Cavaliers at Nets
The Brooklyn Nets snapped out of their funk in a big way with a 127-88 win over the Dallas Mavericks on Monday, ending a three-game losing streak. The Nets will try to post back-to-back victories and jump over .500 again when they host the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday.
Brooklyn is 5-9 over its last 14 games but showed how dangerous it can be when everything comes together with Monday's performance. "We understand how important these games are leading up to the playoffs," shooting guard Allen Crabbe told the New York Post. "We're not going to act like we're not focused on (the playoffs). That was a big part for us this season. But I think guys are just locked in. Losing those last three games didn't feel good, and we just weren’t ourselves. Us getting back to ourselves this game and just continuing to build on it." The Cavaliers are rolling toward the draft lottery but picked up their level of play with wins in four of the last six contests. Cleveland stunned the playoff-contending Orlando Magic in a 107-93 victory on Sunday while scoring 40 points in the fourth quarter.
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, FS Ohio (Cleveland), YES (Brooklyn)
ABOUT THE CAVALIERS (16-48): Cleveland's recent run has come with the return of forward Kevin Love, who missed nearly four months with a foot injury before coming back the week before the All-Star break. The Cavaliers earned the win in five of the last six games Love has played, and he collected 16 points and 14 rebounds in Sunday's triumph. "He draws a lot of attention so him being on the court is a big boost for us," reserve guard Jordan Clarkson told reporters of Love. "Gives everybody confidence because you know he’s going to pull guys over and draw double teams. It gives other guys confidence and they know that if they give the ball up, they're going to get it back. Sometimes when he's sitting out guys think we have to do a little more."
ABOUT THE NETS (33-33): Brooklyn coach Kenny Atkinson made a change to the lineup on Monday, moving shooting guard Allen Crabbe into the starting lineup and pushing Caris LeVert to the bench. LeVert scored 18 points in 27 minutes as a reserve while Crabbe knocked down 2-of-3 from beyond the arc. "It's one game," Atkinson told reporters. "I think we wanted to change something up, do something a little different. (Caris) coming off the bench or starting, he told me this morning, 'I really don't care coach ... as long as I get my minutes.' He got his minutes. Allen gives us a little more spacing out there. So, you've got Allen and Joe (Harris), now you've got two shooters. I think that helps (point guard) D'Angelo (Russell) out."
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Nets SG Spencer Dinwiddie bounced back from a 2-of-12 performance on Saturday by going 6-of-8 from the floor in Monday's triumph.
2. Cavaliers C Ante Zizic (concussion) sat out Sunday and is day-to-day.
3. The road team took each of the last four games, with Brooklyn pulling off a 148-139 triple-overtime triumph at Cleveland in the most recent matchup on Feb. 13.