (6-4, 213)
PG Kyrie Irving (6-3, 191) vs. Mike Conley (6-1, 185) 
INACTIVE LIST
Cavs – C Anderson Varejao
Grizzlies - none
OFFICIALS
Rodney Mott, Eric Lewis, Olandis Poole

CLEVELAND CAVALIERS (21-41) 104, UTAH JAZZ (32-29) 101
Quicken Loans Arena
Wednesday
Radio/TV: WTAM (1100 AM), WFUN (970 AM)/Fox Sports Ohio

WHAT HAPPENED: The ending was a complete blur for the Cavs. They had no business winning this game. They were trailing by 12 points with 7:26 to play.

How did it happen? Their defense stiffened. The Jazz completely fell apart. They committed several unforced errors (they had five turnovers in the fourth). And, Coach Byron Scott finally realized he had C.J. Miles on his team.

Miles, who played seven years for the Jazz, has the kind of firepower a team needs to come back in a game like this. He started the fourth and had 12 points - all in the final quarter.

Kyrie Irving also did some of his magic with 11 of his team-high 20 points in the fourth.

When Mo Williams' layup rolled in and out with 4.9 seconds left - a shot that would have given the Jazz the lead - I knew the Cavs were going to win. Pretty astute, huh?

The Jazz are not going to hold off the Los Angeles Lakers in the Western Conference. Utah was sixth in the West as early as a week or 10 days ago. They are now eighth and dropping. The Lakers came back from like a 30-point deficit in New Orleans on Wednesday. The Lakers are just 1 1/2 games behind Utah with 21 games to play.

Remember, you want to root for the Lakers to make the playoffs so they can send their first-round pick to the Cavs.

The Jazz played without injured starting center Al Jefferson. He would have made a difference, but the Cavs were without starting shooting guard Dion Waiters. He's been ailing with the flu-like sickness that has stricken the Cavs.

Cavs center Tyler Zeller started against Utah. He had three points, four rebounds and three blocks in 23 minutes. It's a wonder he made it that long. He was flat on his back on Sunday.

The Cavs snapped a six-game losing streak to the Jazz.

The Cavs lost at Utah on Jan. 19, 109-98.

This is a big game for Miles, who played in Utah for seven seasons before signing with the Cavs in free agency. He's now scored in double figures in eight of his last nine games. He's definitely a keeper for next year.

NEWS FEED: Bill Oram's story in the Salt Lake Tribune about Jazz guard Mo Williams' possible return on Wednesday.

LAST GAME: The Cavs lost to the New York Knicks on Monday, 102-97.

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

STARTERS
SF Alonzo Gee (6-6, 219) vs. DeMarre Carroll (6-8, 225)
PF Tristan Thompson (6-9, 227) vs. Paul Millsap (6-8, 258)
C Tyler Zeller (7-0, 250) vs. Derrick Favors (6-10, 263)
SG Wayne Ellington (6-4, 200) vs. Randy Foye (6-4, 220)
PG Kyrie Irving (6-3, 191) vs. Mo Williams (6-1, 186) 
INACTIVE LIST
Cavs – C Anderson Varejao
Jazz - G Raja Bell, C Al Jefferson 
OFFICIALS
Tom Washington, Sean Corbin, Tre Maddox

NEW YORK KNICKS (36-21) 102, CLEVELAND CAVALIERS (20-40) 97
Quicken Loans Arena
Monday
Radio/TV: WTAM (1100 AM), WFUN (970 AM)/Fox Sports Ohio

WHAT HAPPENED: This is devoted to one of the most efficient players in the NBA, Knicks center Tyson Chandler.

He wasn't named Defensive Player of the Year for nothing. He's a major presence in the paint for the Knicks. He blocked a potential game-tying 3-pointer by Cavs guard Kyrie Irving with 0.9 seconds left.

It saved the game for the Knicks.

"I knew they were going to him," Chandler said. "I knew if I switched on him, I would force him to drive. He went for the 3-point shot and I kind of baited him into shooting where I could still get to the shot."

He baited him all right. You want Irving to have the ball in his hands at that juncture. The Cavs had an idea that the 7-1 Chandler would switch on him. But they thought he'd be able to shake-and-bake and get a good look at the basket. He didn't.

It led to the Knicks' first win at The Q since Nov. 29, 2006, when Irving was 14 years old.

On a night they got Irving back, both center Tyler Zeller and shooting guard Dion Waiters were out with sickness. It's too bad because Waiters had been playing out of his mind. He was a 20-point threat, which was sorely needed on this night.

Zeller's size was needed. It's not that he has been doing much as of late, but he is the lone 7-footer on the roster.

NEWS FEED: Frank Isola's story on the Knicks' loss to Miami in the New York Daily News.

LAST GAME: The Cavs lost to the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday, 105-89.

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

STARTERS
SF Alonzo Gee (6-6, 219) vs. Carmelo Anthony (6-8, 235)
PF Tristan Thompson (6-9, 227) vs. James White (6-7, 215)
C Tyler Zeller (7-0, 250) vs. Tyson Chandler (7-1, 240)
G Dion Waiters (6-4, 221) vs. Iman Shumpert (6-5, 220)
PG Kyrie Irving (6-3, 191) vs. Raymond Felton (6-1, 205) 
INACTIVE LIST
Cavs – C Anderson Varejao
Knicks - F Chris Copeland, F/C Rasheed Wallace
OFFICIALS
Derrick Stafford, Pat Fraher, Josh Tiven

LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS (43-18) 105, CLEVELAND CAVALIERS (20-39) 89

Quicken Loans Arena
Friday
Radio/TV: WTAM (1100 AM), WFUN (970 AM)/Fox Sports Ohio

WHAT HAPPENED: Cavs point guard Kyrie Irving missed his third consecutive game with a hyperextended right knee. Cavs coach Byron Scott said Irving is doing better, but he's not yet 100 percent.

The new target date is Monday vs. the Knicks.

The Cavs faced one of the league's best teams with veteran Shaun Livingston the starting point guard. He was originally drafted by the Clippers in 2004. He became the third No. 4 overall pick in the draft on the Cavs' roster. Tristan Thompson and Dion Waiters are the others.

Livingston is averaging 15 points, 3.5 rebounds and 4.0 assists in his two starts. He wasn't nearly as effective on Friday.

In fact, who played extremely well on Friday?

The Cavs looked like they were playing the second night of a back-to-back and not the Pacers.

The Clippers have the fourth-best record in the league.They think they can make a run at the NBA championship. They have the horses to make that happen.


NEWS FEED: Broderick Turner's story on Clippers point guard Chris Paul closing out the Pacers in the Los Angeles Times.

LAST GAME: The Cavs defeated Toronto on Wednesday, 103-92.

UP NEXT: The Cavs host the New York Knicks at 7 p.m. Monday at Quicken Loans Arena.

STARTERS
SF Alonzo Gee (6-6, 219) vs. Caron Butler (6-7, 228)
PF Tristan Thompson (6-9, 227) vs. Blake Griffin (6-10, 252)
C Tyler Zeller (7-0, 250) vs. DeAndre Jordan (6-11, 265)
G Dion Waiters (6-4, 221) vs. Chauncey Billups (6-3, 210)
PG Shaun Livingston (6-7, 175) vs. Chris Paul (6-0, 185) 
INACTIVE LIST
Cavs – C Anderson Varejao, G Josh Selby 
Clippers - F Trey Thompkins
OFFICIALS
Monty McCutchen, Kevin Fehr, Kane Fitzgerald