CLEVELAND (AP) — Kevin Love took part in most of the Cavaliers' practice Wednesday, moving the five-time All-Star closer to playing after missing most of the season with a calf injury. Love has been out since Dec. 27, when he aggravated a calf strain he initially incurred in the team's exhibition opener. Coach J.B. Bickerstaff said Love was able to do “quite a bit of the live stuff” during the workout as the Cavs, who have lost eight straight, got in a previously unscheduled practice after Wednesday's game against San Antonio was postponed because of a COVID-19 outbreak among the Spurs. “Hopefully that’s a good sign,” Bickerstaff said of the latest step in Love's slow improvement. “Obviously you wait and see how he responds tomorrow, but he’s making progress and he was with us for most of the day.” The Cavs host the Denver Nuggets on Friday, a matchup arranged by the NBA after the game against the Spurs was scrapped. Love's return would provide a major boost for the Cavs, who have dropped... [More]

CLEVELAND (AP) — LeBron James could be considered something of a history buff on the Cavaliers. After all, he's responsible for making — and altering — the franchise for more than a decade. So after scorching his former team on Monday night with a 46-point, tour-de-force performance he said was fueled by seeing a member of Cleveland's front office overreact to one of his few missed shots, the Lakers superstar admitted keeping an eye on the Cavs. He's impressed. “You can tell that team is improving,” James said. No doubt, the Cavs, who were left in shambles when James bolted as a free agent three seasons ago, are ahead of schedule. Led by All-Star-in-the-making guard Collin Sexton, center Andre Drummond, and boasting unexpected depth and defense under coach J.B. Bickerstaff, the Cavs are 9-9 and currently holding a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference as they prepare to visit the New York Knicks on Friday. And while Cleveland's record is surprising, it's notable the Cavs have made the... [More]

CLEVELAND (AP) — Kevin Durant scooped up the box score on the table in front of him and quickly scanned the statistics next to Collin Sexton's name to make sure he was being accurate. There they were: 42 points, 15 coming in the second overtime when Cleveland's guard drained four 3-pointers. “He made shots,” said Durant, who also had a breakaway dunk stopped by Sexton. Outplaying Kyrie Irving, the player with whom he'll forever be linked, Sexton outscored Brooklyn by himself in the second OT and led the Cavaliers to a 147-135 win over the Nets, who will need some time to get their three superstars aligned. Sexton was back after missing five games with a sprained ankle and he outshined Irving, Durant and James Harden, Brooklyn's heralded “Big 3” who combined for 96 points in their first game together since the Nets pulled off the stunning trade that tilted the East Conference toward one of New York's boroughs. But with all eyes on the new-look Nets, Sexton stole the spotlight. The third-year... [More]

CLEVELAND (AP) — The Cavaliers went to extremes to help forward Kevin Porter Jr. He pushed them too far. Cleveland has decided to move on from the troubled and talented player, a person familiar with his standing with the team told The Associated Press on Monday. The Cavs are shopping Porter around to see if they find can a trade partner before they'll consider releasing the 2019 first-round draft pick, said the person on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the situation. Porter has not played this season and only rejoined the team last week after tending to personal issues, which included a legal issue from November. The 20-year-old was in street clothes and on the bench Friday night when the Cavs beat the New York Knicks. But after the game, Porter reportedly became angry when he learned the Cavs had moved his locker for newly acquired forward Taurean Prince, who came over in the four-team trade with the Brooklyn Nets earlier in the week. According to reports, Porter... [More]

CLEVELAND (AP) — LaMelo Ball summed up his NBA debut in one word. “Disappointing,” he said. And forgettable. The hyped Hornets rookie guard didn't score in his first game for Charlotte and Cleveland pulled away in the first half and held on for a 121-114 victory Wednesday night in the Cavaliers' first home regular-season game in nearly 300 days. Collin Sexton scored 27 points, Darius Garland added 22 and the Cavs overcame a scorching shooting performance by Charlotte's Terry Rozier, a Cleveland native who finished with a career-high 10 3-pointers and 42 points. Beyond Ball's rough night — he missed all five shots and didn't play in the fourth quarte — Charlotte also suffered a major injury as center Cody Zeller broke his left hand. “Cody is obviously going to miss some time and we need other guys to step up,” Hornets coach James Boorego said. One of those would be Ball, the No. 2 overall pick in this year’s draft who has revived interest and hope in Charlotte. But Ball's first performance... [More]

CLEVELAND (AP) — Collin Sexton scored 27 points, Darius Garland added 22 and the Cleveland Cavaliers won their first home game in nearly 300 days, overcoming the hot shooting of Terry Rozier for a 121-114 win Wednesday night over the Charlotte Hornets. Hyped rookie LaMelo Ball didn't score in his NBA debut with Charlotte, and Hornets center Cody Zeller broke his left hand. Rozier made a career-high 10 3-pointers and scored 42 points to lead the Hornets, who made it interesting with a late rally. Upset by their exclusion from the NBA's “bubble” in Orlando, the Cavs made the most of getting back on their home floor for the first time in the regular season since March 8. Andre Drummond added 14 points and 14 rebounds and Larry Nance had 13 and 13 for Cleveland, which played without star forward Kevin Love. He's out with a strained right calf. Gordon Hayward scored 28 points in his first game with the Hornets, who signed him to a 4-year, $120 million deal after he opted out in Boston. Rozier... [More]

CLEVELAND (AP) — The Cavaliers have found either a temporary replacement for Tristan Thompson or an asset to bring in other talent. Cleveland announced Monday it has acquired center JaVale McGee and a 2026 second-round draft pick from the Los Angeles Lakers for forwards Alfonzo McKinnie and Jordan Bell. The teams agreed to the deal on Sunday but needed league approval before finalizing it. Also, the team has a worked out an agreement with free agent guard Matthew Dellavedova, one of the Cavs' most popular players. McGee, who won NBA titles during two seasons with Golden State before two in Los Angeles, gives the Cavaliers a proven front-line player who can protect the rim and give starting center Andre Drummond a break. The 30-year-old McGee also has an expiring contract, which makes him appealing to teams looking to create salary-cap space. The Lakers needed to move McGee to make room for free agent center Marc Gasol. Thompson left the Cavs last week, agreeing to a two-year free agent... [More]

CLEVELAND (AP) — When Collin Sexton learned that the NBA — and not a pandemic — had prematurely ended his second season, the Cavaliers guard had a guttural reaction.“I was sick,” he said.The league's decision to invite only 22 teams to resume play at Disney World in Florida next month and a season interrupted by COVID-19 was a body blow for players on the omitted squads — the Delete 8.And although they've had time to process the exclusion, Sexton, Cavs star forward Kevin Love and their teammates are still struggling with the reality that their season is over while hoping they get to do something together this summer.“It’s a tough pill to swallow,” Love said Friday on a Zoom call from New York. “But from a league’s perspective, being safe and navigating this time, I totally understand that.”Perhaps no team feels the sting of being denied a chance to complete the season more than the Cavs, who went through a midseason coaching change — John Beilein stepped down at the All-Star break — and... [More]

Cleveland (AP) — The Cleveland Cavaliers are missing from the NBA's Disney World summer bubble. They hope Commissioner Adam Silver doesn't need to pop their plans again.One of eight teams whose COVID-19-interrupted season ended when the league decided to resume play with 22 teams in Florida next month, the Cavs are using their omission as fuel."Whatever it is we have to do as a group this summer to get better, we need to go out and do that,” coach J.B. Bickerstaff said Tuesday on a Zoom call. “Whatever party the NBA is throwing, this one happens to be in Orlando, we need to do whatever we can in our power to make sure that we’re getting invited to the party — and that’s been the message to our guys.”The Disney slight was an odd finish to the Cavs' strange, staggered season. It will be remembered for first-year coach John Beilein's stunning departure at the All-Star break, the acquisition of star center Andre Drummond and the team's brief resurgence under Bickerstaff, who exuded restraint... [More]

Cleveland (AP) — The Cleveland Cavaliers are missing from the NBA's Disney World summer bubble. They hope NBA Commissioner Adam Silver doesn't need to pop their plans again.One of eight teams whose COVID-19-interrupted season ended when the league decided to resume play with 22 teams in Florida next month, the Cavs are using their omission as fuel."Whatever it is we have to do as a group this summer to get better, we need to go out and do that,” coach J.B. Bickerstaff said Tuesday on a Zoom call. “Whatever party the NBA is throwing, this one happens to be in Orlando, we need to do whatever we can in our power to make sure that we’re getting invited to the party — and that’s been the message to our guys.”The Disney slight was an odd finish to the Cavs' strange, staggered season. It will be remembered for first-year coach John Beilein's stunning departure at the All-Star break, the acquisition of star center Andre Drummond and the team's brief resurgence under Bickerstaff, who exuded restraint... [More]

CLEVELAND (AP) — Andre Drummond returned from a leg injury to score 28 points and add 17 rebounds, and Kevin Love shook off a tough shooting night to make a big 3-pointer in overtime and lift the improving Cleveland Cavaliers to a 132-129 win over the San Antonio Spurs on Sunday.Drummond, who missed the past three games with a strained left calf, put the Cavs up 124-22 with a layup and Love followed with his 3 from the corner 28 seconds later to put Cleveland up by five.Love had missed his first four attempts from long range before his clutch shot and he finished just 3 of 12 from the field, but added 18 rebounds.Derrick White hit a 3 to pull the Spurs within 131-129 in the final seconds, but Collin Sexton made a free throw for the Cavs and San Antonio didn't get off a last-second heave in time.It was the second straight close win for the young Cavs, who beat Denver 104-102 on Saturday. Cleveland improved to 5-5 under coach J.B. Bickerstaff and matched its win total from last season, when... [More]

CLEVELAND (AP) — Andre Drummond returned from a leg injury to score 28 points and add 17 rebounds, and Kevin Love made a big 3-pointer in overtime to lift the Cleveland Cavaliers to a 132-129 win over the San Antonio Spurs on Sunday night.Drummond, who missed the past three games with a strained left calf, put the Cavs up 124-22 with a layup and Love followed with his 3 from the corner 28 seconds later to put Cleveland up by five.Love had missed his first four attempts from long range before his clutch shot and he finished just 3 of 12 from the field, but added 18 rebounds.Derrick White hit a 3 to pull the Spurs within 131-129 in the final seconds, but Collin Sexton made a free throw for the Cavs and San Antonio didn't get off a last-second heave in time.It was the second straight close win for the young Cavs, who beat Denver 104-102 on Saturday. Cleveland improved to 5-5 under coach J.B. Bickerstaff.Sexton scored 26, Larry Nance Jr. 19 and Matthew Dellavedova had 14 and 11 assists. Dellavedova... [More]

GRAFTON, Ohio (AP) — Andre Drummond and his teammates leaned in and listened intently as if they were in a huddle during a timeout in the frantic closing seconds of a playoff game.This time, the Cleveland Cavaliers didn't hear any strategy or talk of fouls or final shots. These messages were far more profound: tales of addiction, abuse, second chances and relapses, personal renewal.Sitting in a large circle along with his teammates, coaches and members of Cleveland's front office, Drummond remained riveted for an hour as prisoners at the Grafton Correctional Institution talked about how their lives were changed by bad decisions — and their determination to help themselves and others.Drummond was deeply moved.“A lot of these guys have been through so much, the trials and tribulations,” the center said afterward. “So to be here and to be open to sharing their stories of what they’ve been through and have it resonate with all of us, it touched each and every one of us.”On Friday, Drummond,... [More]

CLEVELAND (AP) — Bojan Bogdanovic scored 28 points, Rudy Gobert added 20 and the Utah Jazz began a four-game trip against Eastern Conference teams with a 126-113 win on Monday night over the short-handed Cleveland Cavaliers, who dressed only nine players and used just seven.Donovan Mitchell had 19 points and nine rebounds, and the Jazz made 20 3-pointers while staying in the fifth playoff spot out West.Collin Sexton scored a career-high 32 points and Kevin Love scored 22 for Cleveland, which dropped to 3-4 under coach J.B. Bickerstaff.Utah was flat for long stretches, and some of that may have had to do with Cleveland's poor record and depleted roster. The Jazz seemed in control while building an 18-point lead in the fourth, but the Cavs kept fighting and were still within 11 with 6 minutes left.But Bogdanovic buried a pair of 3-pointers — one coming after one of Gobert's five blocks — and Utah recorded 30 assists while winning for the second time in six games.“We’re persistent. It’s just... [More]

CLEVELAND (AP) — Bojan Bogdanovic scored 28 points, Rudy Gobert added 20 and the Utah Jazz began a four-game trip against Eastern Conference teams with a 126-113 win on Monday night over the short-handed Cleveland Cavaliers, who dressed only nine players and used just seven.Donovan Mitchell had 19 points and nine rebounds, and the Jazz made 20 3-pointers while staying in the fifth playoff spot out West.Collin Sexton scored a career-high 32 points and Kevin Love scored 22 for Cleveland, which dropped to 3-4 under coach J.B. Bickerstaff.Utah was flat for long stretches, and some of that may have had to do with Cleveland's poor record and depleted roster. The Jazz seemed in control while building an 18-point lead in the fourth, but the Cavs kept fighting and were still within 11 with 6 minutes left.But Bogdanovic buried a pair of 3-pointers — one coming after one of Gobert's five blocks — and Utah won for the second time in six games.The Cavs were missing two starters: center Andre Drummond... [More]

INDEPENDENCE, Ohio (AP) — John Beilein didn't make it through one NBA season. Another college coaching dropout.Wildly successful at Michigan and other stops in his coaching career, Beilein resigned Wednesday after just 54 games with the rebuilding Cavaliers, who can't seem to find the right person to lead their team.The 67-year-old Beilein never got comfortable during his short stint in the pro game. The demands of travel, lack of practice time and a group of players who didn't respect him or respond to his coaching style proved to be too much, so he decided to move on before the team returned from the All-Star break.“This was a very difficult decision for me, but I want to be clear — this was my decision to step down and I truly appreciate the understanding and support of the front office during this time,” Beilein said in a statement released by the team. "I find losing very challenging and this year has taken a much bigger toll on me than I expected. I grew concerned for the consequences... [More]

INDEPENDENCE, Ohio (AP) — John Beilein didn't make it through one NBA season. Another college coaching dropout.Wildly successful at Michigan and other stops in his coaching career, Beilein resigned Wednesday after just 54 games with the rebuilding Cavaliers, who can't seem to find the right person to lead their team.The 67-year-old Beilein never got comfortable during his short stint in the pro game. The demands of travel, lack of practice time and a group of players who didn't respect him or respond to his coaching style proved to be too much, so he decided to move on before the team returned from the All-Star break.“This was a very difficult decision for me, but I want to be clear — this was my decision to step down and I truly appreciate the understanding and support of the front office during this time,” Beilein said in a statement released by the team. "I find losing very challenging and this year has taken a much bigger toll on me than I expected. I grew concerned for the consequences... [More]

INDEPENDENCE, Ohio (AP) — John Beilein didn't make it through one NBA season. Another college coaching dropout.Wildly successful at Michigan and other stops in his coaching career, Beilein resigned Wednesday after just 54 games with the rebuilding Cavaliers, who can't seem to find the right person to lead their team.The 67-year-old Beilein never got comfortable during his short stint in the pro game. The demands of travel, lack of practice time and a group of players who didn't respect him or respond to his coaching style proved to be too much, so he decided to move on before the team returned from the All-Star break.The Cavs went just 14-40 under Beilein, who the Cavaliers signed to a five-year contract last May.The Cavs said Beilein will be reassigned to a different role within the organization.From the start there were issues in Cleveland. The Cavs didn't embrace Beilein's methods in training camp — he had his big men doing fundamental “Mikan” drills — and players grumbled that he was... [More]

CLEVELAND (AP) — Cavaliers first-year coach John Beilein will end a rough season by stepping down after 54 games, according to multiple reports Tuesday night.The former Michigan coach, who was a surprising hire by the Cavs last year because of his age (67) and lack of any pro experience, is expected to say goodbye to staff and players Wednesday when they return from the All-Star break, ESPN.com reported, citing anonymous league sources.Beilein signed a five-year contract — the final year was a club option — in May. ESPN said he and the Cavs negotiated a financial settlement that will pay him a portion of the remaining money on his 2019-20 contract.Cleveland is just 14-40 — the worst record in the Eastern Conference — and Beilein struggled to gain his players' confidence or respect while the losses piled up. Associate head coach J.B. Bickerstaff is expected to take over on an interim basis for Beilein. Bickerstaff coached in Memphis for nearly two full seasons before being fired last year.... [More]

CLEVELAND (AP) — John Beilein has admitted that losing NBA games has hit him hard. Maybe too hard.The 67-year-old former Michigan coach struggled to get through the season's unofficial first half with the young Cavaliers, who have the worst record in the Eastern Conference.It's not clear if he'll make it until the end.Beilein and the Cavs have discussed the possibility of him stepping down before the end of the season. And while there has been no decision made about Beilein's future, the team plans to reconvene this week following the All-Star break as players, coaches and executives return from much-needed retreats.ESPN.com first reported the possibility of Beilein leaving the team before the end of the season on Sunday night as the All-Star Game wrapped up in Chicago.It's been a rough transition to the pro game for Beilein, who was wildly successful as a college coach — the past 12 seasons with the Wolverines. Beilein was a surprising hire by the Cavs, who convinced him he was the right... [More]