CLEVELAND CAVALIERS (8-7) 109, INDIANA PACERS (7-10) 97
Quicken Loans Arena
Saturday
Radio: WTAM-AM 1100, WMMS-FM 100.7, La Mega-FM 97.7
TV: Fox Sports Ohio

QUICK SHOTS: 1. The Cavaliers played for the first time this season without center Anderson Varejao, who has a bruised rib. He'd appeared in the previous 14 games. He was injured in the Washington game. He's been on a roll as of late. He'd averaged 14 points and 9.0 rebounds in his previous five games and was shooting a team-high 65.3 percent from the field (32 of 49) in that span. He'd reached double figures in 10 of his 14 games this season.

2. Tristan Thompson started at center and was quite effective with 13 points and a game-high 11 rebounds. Cavaliers coach David Blatt called him the unsung hero of the game.

3. Varejao had been quite deadly with those elbow jumpers. He ranks first in the Eastern Conference and fourth in the NBA in field-goal accuracy at 61.1 percent. Hopefully, he won't miss much more time.

4. Tonight would have been Varejao's 549th game as a Cavalier. In his next game, he'll surpass Brad Daugherty (548) for eighth place in franchise history for games played.

5. The Pacers were missing three of their top four players in their victory over Orlando on Friday. All-Star swingman Paul George (fractured right tibia/fibula) is out for the year. Center Roy Hibbert (sprained left ankle) is questionable, while point guard George Hill (sprained left ankle) is out.

6. The Cavaliers have finally started defending like they are capable of. They are swarming. It's fun to watch for many basketball purists. It's not all about outscoring the opposition. The good teams are capable of getting stops late in the game. The most impressive has been Kyrie Irving. He's been very good.

7. Kevin Love was dominant with 28 points and 10 rebounds. Blatt said it was Love's best game defensively. I don't know if I'm there yet with Love's defense or lack thereof.

8. Coach David Blatt is also excited about the pace in which they are playing. They are not only moving bodies on defense, they are moving up and down the court on offense. They are best when they attack in early offense, before the opposing team sets up its defense. They are also moving the ball from one side of the court to the other.

9. The Cavaliers will face two former teammates in starting point guard Donald Sloan and swingman C.J. Miles. Sloan has stepped in for injured Hill and played quite well. He's a very good distributor of the basketball.

10. The Cavaliers are 6-3 against the East and 2-0 vs. the Central Division. 

11. Perhaps the highlight of the game was LeBron James' no-look pass to Irving in the first half. It was a thing of beauty. Teammate Shawn Marion almost stepped in front of the pass, but he refrained.

UP NEXT: vs. Milwaukee, Quicken Loans Arena, 7 p.m. Tuesday

STARTERS

SF LeBron James (6-8, 250) vs. Solomon Hill (6-7, 225)

PF Kevin Love (6-10, 243) vs. David West (6-9, 250)
C Tristan Thompson (6-9, 238) vs. Ian Mahinmi (6-10, 255)

SG Shawn Marion (6-7, 228) vs. Rodney Stuckey (6-5, 210)

PG Kyrie Irving (6-3, 193) vs. Donald Sloan (6-3, 210)

INACTIVE LIST

Cavs - G Matthew Dellavedova, C Anderson Varejao
Pacers - G/F Paul George, G George Hill
OFFICIALS

Marc Davis, Steve Anderson, Tony Brown

CLEVELAND CAVALIERS (7-7) 113, WASHINGTON WIZARDS (9-5) 87
Quicken Loans Arena
Wednesday
Radio: WTAM-AM 1100, WMMS-FM 100.7, La Mega-FM 97.7
TV: Fox Sports Ohio

QUICK SHOTS: 1. Even though Kyrie Irving didn't want to use that word, it was revenge time for the Cavaliers. They were belted by the Wizards on Nov. 21 at the Verizon Center, 91-78. The Wizards' big men had their way in the previous meeting, especially Kevin Seraphin. The Cavaliers had a major presence in the paint on Wednesday, especially Kevin Love (21 points, 5 rebounds) and Anderson Varejao (10 points, 7 rebounds). The bigs have to show up for the Cavs to be successful.

2. Major kudos to Kyrie Irving, who took on the challenge of stopping Wizards guard John Wall. The Washington All-Star was limited to a season-low six points, seven assists and five turnovers. He shot just 2 of 6 from the field. Irving said before the game he wanted to take on the challenge of guarding the opposing team's top offensive threat. Wall had 28 points in the Nov. 21 contest. There's no reason Irving can't be a good defender. He's quick, fast, athletic and strong. A lot of it is want-to. Apparently, he wants to do it now. That is huge for the Cavaliers.

3. Washington played without starting power forward Nene, who is suffering from a bout of plantar fascitis. Kris Humphries moved into the starting lineup, but never showed up. He finished with three points and three rebounds.

4. Blatt has been hinting at changing the starting lineup, but he stuck with Shawn Marion at shooting guard. Change is coming, but it didn't happen tonight. Many thought Mike Miller might start at "2," but the veteran swingman has been non-existent since training camp. He hasn't gotten in either of the last two games. One thing is for sure, you can't play him in 3- and 4-minute bursts and expect any kind of production. He needs to play maybe 8-10 minutes in a row to have any kind of impact. He doesn't have the lateral movement to guard many players, but he can stretch the floor and make a few shots - they hope. Up until this point, he hasn't made anything - 27.8 percent from the field and 20 percent from the 3-point line. He has yet to get to the free-throw line.

4. Marion has started the last 11 games at shooting guard. There are a lot of things to like about Marion's game. Unfortunately, he was not the right fit at shooting guard. When your shooting guard can't shoot or handle, that's going against the grain and putting more pressure on LeBron James and Irving. We all know they drafted Dion Waiters a few years ago to be their starting "2." He's been sent to the bench where he's struggled for the most part. He did have 15 points, six rebounds and three steals on Wednesday, but shot 6 of 17 from the field.

5. The Cavaliers were able to build on their win over the hapless Magic. Now, if they take care of business on Saturday vs. Indiana, they'll have a three-game winning streak. They shared the ball. They didn't turn over the ball and they are defending. It appears as if things are coming together. Of course, it all starts with James, who once again came out on fire. That's what this team needs.

UP NEXT: vs. Indiana, Quicken Loans Arena, 7:30 p.m. Saturday

STARTERS

SF LeBron James (6-8, 250) vs. Paul Pierce (6-8, 220)

PF Kevin Love (6-10, 243) vs. Kris Humphries (6-9, 235)
C Anderson Varejao (6-11, 267) vs. Marcin Gortat (6-11, 240)

SG Shawn Marion (6-7, 228) vs. Bradley Beal (6-5, 205)

PG Kyrie Irving (6-3, 193) vs. John Wall (6-4, 207)

PROJECTED INACTIVE LIST

Cavs - G Matthew Dellavedova, C Alex Kirk
Wizards - G/F Glen Rice, G/F Martell Webster
OFFICIALS

James Capers, Matt Boland, David Guthrie

CLEVELAND CAVALIERS (6-7) 106, ORLANDO MAGIC (6-10) 74
Quicken Loans Arena
Monday
Radio: WTAM-AM 1100, WMMS-FM 100.7, La Mega-FM 97.7
TV: Fox Sports Ohio

QUICK SHOTS: 1. It didn't matter who the Cavaliers played on Monday. If LeBron James plays with such determination and aggression, the Cavaliers are going to be hard to beat. He came out with the right mindset from the start - he scored 16 of his game-high 29 points in the first quarter - something that has been lacking from time to time this year. He has to be the aggressor. None of this passive stuff. When he forces the issue, teams have a hard time stopping the Cavaliers. It all starts with him.

2. When they are most effective on offense, the ball moves. When it doesn't, they revert to one-on-one play. They dished out 30 assists on 42 field goals against the Magic. They also moved bodies. When the ball swings from side to side, they are almost impossible to stop. 

3. The Cavaliers' defense limited the Magic to opponent season lows in points (74), field-goal percentage (36.3 percent), field goals made (29) and assists (14). When they defend like that, it's gives the Cavaliers a whole new dimension. Before we get too giddy, the Magic can't shoot a lick from the perimeter.

4. Magic center Nikola Vucevic is a load offensively. He had an NBA-high 23 rebounds against the Pelicans Oct. 28. He leads the NBA with 12 double-doubles. He ended with 18 points and a game-high 13 rebounds. The Cavaliers had to account for him in the defensive game plan. Cavaliers center Anderson Varejao made him work on the defensive end. Varejao had 10 points in the third quarter on 5 of 6 attempts.

5. Orlando missed starting small forward Tobias Harris (strained calf muscle), who came into the game averaging 18.8 points and 8.4 rebounds. Mo Harkless started in his place and did absolutely nothing.

6. Coach David Blatt is hinting at a change in the starting lineup. He wants to do it in practice first instead of just throwing that player into the lineup. Shawn Marion's starting job could be in jeopardy. I'm actually not sure what he's going to do. I was thinking it might be Mike Miller, but he didn't even get off the bench on Monday. James Jones did and he promptly buried a 3-pointer. 

7. Cavaliers forward/center Tristan Thompson recorded his 2,000th career rebound. He was pretty darn good in the paint area. He ended with nine points, 11 rebounds and two blocks.

8. The Cavaliers recalled center Alex Kirk from the D-League Canton Charge. He was inactive on Monday, however.

UP NEXT: vs. Washington, Quicken Loans Arena, 7 p.m. Wednesday

STARTERS

SF LeBron James (6-8, 250) vs. Maurice Harkless (6-9, 215)

PF Kevin Love (6-10, 243) vs. Channing Frye (6-11, 255)
C Anderson Varejao (6-11, 267) vs. Nikola Vucevic (6-11, 260)

SG Shawn Marion (6-7, 228) vs. Evan Fournier (6-7, 205)

PG Kyrie Irving (6-3, 193) vs. Victor Oladipo (6-4, 205)

INACTIVE LIST

Cavs - G Matthew Dellavedova, C Alex Kirk
Magic - G Devyn Marble, F/C Kyle O'Quinn
OFFICIALS

Mike Callahan, Brent Barnaky, James Williams

TORONTO RAPTORS (11-2) 110, CLEVELAND CAVALIERS (5-7) 93
Quicken Loans Arena
Saturday
Radio: WTAM-AM 1100, WMMS-FM 100.7, La Mega-FM 97.7
TV: Fox Sports Ohio

QUICK SHOTS: 1. This team is now lost four in a row. Remember, there were people predicting they'd win 70-some games. That's, obviously, absurd. Unless things turn around quickly, this could be one of the biggest flops in NBA history.

2. It's hard to say when was the best time to face the Raptors, who are tied with Memphis for the best record in the league. The Raptors have a lot going for them right now, starting with their backcourt of DeMar DeRozan, Kyle Lowry and backup Lou Williams. That trio combined for 79 points against the Cavaliers. Their roster is deep and talented. Let's not forget that they are well-coached with Dwane Casey.

3. I'd like to say the same thing about the Cavaliers. Right now, I can't. David Blatt's rotations and player substitutions are a mess. Bench players don't know when they are playing or if they are playing. On Friday in Washington, Dion Waiters was the fifth player Blatt brought into the game off the bench. He just tossed Brendan Haywood into the game after not seeing action in weeks. Maybe it was because he used to play in Washington. 

4. The players are starting to get bewildered. Their body language is terrible - and that starts with LeBron James. Blatt had better get a handle on all this in a hurry.

5. Blatt is hinting at a change in the starting lineup. Get Shawn Marion out of there. He can't shoot or handle, yet he's their starting shooting guard. I'd put Dion Waiters back in the starting lineup.

6. Kevin Love had a season-high 23 points and seven rebounds against the Raptors. That came at the right time, too. He looked like he was ready to go off on somebody.

7. Cavaliers guard Will Cherry spent five games with the Raptors in the preseason. Then he was waived and signed by the Cavs. He was guarding Lou Williams when he started going off. He ended with 36 points. Cherry is a D-League player. He's not an NBA player, and Williams recognized that in a hurry.

8. This Raptors team puts up points (110), but doesn't turn the ball over (8). Tonight was the third time they've had eight turnovers in games this week.

UP NEXT: vs. Orlando, Quicken Loans Arena, 7 p.m. Monday

STARTERS

SF LeBron James (6-8, 250) vs. Terrence Ross (6-7, 198)

PF Kevin Love (6-10, 243) vs. Amir Johnson (6-9, 249)
C Anderson Varejao (6-11, 267) vs. Jonas Valanciunas (7-0, 270)

SG Shawn Marion (6-7, 228) vs. DeMar DeRozan (6-7, 219)

PG Kyrie Irving (6-3, 193) vs. Kyle Lowry (6-1, 204)

INACTIVE LIST

Cavs - G Matthew Dellavedova, C Alex Kirk
Raptors - F James Johnson, F/C Tyler Hansbrough
OFFICIALS

Scott Foster, Dedric Taylor, Josh Tiven

WASHINGTON WIZARDS (8-3) 91, CLEVELAND CAVALIERS (5-6) 78
Verizon Center
Friday
Radio: WTAM-AM 1100, WMMS-FM 100.7, La Mega-FM 97.7
TV: Fox Sports Ohio, ESPN

QUICK SHOTS: 1. The Cavaliers are a sub-.500 team. Yes, I'm aware they are just 11 games into the season. The Cavaliers just aren't gelling like many thought they would. "It's just Game 11," apologists will say. How long are you going to use that excuse? It's Coach David Blatt's job to get this mess straightened out. Thus far, he's been a bit lacking in the leadership department. Patience is starting to run thin. This thing is starting to get away from them.

2. The Wizards are undoubtedly one of the top four teams in the Eastern Conference. The Cavaliers are going to see one of the other four Saturday when they play host to Toronto. Heck, for all we know, they could lose that one, too. Washington is a possible second-round playoff foe for the Cavaliers. If that happens, that would be a difficult series. Unlike in 2006, 2007 and 2008, the Wizards are capable of actually beating the Cavaliers in the playoffs. They are 5-0 vs. East teams at home this year.


3. The Cavaliers - more specifically Blatt - has to figure out a way to take advantage of Kevin Love's vast talent. Thus far, he's been a little above mediocre. He's shooting 38 percent from the field and is averaging 15 points and 10 rebounds. Those are Drew Gooden numbers. Not necessarily Kevin Love numbers.


4. The Kyrie Irving-John Wall match-up was one to keep your eye on. Irving has scored 20 or more points in six consecutive games. He's averaging 23.7 points in that six-game span. Wall is averaging 24 points, 10.2 assists, 5.1 rebounds and 2.9 steals in five games at Verizon Center this season. He leads all NBA guards with seven double-doubles, including five at home. Irving is the better jump shooter of the pair, but Wall is more athletic and a better playmaker. Wall was the best player on the court with a game-high 28 points, six rebounds, seven assists and four steals. He was 12 of 20 from the field.


5. The Cavaliers' bigs were totally outplayed by backup Kevin Seraphin, who finished with 12 points, six rebounds and three blocks. Some might not have heard of him, but they did after Friday's game. He was very good around the basket.

UP NEXT: vs. Toronto, Quicken Loans Arena, 7:30 p.m. Saturday

STARTERS

SF LeBron James (6-8, 250) vs. Paul Pierce (6-8, 230)

PF Kevin Love (6-10, 243) vs. Nene (6-11, 250)
C Anderson Varejao (6-11, 267) vs. Marcin Gortat (6-11, 240)

SG Shawn Marion (6-7, 228) vs. Garrett Temple (6-6, 195)

PG Kyrie Irving (6-3, 193) vs. John Wall (6-4, 207)

INACTIVE LIST

Cavs - G Matthew Dellavedova, C Alex Kirk
Wizards - G/F Martell Webster, G Glen Rice
OFFICIALS

Ron Garretson, Sean Corbin, Justin Van Duyne

SAN ANTONIO SPURS (7-4) 92, CLEVELAND CAVALIERS (5-5) 90
Quicken Loans Arena
Wednesday
Radio: WTAM-AM 1100, WMMS-FM 100.7, La Mega-FM 97.7
TV: Fox Sports Ohio, ESPN

QUICK SHOTS: 1. Make no bones about it, Coach David Blatt made some peculiar decisions with his rotation and to quote him, they "paid the price." First of all, either Kyrie Irving or LeBron James needs to be on the court at all times. One can't yank both players off the floor and expect to play with teams like the Spurs. 

2. Blatt has been asked over and over about the mounting minutes. Well, he cut James' minutes and ran Joe Harris into the ground. Harris played 27 minutes in the game, including the last 20 in a row. Unfortunately, he didn't do much with five points.

3. James wasn't happy with the turnover at the end of the game, but he was happy with the progress the Cavaliers made. They competed on the defensive end. They held the Spurs to an opponent season-low 92 points and forced 16 turnovers. Irving was impressive with the way he hounded Tony Parker. Parker had eight points and three assists in 34 minutes. He shot 2 of 7 from the field. That is how Irving has to defend.

4. San Antonio was missing four rotation players with injuries, including guard Patty Mills (right shoulder surgery), forward/center Tiago Splitter (tightness in right calf), forward Matt Bonner (stomach virus) and guard Marco Belinelli (strained right groin). Some how they still found a way.

5. Forward/center Boris Diaw had 19 points, six rebounds, seven assists, three steals and a block. Both his points and assists were season highs. He just knows how to play. He knows how to make the right basketball play. If he needs to score, he does it.

6. As former Knicks and Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy said in today's News-Herald, the Cavs' defense will decide how far this team goes this year. The ESPN analyst is absolutely right, too. Unless the Cavs buy in, they will be hard-pressed to get to the Eastern Conference finals. You know darn well that Chicago isn't going to have the same problem.

7. Lakers guard Kobe Bryant took over the league's lead in scoring over Cavs forward LeBron James. It could be a battle all season for league supremacy.

8. I have to admit I'm infatuated with Gregg Popovich. I love what his team is about. I love what he's about. I love everything about him, except for his surely moods. If a reporter doesn't ask a question the right way, he'll jump on him and almost try to embarrass him. He did it tonight in his pregame scrum with the media. 

UP NEXT: at Washington, Verizon Center, 7:30 p.m. Friday

STARTERS

SF LeBron James (6-8, 250) vs. Kawhi Leonard (6-7, 230)

PF Kevin Love (6-10, 243) vs. Tim Duncan (6-11, 250)
C Anderson Varejao (6-11, 267) vs. Boris Diaw (6-8, 250)

SG Shawn Marion (6-7, 228) vs. Danny Green (6-6, 215)

PG Kyrie Irving (6-3, 193) vs. Tony Parker (6-2, 185)

INACTIVE LIST

Cavs - G Matthew Dellavedova, C Alex Kirk
Spurs - G Patty Mills, F/C Tiago Splitter
OFFICIALS

Ed Malloy, Derrick Collins, Leroy Richardson

DENVER NUGGETS (3-7) 106, CLEVELAND CAVALIERS (5-4) 97
Quicken Loans Arena
Monday
Radio: WTAM-AM 1100, WMMS-FM 100.7, La Mega-FM 97.7
TV: Fox Sports Ohio, NBA TV

QUICK SHOTS: 1. The Cavaliers split the season series with the Nuggets. They handled the Nuggets in Denver on Nov. 7, 110-101. That was the start of the Cavaliers' four-game winning streak. Of course, that streak ended tonight.

2. Point guard Ty Lawson missed the earlier meeting. He made his presence felt tonight, as he destroyed anyone who tried to guard him. He had a game-high 24 points, 12 assists and two steals. It got so bad, the Cavaliers tried LeBron James on him in the late going, to no avail. 

3. For the first time since March 3, 2000, at Dallas, the Cavaliers had four players score 20 or more points. Yet, they never reached 100 for the game. It also showed they got almost nothing from the other players on the roster.

4. Guard Dion Waiters had a season-high 20 points for the Cavaliers, including 16 in the second half. He made 9 of 16 attempts from the field.

5. The Cavaliers connected on 10 3-pointers. They've reached double digits in 3-point goals in three of the last four outings. 

6. Swingman Mike Miller must be less than 100 percent. He played four scoreless minutes in the game. He did attempt a 3-pointer. He's 2 of 11 from behind the arc this season. The Cavaliers are still waiting for him to make some positive plays. He was brought to the team to help spread the floor. He still does that, but soon opposing teams will quit guarding him at the 3-point line.

7. Forward LeBron James came into the game leading the league in scoring at 27.8 points per game. In his previous five games, he averaged 31.6 points, 6.2 rebounds and 7.6 assists. He was named Player of the Week for the 46th time in his career earlier in the day.

UP NEXT: vs. San Antonio, The Q, 7 p.m. Wednesday

STARTERS

SF LeBron James (6-8, 250) vs. Wilson Chandler (6-7, 225)

PF Kevin Love (6-10, 243) vs. Kenneth Faried (6-8, 228)
C Anderson Varejao (6-11, 267) vs. Timofey Mozgov (7-1, 250)

SG Shawn Marion (6-7, 228) vs. Arron Afflalo (6-4, 215)

PG Kyrie Irving (6-3, 193) vs. Ty Lawson (5-11, 195)

INACTIVE LIST

Cavs - G Matthew Dellavedova, C Alex Kirk
Nuggets - C Jusuf Nurkic, F/C J.J. Hickson
OFFICIALS

John Goble, Haywoode Workman, Sean Wright

CLEVELAND CAVALIERS (5-3) 127, ATLANTA HAWKS (5-4) 94
Quicken Loans Arena
Saturday
Radio: WTAM-AM 1100, WMMS-FM 100.7, La Mega-FM 97.7
TV: Fox Sports Ohio

QUICK SHOTS: 1. The Cavaliers made quick work of the league's hottest team with a 41-point first quarter. The Hawks had won four in a row coming into Saturday's game, but were no match for the Cavaliers. Coach David Blatt's team has now won four in a row. Atlanta had won its last four meetings against the Cavaliers, including all three games last season.

2. Some people are forgetting about the Hawks in the Eastern Conference playoff race. When it's all said and done, they'll be among the top eight teams. They have three formidable players, including Paul Millsap, Al Horford and Jeff Teague. Millsap is averaging 16 points and eight rebounds.

3. Teague also has had much success against Cavaliers point guard Kyrie Irving, who had much to do with his team's comeback in Boston on Friday. Irving had 15 of his 27 points in the fourth quarter. He started draining 3-pointers in the fourth. He ended up 3 of 7 from behind the arc. The most impressive thing about the way he's playing is the lack of turnovers. He played 68 minutes in games against Boston and Atlanta, respectively, with a turnover. He held Teague to just five points.

4. Forward LeBron James is averaging 31.8 points in the Cavaliers' win streak. He's starting to take over late in the games, which is needed right now.

5. Rookie guard Joe Harris is making his move. The coaches love how hard he's playing. He's also making big shots in key junctures of the game. He had a career-high 12 points, four rebounds and four assists against the Hawks. He will continue to get more and more minutes. He defends, which is needed on this team.

UP NEXT: vs. Denver, The Q, 7 p.m. Monday

STARTERS

SF LeBron James (6-8, 250) vs. Thabo Sefolosha (6-7, 220)

PF Kevin Love (6-10, 243) vs. Paul Millsap (6-8, 246)
C Anderson Varejao (6-11, 267) vs. Al Horford (6-10, 245)

SG Shawn Marion (6-7, 228) vs. Kyle Korver (6-7, 212)

PG Kyrie Irving (6-3, 193) vs. Jeff Teague (6-2, 186)

INACTIVE LIST

Cavs - G Matthew Dellavedova, C Alex Kirk
Hawks - F DeMarre Carroll, F/C Adreian Payne
OFFICIALS

Derrick Stafford, Nick Buchert, Gediminas Petraitis

CLEVELAND CAVALIERS (4-3) 122, BOSTON CELTICS (3-5) 121
TD Garden
Friday
Radio: WTAM-AM 1100, WMMS-FM 100.7, La Mega-FM 97.7
TV: Fox Sports Ohio

QUICK SHOTS: 1. LeBron James exploded for a season-high 41 points and seven assists for the Cavaliers. His team needed every one of them. They fought all the way back from a 19-point deficit to see the Celtics have a chance to win the game at the end.

2. However, Celtics point guard Rajon Rondo, who was being guarded by Shawn Marion, lost the handle on the ball and never got up a shot at the buzzer. This is the same man who dished out a game-high 16 assists. Yet, in crunch time, he loses the handle. An incredible turn of events.

3. Cavaliers coach David Blatt's homecoming couldn't have been better. He grew up in Framingham, Mass., about 20 miles west of Boston. He lived and died with the Celtics as a kid. Obviously, he's no longer a huge Celtics fan. The Cavaliers improved to 3-2 on the road this season, which made Blatt's day.

4. The Cavaliers committed just 11 turnovers in the game, which led to 14 points for the Celtics. James had three turnovers. The rest of the starting lineup had two. Point guard Kyrie Irving played 41 minutes in the game. He didn't have a turnover.

 5. The Cavaliers have been one of the best free-throw shooting teams in the league. However, on Friday, they converted 28 of 37 (76 percent). Had they been better at the foul line, they would have won handily. 

6. The Cavaliers ran into old friend Tyler Zeller, who was dealt to Boston in July. The Cavaliers were trying to carve out cap space to sign James. It had to be done. Yet, Zeller would have been a solid backup center for years to come. As soon as he was traded, the Cavaliers front court was a bit depleted. And on top of that, he was a neat guy. Also, Dwight Powell is a member of the team. He never played with the Cavaliers, but was on their roster all summer. Zeller ended with eight points and no rebounds in 15 minutes.

5. The Cavaliers have now won three in a row, including their last two on the road. The Celtics had a three-game winning streak snapped against the Cavaliers. Boston swept the season series against them last season. 

6. The Cavaliers shipped rookie center Alex Kirk to the D-League on Friday. He be in the lineup for the Canton Charge's home opener against Delaware on Saturday. He'll miss at least the Cavaliers' two weekend games vs. Boston and home against Atlanta.

UP NEXT: vs. Atlanta, The Q, 7:30 p.m. Saturday

STARTERS

SF LeBron James (6-8, 250) vs. Jeff Green (6-9, 235)

PF Kevin Love (6-10, 243) vs. Jared Sullinger (6-9, 280)
C Anderson Varejao (6-11, 267) vs. Kelly Olynyk (7-0, 238)

SG Shawn Marion (6-7, 228) vs. Avery Bradley (6-2, 180)

PG Kyrie Irving (6-3, 193) vs. Rajon Rondo (6-1, 186)

INACTIVE LIST

Cavs - G Matthew Dellavedova, C Alex Kirk
Celtics - C Vitor Faverani, G Marcus Smart
OFFICIALS

Bill Spooner, Marat Kogut, Scott Wall

CLEVELAND CAVALIERS (3-3) 118, NEW ORLEANS PELICANS (3-3) 111
Quicken Loans Arena
Monday
Radio: WTAM-AM 1100, WMMS-FM 100.7, La Mega-FM 97.7
TV: Fox Sports Ohio

QUICK SHOTS: 1. Stop the presses. The Cavaliers are moving the ball and when that happens, they score points, lots of points. They dished out a season-high 27 assists. They have 52 assists in the last two games after the debacle in Utah when they had a franchise-low six assists. 

2. That ball movement led to 13 3-point goals. Forward Kevin Love drained 6 of 9 from the 3-point line and Kyrie Irving connected on 4 of 7. 

3. Yet, was Coach David Blatt happy with the effort? No. He's concerned with the Cavaliers' defense. When a team allows 111 points, they are usually talking about a loss afterward. They were pretty good offensively, sparked by LeBron James' triple-double. He ended with 32 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists. He was fantastic.

4. I touched on this in my game story, but there were more than a few whispers about his lack of explosion It came back on Monday. He apologized for playing below the rim at shootaround on Monday. He went out and had some high-flying dunks against the Pelicans. I have a feeling he'll be all right.

5. Love talked a bit about Pelicans forward Ryan Anderson after the game. He said he has one of the quickest releases on his shot in the league. You really have to crowd him at the 3-point line. If you don't, he's going to make a 3-pointer. He made 8 of 12 from behind the arc en route to 32 points. 

6. The Cavaliers outrebounded New Orleans, 45-40. They have to assert themselves on the boards. They should be the best rebounding team in the league. James, of course, was the team's leading rebounder. Who was next on the stat sheet? Shawn Marion with eight.

7. James, Irving and Love combined for 61 of the Cavaliers' 67 points in the second half. Anderson Varejao, Tristan Thompson and Marion had field goals in the second half.

8. How good is Anthony Davis? I think he's the best power forward in the league. He's better than Love, Blake Griffin, LaMarcus Aldridge and anyone else you can think of. His line on the stat sheet read like this: 27 points, 14 rebounds, 4 assists, 4 steals, 3 blocks. He was 12 of 21 from the field. Make sure you check out David Glasier's feature on him in the paper.

UP NEXT: at Boston, TD Garden, 7:30 p.m. Friday

STARTERS

SF LeBron James (6-8, 250) vs. Tyreke Evans (6-6, 220)

PF Kevin Love (6-10, 243) vs. Anthony Davis (6-10, 220)
C Anderson Varejao (6-11, 267) vs. Omer Asik (7-0, 255)

SG Shawn Marion (6-7, 228) vs. Eric Gordon (6-3, 215)

PG Kyrie Irving (6-3, 193) vs. Jrue Holiday (6-4, 205)

INACTIVE LIST

Cavs - G Dion Waiters, G Matthew Dellavedova
Pelicans - F Luke Babbitt, F Darius Miller
OFFICIALS

Joe Crawford, Pat Fraher, Ben Taylor

CLEVELAND CAVALIERS (2-3) 110, DENVER NUGGETS (1-4) 101
Pepsi Center
Friday
Radio: WTAM-AM 1100, WMMS-FM 100.7, La Mega-FM 97.7
TV: ESPN, Fox Sports Ohio

QUICK SHOTS: 1. Cavaliers forward LeBron James disputed an ESPN.com report saying that he bickered with Kyrie Irving. Irving responded to his 34-point, zero-assist game in Utah with 12 points and six assists against Denver. The Cavaliers dished out 25 assists vs. the Nuggets after having just six vs. Utah. That's more like it. James had a season-high 11 assists.

2. The Cavaliers averted an 0-3 West Coast trip by handling the Nuggets in the last game of the trip. It would have been terribly embarrassing to go 0-3 on the West Coast trip. If you count the Chicago game, they were 2-2 on the 4-game trip. That's acceptable for most teams. Much more is expected out of the Cavaliers, of course.

3. Guard Dion Waiters had his best game off the bench with 17 points, two rebounds, two steals and one assist in 24 minutes.

4. The Cavaliers were competitive on the boards, which should be the case every night. They tied with Denver with 42 rebounds. Kevin Love had 8 boards, while James and Anderson Varejao each had seven.

5. The Cavaliers came into the game leading the NBA in free-throw shooting. They were 24 of 33 vs. Denver.

6. The Cavaliers tried unsuccessfully to pry Nuggets center Timofey Mozgov loose from the Nuggets in a trade. The Russian big man would have looked good on the Cavaliers roster that utilizes power forwards masquerading as centers. He's 7-1, 250. The Cavaliers could use a 7-footer. I don't know where they are going to find him.

7. If you were wondering where Alonzo Gee and J.J. Hickson ended up, it would be with the Nuggets. Hickson is serving a five-game suspension for a failed drug test. Gee is a bench player for Denver. The Cavaliers traded Gee in the offseason and he took a tour around the league before landing in Colorado. Great guy, by the way.

8. Guard Will Cherry made his NBA debut tonight. He's more of a shoot-first point guard rather than a distributor. Coach David Blatt might as well see what he can do with backup Matthew Dellavedova sidelined for at least a month with a sprained MCL. Cherry didn't score.

UP NEXT: vs. New Orleans, Quicken Loans Arena, 7 p.m. Monday

STARTERS

SF LeBron James (6-8, 250) vs. Wilson Chandler (6-8, 225)

PF Kevin Love (6-10, 243) vs. Kenneth Faried (6-8, 228)
C Anderson Varejao (6-11, 267) vs. Timofey Mozgov (7-1, 250)

SG Shawn Marion (6-7, 228) vs. Arron Afflalo (6-4, 213)

PG Kyrie Irving (6-3, 193) vs. Nate Robinson (5-9, 195)

INACTIVE LIST

Cavs - F/C Lou Amundson, G Matthew Dellavedova
Nuggets - G Ty Lawson, G Gary Harris
OFFICIALS

Derrick Stafford, Leroy Richardson, Scott Twardoski

UTAH JAZZ (2-3) 102, CLEVELAND CAVALIERS (1-3) 100
EnergySolutions Arena
Wednesday
Radio: WTAM-AM 1100, WMMS-FM 100.7, La Mega-FM 97.7
TV: Fox Sports Ohio

QUICK SHOTS: 1. No one wants to overreact to the Cavaliers' woes early on, but I can't help it. I have so many questions about this unit right now. Knowing their struggles thus far on the trip, they came out lethargic and with no sense of urgency. They allowed 32 points in the first quarter and 59 in the first half before they caught fire.

2. They dropped to 0-2 on the West Coast trip. Yes, an 0-3 trip is plausible. If they defend in the Denver game like they have in the previous two, they will limp home winless on this journey. The Jazz shot 50.6 percent from the field, one night after Portland shot 49 percent. They just aren't stopping anyone.

3. The Cavaliers just aren't sharing the basketball. They dished out a franchise-low six assists, two in the first half. That's ridiculous. Point guard Kyrie Irving had a game-high 34 points. In 45 minutes, he didn't have an assist. Something is wrong here.

4. Cavaliers swingman Mike Miller called Coach David Blatt's offense "borderline genius" in the preseason. Sorry, but I've seen absolutely no evidence of that. 

5. The Cavaliers played without backup point guard Matthew Dellavedova, who injured his left knee in the Portland game. Blatt responded by bringing Dion Waiters off the bench. All that did was probably infuriate Waiters, who had five points. He sees himself as an NBA starter. The kid is a hot mess right now. He needs to get his head on straight.

6. The Jazz's big-man rotation of Derrick Favors, Enes Kanter and Rudy Gobert totally dominated the Cavaliers. They combined for 46 points, 19 rebounds and five blocks. You think the Cavaliers could use a big man? No question. 

7. Power forward Kevin Love failed to get a double-double for the first time this season. He ended with 14 points and eight rebounds. The Cavaliers were smoked on the boards, 41-30. They've been outrebounded in three of their four games. I mistakenly thought they'd be the best rebounding team in the league. Boy, was I wrong. That trend has to end for this team to be successful.

8. Shawn Marion made his first start at shooting guard. He had two rebounds and three blocks in 24 minutes. That was an interesting move by Blatt: Starting a shooting guard who can't shoot.

7. We're still waiting for Miller to make an impactful play. He attempted a rushed 3-pointer for his only shot. Note to Miller: Shoot the darn ball. That's why you were brought aboard.

UP NEXT: at Denver, Pepsi Center, 10:30 p.m. Friday

STARTERS

SF LeBron James (6-8, 250) vs. Gordon Hayward (6-8, 220)

PF Kevin Love (6-10, 243) vs. Derrick Favors (6-10, 268)
C Anderson Varejao (6-11, 267) vs. Enes Kanter (6-11, 247)

SG Dion Waiters (6-4, 225) vs. Alec Burks (6-6, 211)

PG Kyrie Irving (6-3, 193) vs. Trey Burke (6-1, 190)

INACTIVE LIST

Cavs - F/C Lou Amundson, G Matthew Dellavedova
Jazz - F Jordan Hamilton, F Toure Murry
OFFICIALS

James Capers, Steve Anderson, Eric Lewis