Cavaliers at Clippers
Power forward Kevin Love will return after a one-game absence and the
Cleveland Cavaliers look for their sixth victory in seven games when
they visit the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday. Love sat out Thursday's
victory over the Los Angeles Lakers due to pain in both knees and he's
looking to rebound from an 11-for-42 shooting slump over his last four
outings.
Love's shaky play has contributed to the Cavaliers being unable to perform at the level that forward LeBron James is seeking. Cleveland's recent surge has been fueled by point guard Kyrie Irving, who is averaging 24.9 points over the last seven games after scoring 26 during Thursday's 120-108 win over the Lakers. The Clippers have won five of their past seven games as they make a run at catching the third-place Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference playoff race. The contest with the Cavaliers is followed by a five-game road trip that begins in San Antonio and concludes by visiting the Golden State Warriors.
TV: 3:30 p.m. ET, ABC
ABOUT THE CAVALIERS (46-18): Cleveland is vying to hold off Toronto for the top seed in the Eastern Conference and is 2-0 on a four-game road trip that concludes Monday against Utah. Center Tristan Thompson has posted back-to-back double-doubles during the excursion and is averaging 14 points and 14.5 rebounds in the two contests. Thompson has scored in double digits in a season-best six straight games and is averaging 12.5 points on 28-of-41 shooting during the stretch.
ABOUT THE CLIPPERS (42-22): Small forward Jeff Green has produced back-to-back strong efforts by averaging 20 points on 16-of-24 shooting against Oklahoma City and the New York Knicks. Consistency has been an issue for Green since he was acquired from the Memphis Grizzlies as he scored in double digits in only one of the previous four games, twice going scoreless. "It's great that I'm on the floor," Green said after playing 45 minutes against the Knicks on Friday. "I don’t mind it. It's all about competing. It's 5-on-5. I’m going to push through and compete."
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Cavaliers have won 15 of the past 18 meetings, including a 115-102 home win on Jan. 21.
2. Cleveland F Channing Frye scored a season-best 21 points on 8-of-10 shooting against the Lakers to reach double digits for only the second time in eight games since being acquired from Orlando.
3. Los Angeles SF Paul Pierce (toe) is questionable after sitting out Friday, while PF Luc Richard Mbah a Moute (lacerated eyelid) is close to returning after missing the previous five games.