Cavaliers can't sustain second-half comeback, fall to Trail Blazers 123-110
CLEVELAND (AP) — CJ McCollum scored 35 points and the Portland Trail Blazers hung on after nearly squandering a 23-point halftime lead to defeat the Cleveland Cavaliers 123-110 on Monday night.
The Blazers needed a 14-0 run late in the fourth quarter to finally put away a game that looked like a rout in the first half.
Cleveland cut the lead to 88-84 going into the fourth and was behind 105-102 with 4:42 left, but Portland's backcourt duo of McCollum and Damian Lillard took over from there.
McCollum scored 11 points in the fourth quarter and finished the night hitting 12 of 18 shots, including 7 of 8 3-pointers. Lillard scored eight of his 21 points in the final period.
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Cedi Osman scored 27 points for the Cavaliers, who were attempting to win three straight for the first time this season. Kevin Love, playing his fifth game since returning from foot surgery, had 18 points and 12 rebounds in 28 minutes.
The Blazers, coming off road wins over playoff contenders Brooklyn and Philadelphia, seemed to be on their way to a comfortable win against the Cavaliers, who have the league's third-worst record.
Portland scored the game's first 14 points and continued to pour it on in the second quarter, taking a 71-48 lead into halftime.
Cleveland rallied in the third quarter, and Matthew Dellavedova's 3-pointer with a second left cut the lead to 88-84.
Cleveland appeared to tie the game early in the fourth, but Larry Nance Jr.'s 3-pointer was waved off after the Blazers were charged with a common foul on a screen set by Dellavedova.
Seth Curry hit all five 3-point attempts and finished with 15 points for Portland, which is in fourth place in the Western Conference.
TIP-INS
Trail Blazers: McCollum is a native of Canton, Ohio. He had his jersey retired Sunday at Lehigh, where he starred in college. ... Portland is 13-15 on the road. ... F Evan Turner (left knee) missed his second game in a row.
Cavaliers: Jordan Clarkson scored 19 points. ... Rookie guard Collin Sexton scored 11 points. He was 3 of 14 from the field and had one assist. ... Love was the only starter to score in the first quarter.
NOT YET
Cavaliers coach Larry Drew said forward Tristan Thompson hasn't been cleared to go through a full-court practice with contact and won't return until he does.
"If he passes that test he'll be deemed ready to play," Drew said. "That has to happen."
Thompson missed his 16th straight game with a sore left foot and has been out for a total of 26 games because of the injury.
UP NEXT
Trail Blazers: Visit Boston on Wednesday.
Cavaliers: Visit New York on Thursday.
