Spurs at Cavaliers
THE STORY:
The San Antonio Spurs have won seven straight and will carry the
league’s longest current winning streak into Cleveland on Tuesday to
face the Cavaliers, who have dropped seven straight and own the league’s
longest skid. Compounding Cleveland's problems is Kyrie Irving’s right
shoulder sprain, which could keep him out of his second game. Irving
missed Saturday’s loss at New York and is expected to be a game-time
decision. The Spurs are within 2½ games of Oklahoma City for the best
record in the Western Conference.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, FS Southwest (Spurs), FS Ohio (Cavaliers)
ABOUT THE SPURS (36-14): Danny Green was the Cavaliers’ final roster
cut at the end of training camp last season. Cleveland went on to win
only 19 games, but Green latched on with the Spurs at the urging of
assistant general manager Danny Ferry, who drafted him to the Cavaliers.
Green is now the Spurs’ starting shooting guard while Manu Ginobili
mends from a series of injuries. Green is flourishing in his third year
in the league, averaging 8.4 points and 3.7 rebounds.
ABOUT THE CAVALIERS (17-33):
Cleveland has dropped 10 of its last 11 to fall out of the playoff race
after they were only one game out of the eighth spot around the
All-Star break. The Cavaliers signed Donald Sloan and Luke Hudson out of
the Development League in recent weeks and both have become key members
of the rotation. Sloan is starting in place of Irving and Hudson,
signed Friday, is already playing big minutes as the reserve shooting
guard.
BUZZER BEATERS:
1. Cavaliers guard Daniel
Gibson had surgery Monday to repair a torn tendon in his left foot and
ankle. He is expected to miss the rest of the season.
2. Irving
was named the Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month for March and has
won the award in every month. Spurs coach Gregg Popovich was named the
Western Conference’s Coach of the Month.
3. The Spurs are 23-5 over the last two months, the best mark in the NBA.