CLEVELAND CAVALIERS (48-27) 87, PHILADELPHIA 76ERS (18-56) 86
Quicken Loans Arena
Sunday
Radio: WTAM-AM 1100, WMMS-FM 100.7, La Mega-FM 97.7
TV: Fox Sports Ohio

1. We're into the home stretch of the season. The playoffs are only a few weeks away. There are only seven games left in the season. The Cavaliers still need to clean up a few things. No. 1 on my list is ball movement. When they share the ball and bodies move, rarely does this team lose. When one certain player stands at the top of the key, pounding the basketball, and then tries to make something happen with :02 on the shot clock, they are largely ineffective. That mystery player wears No. 23. Most of the time, he's the best player on the planet. When he plays isolation basketball, he's brought closer to the pack.


2. The Cavs shot just 38.8 percent from the field on Sunday. It was a terrible display of basketball, just hours after one of the best games in the building all season. I'm talking about the NCAA tournament game between Kentucky and Notre Dame. What a game. The same couldn't be said of the Cavs-Sixers. 

3. The Sixers refused to go down easily. No one told them they are supposed to be one of the worst teams in the league. Part of that could be the leadership of Coach Brett Brown, a fiery guy from Down Under. They have the least talented roster in the NBA, yet continue to play hard. The Cavs won the season series with the Sixers, 2-1, but it wasn't easy. The Sixers have now lost five of their last six games to the Cavs, including their last four at The Q.

4. The Cavs have won 16 in a row at The Q. Their schedule after the All-Star break has been borderline ridiculous. Most teams would have crumbled under that kind of strain. The Cavaliers just got better. This was the start of a three-game homestand. Games against Miami on Thursday and Chicago on April 5 follow. They only have two more road games this season. 

5. The starting unit of LeBron James, Kevin Love, Timofey Mozgov, J.R. Smith and Kyrie Irving have yet to lose a game at The Q since it's been together.

6. The Cavs are 29-7 since Jan. 15. In that span, they have the best record in the NBA, best road record (13-7) and top record against the Western Conference (14-1). Their point differential is also tops in the league (+10) during that stretch.

7. You're not supposed to get hurt when the team honors you with a bobblehead, but that's what Love did on Sunday. In the last three games, he hasn't been as reliant on the 3-point shot. He's gone down in the post and scored. He said he doesn't view himself as a "stretch 4." He wants to be known as a post player who can shoot. Then play like it.

UP NEXT: Miami, Quicken Loans Arena, 8 p.m. Thursday

STARTERS
SF LeBron James (6-8, 250) vs. Luc Mbah a Boute (6-8, 230)

PF Kevin Love (6-10, 243) vs. Nerlens Noel (6-10, 220)
C Timofey Mozgov (7-1, 250) vs. Furkan Aldemir (6-10, 240)
SG J.R. Smith (6-6, 220) vs. Robert Covington (6-9, 215)

PG Kyrie Irving (6-3, 193) vs. Ish Smith (5-11, 175)

INACTIVE LIST

Cavs - C Anderson Varejao, G Joe Harris
Sixers - C Joel Embiid, G Tony Wroten
OFFICIALS
Tony Brothers, Eric Dalen, Mark Lindsay

BROOKLYN NETS (31-40) 106, CLEVELAND CAVALIERS (47-27) 98
Barclays Center
Friday
Radio: WTAM-AM 1100, WMMS-FM 100.7, La Mega-FM 97.7
TV: Fox Sports Ohio

1. The Cavaliers had been playing their best basketball of the season. They came up woefully short against the Nets tonight. They were outplayed by Brooklyn, which got separation by outscoring the Cavaliers in the fourth quarter, 27-19. The Cavaliers seemed to have a major letdown after their impressive win in Memphis on Wednesday. 

2. The Nets snapped a four-game losing streak to the Cavaliers. They had lost the first three games in the season series to Cleveland. 

3. The Cavaliers played "small" in the fourth quarter, leaving the 6-10 Tristan Thompson to defend the 7-0, 275-pound Brook Lopez. Cavaliers coach David Blatt said after the game he didn't think Lopez hurt them. He ended with 20 points and nine rebounds. However, he had just four points and one rebound in the fourth. Maybe Blatt was right, but that puts a lot of strain on the Cavs' defense. They gave up two first-round picks in order to acquire Timofey Mozgov. I just don't get why they don't play him, especially when the other team goes "big."

4. They are now 21-18 on the road this season. They are 5-2 in their last seven road games. They are assured of at least a .500 record away from The Q. They've only finished above .500 four times in their 45-year history: 27-14 in 2008-09, 26-15 in 2009-10, 22-19 in 1991-92 and 21-20 in 1995-96. I'm guessing they'll finish with the third-best road record in franchise history.

5. I loved the way Jarrett Jack ran the Nets offense. He played with such efficiency. His plus-minus was +10. Jack finished with 16 points, seven in the fourth quarter. The former Cavs guard added four rebounds, five assists and two steals.

6. The Cavs had their four-game winning streak snapped. It can be traced to them not sharing the basketball. They had just 17 assists, nine by LeBron James. They spent most of the game playing one-on-one. That's not going to work.

7. The Nets were desperate for a victory. They need wins, and plenty of them. They are currently ninth in the Eastern Conference playoff race. They are fighting with Boston, Charlotte and Indiana for that No. 8 spot. I'm conceding the seventh seed to Miami.

8. Brooklyn were missing three rotational players in forward Thaddeus Young (left knee strain), swingman Sergey Karasev (right knee surgery) and forward Mirza Teletovic (blood clot). Young had been starting at the "4" spot. They shifted Mason Plumlee into the starting lineup.

9. LeBron James (24,794) is 22 points shy of passing former Knicks center Patrick Ewing (24,815) for No. 20 on the NBA’s all-time scoring list.

10. J.R. Smith's eight points pushed him past 10,000 for his career. He became the fourth player on the Cavs’ roster to reach that mark (James, Shawn Marion and Mike Miller are already there).

UP NEXT: vs. Philadelphia, Quicken Loans Arena, 4:30 p.m. Sunday.

STARTERS
SF LeBron James (6-8, 250) vs. Joe Johnson (6-7, 240)

PF Kevin Love (6-10, 243) vs. Mason Plumlee (6-11, 235)
C Timofey Mozgov (7-1, 250) vs. Brook Lopez (7-0, 275)
SG J.R. Smith (6-6, 220) vs. Markel Brown (6-3, 190)

PG Kyrie Irving (6-3, 193) vs. Deron Williams (6-3, 200)

INACTIVE LIST

Cavs - C Anderson Varejao, G Joe Harris
Nets - G/F Sergey Karasev, F Mirza Teletovic
OFFICIALS
Joe Crawford, Pat Fraher, Marat Kogut

CLEVELAND CAVALIERS (47-26) 111, MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES (50-22) 89
FedExForum
Wednesday
Radio: WTAM-AM 1100, WMMS-FM 100.7, La Mega-FM 97.7
TV: Fox Sports Ohio

1. The Cavaliers just dismantled one of the best teams in the league. They had lost their last five games in Memphis. On this night, however, it wasn't even close. They took the lead for good with 5:41 left in the first quarter, 13-11, on center Timofey Mozgov's layup.

2. In two games against the Grizzlies this year, the Cavs averaged 108 points and shot 55.6 percent from the field and 43.8 percent from behind the arc. Memphis, the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference, just has no answer for the Cavaliers defensively. How impressive was the victory? Memphis is a team some are picking to advance to the NBA Finals.

3. Cavs power forward Kevin Love had one of his best games of the year. He's had games with more points or more rebounds. He was just outstanding with 22 points, 10 rebounds, four assists and two blocks. It was his team leading 36th double-double. He ran the floor. He hit the boards. He helped the Cavs to a 49-32 advantage on the boards. It was a solid butt-kickin'.

4. The Cavaliers are 13-1 this season when they've had at least two days off in between games. The only loss came in the season opener vs. New York. 

5. More good numbers: They've won 14 of their last 15 games against West foes. Why the dominance against the West? It's hard to answer that. But when the Cavs are on top of their game, they can beat anyone, even the "upper echelon" Western teams. Most NBA experts say the balance of power has shifted to the West. The Cavs showed tonight they are as good as any team in the league. The Cavs have won eight of their last nine games, as well as 28 of their last 34.

6. The Grizzlies could never solve the Cavs' swarming defensive effort. The Cavs not only dominated the boards, they also held Memphis to 43.5 percent shooting from the field and 23.5 percent from behind the arc. They stopped power forward Zach Randolph in his tracks with five points and three rebounds.

7. The trade that added Jeff Green to their lineup completed the Grizzlies. They are 24-11 since making that deal on Jan. 12. Green, formerly in Boston, has had some big games against the Cavs over the years. He finished with 11 points and five rebounds for Memphis. He's now coming off the bench for the Grizzlies.

8. Grizzlies shooting guard Tony Allen normally defends LeBron James as well as any player in the league. He didn't make much of an impact tonight, as James ended with 20 points and eight rebounds. 

9. Since Jan. 23, the Cavs are averaging an NBA-high 12.3 3-pointers per game. They are averaging 9.9 per game on the season. They will likely set a team record in this category. Their starting backcourt of J.R. Smith and Kyrie Irving have been too much to handle for the opposition. Smith is shooting 52.5 percent from behind the arc in his last eight games (31 of 59), while Irving is at 51.3 percent (20 of 39). By the way, Smith is four points away from 10,000 in his career.

10. Two bench players came up huge for the Cavs. Forward/center Tristan Thompson was once again a terror on the boards with a game-high 11 rebounds. The Grizzlies couldn't get a body on him in the paint, as he pulled down eight defensive rebounds. Guard Matthew Dellavedova drained 3 of 4 from behind the arc en route to nine points and four assists.

UP NEXT: at Brooklyn, Barclays Center, 7:30 p.m. Friday.

STARTERS
SF LeBron James (6-8, 250) vs. Tony Allen (6-4, 213)

PF Kevin Love (6-10, 243) vs. Zach Randolph (6-9, 260)
C Timofey Mozgov (7-1, 250) vs. Marc Gasol (7-1, 255)
SG J.R. Smith (6-6, 220) vs. Courtney Lee (6-5, 200)

PG Kyrie Irving (6-3, 193) vs. Mike Conley (6-1, 175)

INACTIVE LIST

Cavs - C Anderson Varejao, G Joe Harris
Grizzlies - F/C Jarnell Stokes, G Russ Smith
OFFICIALS
Derrick Stafford, David Guthrie, Michael Smith

CLEVELAND CAVALIERS (46-26) 108, MILWAUKEE BUCKS (34-36) 90
BMO Harris Bradley Center
Sunday
Radio: WTAM-AM 1100, WMMS-FM 100.7, La Mega-FM 97.7
TV: Fox Sports Ohio

1. The Cavaliers flipped that switch late in the third quarter and blew the Bucks off their home floor. Up until that point, they were in serious danger of losing this game. They trailed by seven points, 69-62, with 3:27 left in the third. They closed the third quarter on a 13-4 run. Guard Iman Shumpert scored on a layup at the buzzer for a 75-73 lead. The Cavaliers never trailed again. They outscored the Bucks in the fourth quarter, 33-17.

2. Their defense during their run was suffocating. Still, the Bucks shot 54 percent from the field in the game. That's normally not a recipe for success.

3. LeBron James sparked the late rally. He had a game-high 28 points. He had 13 in the fourth quarter, 21 in the second half.  James also had 10 rebounds, six assists and five steals.

4. Sidekick J.R. Smith was equally as impressive, but in a different way. His long-range shooting stopped the Bucks in their tracks. He made 7 of 9 3-pointers, 3 of 3 in the fourth quarter. In his last seven games, he's shooting 53.8 percent from the 3-point line (28 of 52). If he continues that kind of torrid shooting, the Cavaliers will be celebrating their first NBA championship in June.

5. Every time I see Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, he gets better. He's so long. Now, he's making shots from the perimeter. He's already one of the top defenders in the league. If he continues to improve, he's going to be a major star. He ended with 15 points, nine rebounds and five assists.

6. Bucks coach Jason Kidd is not going to be Coach of the Year. However, he should get some votes for the prestigious award. He's turned the Bucks from an afterthought to a playoff team in one year.

7. The sixth-seeded Bucks had several players sidelined via injury, including Jared Dudley (back), O.J. Mayo (hamstring) and, of course, Jabari Parker (knee). They are going to be solid playoff team next year. If they keep dropping - they've lost six in a row - they could tumble to the No. 7 seed in the East. Miami is just 1 1 /2 games behind the Bucks. That would pit Milwaukee vs. Cleveland in the first round.

8. The Cavs have now won three in a row, as well as 27 of their last 33 games.

UP NEXT: at Memphis, FedExForum, 8 p.m. Wednesday.

STARTERS
SF LeBron James (6-8, 250) vs. Giannis Antetokounmpo (6-11, 217)

PF Kevin Love (6-10, 243) vs. Ersan Ilyasova (6-10, 235)
C Timofey Mozgov (7-1, 250) vs. Zaza Pachulia (6-11, 270)
SG J.R. Smith (6-6, 220) vs. Khris Middleton (6-7, 225)

PG Kyrie Irving (6-3, 193) vs. Michael Carter-Williams (6-6, 190)

INACTIVE LIST

Cavs - C Anderson Varejao, G Joe Harris
Bucks - F Jabari Parker, F Damien Inglis
OFFICIALS
Mike Callahan, David Jones, Steven Anderson

CLEVELAND CAVALIERS (45-26) 95, INDIANA PACERS (30-38) 92
Quicken Loans Arena
Friday
Radio: WTAM-AM 1100, WMMS-FM 100.7, La Mega-FM 97.7
TV: Fox Sports Ohio

1. The Cavaliers kept their impressive winning streak alive at The Q intact. They've now won 15 in a row at home, dating back to the Houston game on Jan. 7. They are becoming invincible at home. The Wine & Gold have averaged 107.1 points per game in that streak. They are shooting 47.6 percent from the field and 40.2 percent from the 3-point line.
They are holding opponents to 91.7 points per game on 40.2 percent shooting.

2. The Pacers are a tough matchup for the Cavs, as evidenced by the season series being tied, 2-2. They play playoff-style basketball. That's why the Cavs might not want to match up with them in the first round. They'd probably win, but they might not have much left for the second round.

3. Cavs guard Kyrie Irving had an off night with 13 points. Coach David Blatt said Irving is human, after all, and is capable of having an off night from time to time. He had two points, no rebounds and no assists in the second half.

4. It was thought that All-Star swingman Paul George would be back by now, but that looks like it was wishful thinking. He broke his leg last summer and had been making steady progress. He's returned to the practice court, but he's not yet 100 percent. There's a chance he could return next week.

5. Guard Rodney Stuckey, formerly of the Pistons, has become the Pacers' super sub. He has scored in double figures in 12 of his last 13 games coming into tonight. He had back-to-back 30-point games against Philadelphia on Feb. 20 and Golden State on Feb. 22. Cavaliers guard Iman Shumpert, their resident defensive stopper, stopped him in his tracks. Stuckey made 2 of 11 shots from the field for six points. Shump is making his impact on this team.

6. The Pacers are one of the top defensive teams in the league. They are third in points allowed, third in opponents' field-goal percentage and eighth in opponents' 3-point shooting. Indiana held seven consecutive opponents under 40 percent shooting from Feb. 27 to March 12 - an NBA record. Now you know why points were so hard to come by on this night. The Cavs shot just 42.7 percent from the field.

7. Cavs guard J.R. Smith is shooting 49 percent from the 3-point arc (21 of 43) in his last six games. His backcourt mate, Kyrie Irving, is shooting 63 percent from deep in that span (17 of 27). Now, you see what kind of problems opposing teams are facing when they play the Cavs.

8. Guard Matthew Dellavedova was huge tonight. He made three big 3-pointers before asking to come out of the game. That doesn't happen much. He said afterward he was hit in a very sensitive area. "I got hit in the ##8$%*@," he said. "Thanks for asking."

UP NEXT: at Milwaukee, BMO Harris Bradley Center, 3 p.m. Sunday.

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 Timofey Mozgov (7-1, 250) vs. Roy Hibbert (7-2, 275)
SG J.R. Smith (6-6, 220) vs. C.J. Miles (6-6, 225)

PG Kyrie Irving (6-3, 193) vs. George Hill (6-3, 192)

INACTIVE LIST

Cavs - C Anderson Varejao, G Joe Harris
Pacers - G/F Paul George, F/C Shayne Whittington
OFFICIALS
Marc Davis, JT Orr, Gary Zielinski

CLEVELAND CAVALIERS (44-26) 117, BROOKLYN NETS (27-39) 92
Quicken Loans Arena
Wednesday
Radio: WTAM-AM 1100, WMMS-FM 100.7, La Mega-FM 97.7
TV: Fox Sports Ohio

1. The Cavaliers moved to 3-0 on the season against the Nets. They've also won four in a row over Brooklyn, which they play twice in nine days. They are now 11-3 vs. the Atlantic Division this season. 

2. Power forward Kevin Love returned after a two-game absence. He said the layoff had nothing to do with his back. However, when he's out of the lineup, the Cavaliers' rebounding suffers. After being pushed around on the boards in the two games he missed, they outrebounded Brooklyn, 43-32. Love had a game-high 11 rebounds - and once again didn't play in the fourth quarter.

3. The Cavs have won 14 in a row at home. They've won by an average of 15.8 points per game during this streak. It's their longest home winning streak since 2009. They haven't lost at home since the Phoenix game on March 7 - a span of 11 days. They are 19-0 on the season, 12-0 at home, when they shoot 50 percent or better. They shot a blistering 54.9 percent from the field and 51.7 percent from the 3-point line.

4. Tonight was the fourth time in the last five games they've scored at least 117 points. They have now made 686 3-pointers this season, a franchise record. They made 10 or more 3-pointers in 31 games this season. They made 15 of 29 from behind the arc tonight. In their last 27 games, they are averaging an NBA-best 12.3 3-point goals per game.

5. They are now an NBA-best 25-6 since Jan. 15. Since that period, they've been the best team in the league. Their are winning by an average of 10.5 points per game during this streak.

6. They have held 13 of their last 14 opponents at home under 100 points.

7. It's nice they were able to win without LeBron James having a huge night. He had 16 points and seven assists (all in the second quarter). James admitted after the game he had heavy legs.

8. The Nets are 6-8 since trading Kevin Garnett to Minnesota for forward Thaddeus Young on Feb. 19.

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

STARTERS
SF LeBron James (6-8, 250) vs. Joe Johnson (6-7, 240)

PF Kevin Love (6-10, 243) vs. Thaddeus Young (6-8, 220)
C Timofey Mozgov (7-1, 250) vs. Brook Lopez (7-0, 275)
SG J.R. Smith (6-6, 220) vs. Markel Brown (6-3, 190)

PG Kyrie Irving (6-3, 193) vs. Deron Williams (6-3, 200)

INACTIVE LIST

Cavs - C Anderson Varejao, G Joe Harris
Nets - G/F Sergey Karasev, F Mirza Teletovic
OFFICIALS
Monty McCutchen, Ken Cutler, David Guthrie

MIAMI HEAT (30-36) 106, CLEVELAND CAVALIERS (43-26) 92
AmericanAirlines Arena
Monday
Radio: WTAM-AM 1100, WMMS-FM 100.7, La Mega-FM 97.7
TV: Fox Sports Ohio, ESPN

1. There was much uncertainty surrounding Cavs forward LeBron James before the game. There were questions whether he'd play after the knee injury from the night before in Orlando. After the way he played, maybe he should have taken the night off. He finished with 26 points, 16 in he fourth quarter. He spent the first three quarters pounding the ball at the top of the key for most of the shot clock and then launching a terrible shot at the basket. No one could figure out what the heck he was doing for most of the night.

2. Cavs power forward Kevin Love missed his second game in a row to "rest." If his back is bothering him, be honest about it. There's been no announcement regarding Wednesday's game against Brooklyn. His replacement, Tristan Thompson, didn't play well in either game he started in place of Love. 

3. The Cavs got waxed on both occasions at AmericanAirlines Arena this season. The Cavs lost by 10 points on Christmas Day, 101-91. Tonight, the final score wasn't indicative of just how badly they were outplayed. The Heat shot 55 percent from the field and were terribly outrebounded, 45-32. In the last two games without Love, they've been outrebounded, 89-64.

4. The Heat is just 5-5 in their last 10 games. They climbed into the No. 8 spot in the Eastern Conference playoff race. They are going to be in a battle the rest of the way with Charlotte for that last spot. When forward/center Chris Bosh was ruled out for the season with a blood clot, that dampened their spirits.

5. Forward Shawn Marion played tonight for the first time in 11 games. He had a strained left hip. Coach David Blatt is going to have trouble playing both Marion and James Jones in his rotation. It's kind of an either/or proposition. Marion might be a bit stronger defensively, but he will never shoot like "Champ."

6. The Cavs have lost nine in a row at AmericanAirlines Arena. The Cavs haven't won in Miami since Jan. 25, 2010. They are 13-36 on the road in the all-time series.

7. The Cavs finished 3-1 on their road trip. They are 24-6 in their last 30 games since Jan. 15. They had a four-game winning streak snapped tonight by Miami.

8. Cavs guard Kyrie Irving earned Player of the Week honors earlier on Monday. It was the second time this season he's won the award.

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

STARTERS
SF LeBron James (6-8, 250) vs. Luol Deng (6-9, 220)

PF Tristan Thompson (6-10, 238) vs. Udonis Haslem (6-8, 235)
C Timofey Mozgov (7-1, 250) vs. Hassan Whiteside (7-0, 265)
SG J.R. Smith (6-6, 220) vs. Dwyane Wade (6-4, 220)

PG Kyrie Irving (6-3, 193) vs. Goran Dragic (6-3, 190)

INACTIVE LIST

Cavs - C Anderson Varejao, F Kevin Love
Heat - F Josh McRoberts, F/C Chris Bosh
OFFICIALS
Joe Crawford, Leroy Richardson, Ben Taylor

CLEVELAND CAVALIERS (43-25) 123, ORLANDO MAGIC (21-47) 108
Amway Center
Sunday
Radio: WTAM-AM 1100, WMMS-FM 100.7, La Mega-FM 97.7
TV: Fox Sports Ohio, NBA TV

1. There are only 14 games remaining in the regular season. Bring on the playoffs. I believe it's going to be a magic ride in the postseason. I think the season will end in the NBA Finals. I think they are the team to beat, especially in the Eastern Conference.

2. Point guard Kyrie Irving, who had a game-high 33 points on Sunday, now has 90 points in his last two games. Irving is the only NBA point guard with averages of at least 20 points, 5.0 assists and less than 2.5 turnovers per game in 2014-15. The only other NBA player with those numbers this season is Clippers power forward Blake Griffin. Irving is averaging a career-low 2.4 turnovers. He's also the highest scoring point guard in the Eastern Conference and ranks third among all NBA point guards at 22.1 points per game (ninth in NBA). He has scored at least 20 points on 38 occasions, including 10 30-point outings and two 50-point nights.

3. The Cavs played tonight without power forward Kevin Love, who was rested. Tristan Thompson started at power forward and had one of his worst games (four points, three rebounds, two blocks). Love needed a break. Some say his back has been bothering him. He's expected to come back for Miami tomorrow. They'll need his ability to spread the floor against the Heat.

4. Forward LeBron James flirted with a triple-double, but fell just short. He ended with 21 points, eight rebounds and 13 assists. He looked like he came close to hyperextending his right knee after a fall under the basket. It could have ended his season. He stayed in the game, so apparently, it's OK.

5. Veteran Shawn Marion was available for tonight's game. He'd missed the previous 10 games with a strained left hip. Coach David Blatt is going to have trouble playing him and James Jones. Marion might be a bit stronger defensively, but the former will never shoot like "Champ." Jones made 4 of 8 from behind the arc against Orlando for 12 points.

6. The Cavs have won their last 10 games against the Magic, their longest streak against an NBA team. They've also won their last five outings at Amway Center. Orlando hasn't beaten the Cavs since Nov. 23, 2012.

7. The Cavs are 3-0 on their current road trip. They are 24-5 in their last 29 games since Jan. 15. They've also won four in a row. They want to keep that torrid streak alive.

8. Magic scout Anthony Parker played three seasons for the Cavs. He also played for Blatt's Maccabi Tel Aviv team in Israel. 

UP NEXT: at Miami, AmericanAirlines Arena, 8 p.m. Monday

STARTERS
SF LeBron James (6-8, 250) vs. Tobias Harris (6-9, 235)

PF Tristan Thompson (6-10, 238) vs. Dewayne Dedmon (7-0, 245)
C Timofey Mozgov (7-1, 250) vs. Nikola Vucevic (7-0, 260)
SG J.R. Smith (6-6, 220) vs. Victor Oladipo (6-4, 210)

PG Kyrie Irving (6-3, 193) vs. Elfrid Payton (6-4, 185)

INACTIVE LIST

Cavs - C Anderson Varejao, F Kevin Love
Magic - G/F Evan Fournier, F Devyn Marble
OFFICIALS
Ed Malloy, Lauren Holtkamp, Mark Lindsay

CLEVELAND CAVALIERS (42-25) 128, SAN ANTONIO SPURS (40-24) 125, OT
AT&T Center
Tuesday
Radio: WTAM-AM 1100, WMMS-FM 100.7, La Mega-FM 97.7
TV: TNT

1. Cavs guard Kyrie Irving scored more points tonight than any player in the team's 45-year history. The All-Star point guard scored a franchise-record 57 points. It was the most points scored by an NBA player this season. It tied Purvis Short's record for the most points ever scored against the Spurs. He had 57 against San Antonio in 1984. Irving snapped LeBron James' team record of 56 in 2005 in Toronto. Irving had 55 points against Portland earlier in the season.

2. Irving had 11 points in overtime, as the Cavs outscored San Antonio in the extra period, 18-15. He also drained a 3-pointer at the buzzer in regulation that tied the score at 110-110.

3. The Cavs had lost their last 10 games to the defending NBA champion Spurs. They had also dropped their last five at the AT&T Center. The Spurs had a six-game winning streak snapped. They had won 14 of their previous 16 home games, including six in a row.

4. The Cavs are 2-0 on this four-game road trip. They obliterated Dallas on Tuesday and beat the defending league champ on Thursday. Hey, has this been a successful trip? Do pigs fly? They flew to Florida after the game and were scheduled to enjoy a well-deserved day off on Friday. They return to the court on Sunday in Orlando. 

5. Spurs forward Kawhi Leonard is a fabulous player, but missed two free throws with 4.3 seconds left in regulation. Instead of having a five-point lead, the Spurs led by just three points, 110-107. That led to Irving's 3 at the buzzer.

6. Some are billing this as a preview of the NBA Finals. If it is, it's going to be a thrilling series. Unlike 2007 when the Cavs were undermanned, they now have the firepower to compete with the aging Spurs. 

7. I had a feeling before the game the Cavs really wanted this one. They really wanted to show the rest of the league they are better than the Spurs. The Cavs have now won 23 of their last 28 games.

8. The Spurs, the No. 6 seed in the Western Conference, have always known how to defend James. Much like Atlanta, they blitz him coming off the pick-and-roll. I said before the game one of the other players had to step up. Obviously, one of them did - Irving. The Spurs didn't want James to beat them. Perhaps they paid too much attention to James because Irving totally exploited them.

9. Leonard is the Spurs' leading scorer at 15.8 points per game. He leads the NBA in steals with 2.16 per game. He's having a solid season.

10. Duncan is starting to show his age - he'll be 39 in April. He's still averaging 14.1 points and a team-high 9.6 rebounds per game. Many feel Duncan is the best power forward in NBA history.

11. The Cavs are 13-1 in their last 14 games against the West. They've outscored those opponents by 10 points per game in this amazing streak.

UP NEXT: at Orlando, Amway Center, 6 p.m. Sunday

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 Timofey Mozgov (7-1, 250) vs. Tiago Splitter (6-11, 245)
SG J.R. Smith (6-6, 220) vs. Danny Green (6-6, 215)

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

INACTIVE LIST

Cavs - C Anderson Varejao, F Shawn Marion
Spurs - G/F Kyle Anderson, F Reggie Williams
OFFICIALS
Derrick Stafford, Eric Lewis, Dedric Taylor

CLEVELAND CAVALIERS (41-25) 127, DALLAS MAVERICKS (41-25) 94
American Airlines Center
Tuesday
Radio: WTAM-AM 1100, WMMS-FM 100.7, La Mega-FM 97.7
TV: Fox Sports Ohio, NBA TV

1. This has to be one of the most complete games the Cavs have played this season. It was the start of a four-game road trip that will take the Cavs across the country. The swing through Texas is going to be a tough test. They travel San Antonio to face the defending champion Spurs on Thursday. That should be a good one.

2. The Mavs aren't exactly chopped liver. They came into the game the sixth seed in the Western Conference. They were no match for the Cavs on this night. The Cavs were more physical, more athletic, more cerebral and just the better team. They had all five starters reach double figures in scoring. Four of them had 20 or more. It was a complete butt-whippin' for the Wine & Gold. The Cavs had lost five in a row to the Mavericks, including their last four at the American Airlines Center.

3. Cavs forward LeBron James (4,214) passed No. 2 Mark Price (4,206) as the franchise's all-time leader in assists. He dished out eight assists. He had 27 points in 29 minutes. He added seven rebounds, one steal and one block. He was the best player on the court - and in the NBA - on this night. He played without his signature headband for the second game in a row (he started wearing it against Phoenix, but left it off from the second quarter on). He's playing like he's on a mission.

4. The key will be how he plays in San Antonio. The Spurs know how to guard him (see Atlanta game last Friday). They blitz him when James comes off a pick-and-roll. For some reason, it throws him for a loop. The other players on the roster will have to step up in a big way to beat the Spurs. The Spurs have been laying low all season. You know they are going to be a major factor in the playoffs. 

5. I loved how Kyrie Irving played tonight. He attacked the basket. When he does that, he's practically unguardable. He finished with 22 points, five rebounds, five assists and two steals. 

6. Kevin Love continued his assault on the Mavericks with 21 points and 14 rebounds. He started a bit slow, but got better as the game wore on. Love's eyes seem to light up when he plays the Mavs. He had 30 points vs. Dallas in the Jan. 4 meeting in Cleveland. He'd scored 30 or more points in six of his previous seven games against the Mavs. In his last nine games against Dallas before tonight, Love had averaged 29.4 points and 12.4 rebounds. 

7. I guaranteed my son tonight that Cavs center Timofey Mozgov would play in the fourth quarter. I knew he would. Why? Because the media has been peppering Coach David Blatt with questions about why Timo hasn't been playing in the fourth quarter. I knew he was going to play. He ended with 17 points, four rebounds and two blocks on the night.

8. Cavs forward/center Tristan Thompson needs one offensive rebound to become the ninth player in franchise history to grab 1,000 in his career. He recorded his seventh double-double off the bench this season in the Phoenix game with 15 points and 12 rebounds. That's tied for first in the NBA. Thompson has 13 double-doubles on the season overall (six in the starting lineup). He struggled against Dallas with no points and one rebound in almost 15 minutes.

9. The Cavs have just 16 games left in the regular season after tonight's game. It really is moving fast. We'll be starting the playoffs soon.

10. The Cavs are 12-1 in their last 13 games against West teams. On the season, they are a respectable 15-12 vs. the West. They are now 17-16 on the road this season.
The Spurs will be a stern test, however.

11. They are 22-5 in their last 27 games. I believe they'll finish 3-1 on this road trip.

12. Coach David Blatt said forward Shawn Marion will likely return some time on this trip. If I had to guess, perhaps the Orlando game at 6 p.m. Sunday.

UP NEXT: at San Antonio, AT&T Center, 9:30 p.m. Thursday

STARTERS
SF LeBron James (6-8, 250) vs. Chandler Parsons (6-10, 230)

PF Kevin Love (6-10, 243) vs. Dirk Nowitzki (7-0, 245)
C Timofey Mozgov (7-1, 250) vs. Tyson Chandler (7-1, 245)
SG J.R. Smith (6-6, 220) vs. Monta Ellis (6-3, 185)

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

INACTIVE LIST

Cavs - C Anderson Varejao, F Shawn Marion
Mavs - F/C Greg Smith, F/C Dwight Powell
OFFICIALS
Jason Phillips, Leroy Richardson, Haywoode Workman

CLEVELAND CAVALIERS (40-25) 89, PHOENIX SUNS (33-31) 79
Quicken Loans Arena
Saturday
Radio: WTAM-AM 1100, WMMS-FM 100.7, La Mega-FM 97.7
TV: Fox Sports Ohio, NBA TV

1. The Cavs have won 13 in a row at home. They have outscored those 13 teams by an average of 16 points per game. None of those teams shot better than 44 percent from the field and only one has scored as many as 100 points. It's their longest home streak since 2009. They are 24-9 at The Q this season. They held the Suns to 35.7 percent shooting from the field. 

2. LeBron James played much better than he did on Friday in Atlanta. The Cavs aren't going to win too many games when he plays like he did against the Hawks. You're used to him being this dominant freak of an athlete. That wasn't the case on Friday. He turned the ball over nine times. He responded with 17 points, six rebounds and eight assists on Saturday - the Cavs' fourth game in five nights and eight in their last 13. He did turn the ball over four times, 13 in his last two nights. He's averaging a career-high 4.3 turnovers per game.

3. The Suns reshaped their team at the deadline, sending Goran Dragic to Miami and bringing in Brandon Knight from Milwaukee. They are both very good players. Knight came into the NBA the same year as Kyrie Irving. They normally really go at it in games. On this night, neither player had anything in the tank. Irving ended with eight points. Knight had 10. 

4. The Cavs snapped a four-game losing streak to the Suns. At no point in the game did I think the Cavs were going to lose. Sure, the Suns went off int he fourth quarter and outscored the Cavs, 27-9. Still, they never got any closer than 10 points.

5. The Cavs have just 17 games left in the regular season. They moved to the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference after tonight's victory, percentage points ahead of Toronto. They want to get up to No. 2. Don't rule that out.

6. James will break the tie with Mark Price (4,206) for first place on the Cavaliers' all-time list in assists in Dallas on March 10.

UP NEXT: at Dallas, American Airlines Arena, 8:30 p.m. Tuesday

STARTERS
SF LeBron James (6-8, 250) vs. P.J. Tucker (6-6, 260)

PF Kevin Love (6-10, 243) vs. Markieff Morris (6-10, 245)
C Timofey Mozgov (7-1, 250) vs. Earl Barron (7-0, 245)
SG J.R. Smith (6-6, 220) vs. Brandon Knight (6-3, 189)

PG Kyrie Irving (6-3, 193) vs. Eric Bledsoe (6-1, 190)

INACTIVE LIST

Cavs - C Anderson Varejao, F Shawn Marion
Suns - G/F Danny Granger
OFFICIALS
Ken Mauer, Mark Ayotte, Ben Taylor

ATLANTA HAWKS (49-12) 106, CLEVELAND CAVALIERS (39-25) 97
Philips Arena
Friday
Radio: WTAM-AM 1100, WMMS-FM 100.7, La Mega-FM 97.7
TV: Fox Sports Ohio

1. Many think this was a preview of the Eastern Conference finals. The Cavs now realize they'll probably have to go through Atlanta to get to the NBA Finals. They wanted to send the Hawks a message. Instead, they got the message loud and clear: The Hawks aren't going to back down from the Cavs. The Hawks dismantled them for large stretches of the game. They jumped out to a big lead in the first half. The Cavs fought back and took the lead in the third quarter, but never came from behind in the fourth. Atlanta won the season series with the Cavs, 3-1.

2. The Cavs trailed by two points, 81-79, to start the fourth. Cavs forward LeBron James started the quarter on the bench. By the time Coach David Blatt got him in the game, with 8:45 left in the game, the Cavs trailed by 10 points, 91-81. They were never able to recover from that deficit.

3. James, an 11-time All-Star, had one of his worst games of the season. He ended with 18 points, but shot just 5 of 13 from the field. He turned the ball over nine times in the game. He wasn't his usual dominating self. He did have six rebounds and eight assists, but he wasn't close to as efficient as he was in Toronto on Wednesday. And, in case you haven't noticed, the Cavs rarely win unless he plays well.

4. The Hawks are the best team in the league, and played like it. They've now won six in a row. They have secured a playoff spot for the eighth consecutive season. During this streak, they have limited all six teams to under 100 points and allowed an average of 89.6 per game. The Cavs shot just 42 percent from the field.

5. The Hawks play the game the right way. They share the ball. They find the open man. They shoot well from the perimeter and can score in the paint. They have no superstars on the roster, just several standout performers. The Hawks had four players make the East All-Star team, and deservedly so. When drawing up a game plan, it would be difficult to stop this team. They can all hurt you in their own way. The Cavs have three players who average more than the Hawks' leading scorer.

6. The Hawks are near the top in several offensive and defensive categories. Coach Mike Budenholzer appears to be earmarked as the league's Coach of the Year. He brought Gregg Popovich's system with him from San Antonio. Scouts say they are a mini-version of the Spurs without Pop's biting sarcasm. When looking at the matchups in this game, the Paul Millsap-Kevin Love duel worries me a bit. Millsap is the Hawks' leading scorer at 16.9 points and 8.0 rebounds. Love is averaging 17 points and 10.2 rebounds. The difference is the shooting percentages, as Millsap shoots 47 percent from the field, compared to Love's 43 percent. Love's percentages are improving as the season wears on. He really is an oustanding third option.

7. Cavs coach David Blatt earned his first technical foul of the season. He complained to official Tony Brothers, who called an offensive foul on James. When James elevated toward the rim, he inadvertently elbowed Hawks forward DeMarre Carroll in the chin. 

8. The Cavs have lost five in a row at Philips Arena. They had a chance to move into sole possession of second place in the East. Instead, they remain in the fourth spot.

9. James is now nine assists away from passing Mark Price (4,206) for first place on the Cavaliers' all-time list in assists.

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

STARTERS
SF LeBron James (6-8, 250) vs. DeMarre Carroll (6-8, 212)

PF Kevin Love (6-10, 243) vs. Paul Millsap (6-8, 246)
C Timofey Mozgov (7-1, 250) vs. Al Horford (6-10, 245)
SG J.R. Smith (6-6, 220) vs. Kyle Korver (6-7, 212)

PG Kyrie Irving (6-3, 193) vs. Jeff Teague (6-6, 211)

INACTIVE LIST

Cavs - C Anderson Varejao, F Shawn Marion
Hawks - G/F Thabo Sefolosha
OFFICIALS
Tony Brothers, Kane Fitzgerald, Kevin Scott