featured-image

Joe G's Running Game Blog

FINAL - MIL 119, CLE 116 ... The Cavaliers led by double-digits before half, but Milwaukee took the lead in the third quarter and pulled ahead in the closing moments to hand Cleveland the loss in their road finale. Dion Waiters led six Cavaliers in double-figures with 22 points, with Jarrett Jack adding 21 off the bench.

43.9, 4Q - MIL 118, CLE 112 ... Cavs have cooled off and Milwaukee's threatening to pull away in closing seconds, CLE now w/6 players in double-figures, but Bucks have seven and shooting 53 pct FG; see if the Cavs have a final road run left in them ...

4:28, 4Q - CLE 106, MIL 105 ... It's actually been a fun game, crazy plays and back and forth all night -- again in the 4Q as Cavs take back the one-point edge; lots of good performances -- Jack (19 pts off bench), Tristan (18 pts, 9 reb), Hawes (13, 6); Gee's been solid and Kyrie's starting to heat up; Zeller (5-8 FG) has also been good in reserve; B Knight leads MIL w/22 pts.

End 3Q - MIL 92, CLE 87 ... Game obviously doesn't have playoff ramifications, but it'd be nice to end season with six straight wins over Central foes; MIL outscores CLE, 30-18, in 3Q; six Bucks in double-figures; Dion leads CLE w/19 pts, career-high 5 steals; Tristan, 16 pts, 8 reb.

2:09, 3Q - MIL 87, CLE 86 ... Weird game so far -- Cavs trailed early by five, came back to lead by 14, only to see Bucks come all the way back, take lead late in 3Q; Tristan's been good all night, 16 pts, 8 reb; Dion leads CLE w/19 pts and both teams w/career-high 5 steals; Jarrett Jack strong off the bench -- 14 pts, 5-5 FT.

End 1H - CLE 69, MIL 62 ... Cavaliers outstanding on the offensive end, but can't be happy about giving up 62 pts/53 pct FG/five guys in double-figures to MIL; Waiters, all 13 pts in 2Q, leads Cavs; Tristan, 12 pts, 6 reb; Jack, 11 pts off bench; Cavs shooting 58 pct FG.

2:41, 2Q - CLE 63, MIL 51 ... it's been the Dion Waiters show in the 2Q -- 13 pts in quarter, now leads everyone w/13 pts; Jack, 11 pts off bench; Tristan Thompson, 10 pts, 6 reb; Cavs now shooting 62 pct FG.

End 1Q - MIL 37, CLE 32 ... Neither team flashing a lot of D in 1Q -- MIL shooting 62 pct FG, CLE, 52 pct; John Henson, Chris Wright, combined 8-for-8 off bench for Bucks; Jarrett Jack, 8 pts off bench for Cavs; Tristan, 8 pts, 3 reb; Gee, starting for Deng, 7 pts; Hawes, 5 pts, 2 asst.

PREGAME ... Cavs close out the 2013-14 road schedule on Friday night at the Bradley Center, trying to win their 10th game in their last 16 contests away from The Q and their sixth straight against a Central Division foe (after clubbing Detroit on Wednesday night in Cleveland). Wine and Gold also looking to take the season series over the Bucks, coming in at 2-1 after topping Milwaukee, 93-78, way back on January 24.

Mike Brown got his 304th win as a Cavalier head coach on Wednesday and looks to move past Bill Fitch for second on the all-time list with a win over Milwaukee. He'll be right on Lenny Wilkens' heels -- who has 316 -- for the top spot when next year begins. Brown's philosophies have been good on the defensive end of the floor this year -- the Cavaliers have held their last two opponents to less than 40 percent shooting and are 14-2 this season when they've done so. Since February 9, the Wine and Gold have the 5th-lowest FG percentage in the NBA.

Kyrie comes into the contest as Cleveland's primary Bucks-killer, having scored at least 26 points in seven of his nine career games against Milwaukee -- averaging 26.4 points on .534 shooting -- including .513 (20-39) from long-distance and .958 (46-48) from the stripe, adding 3.8 rebounds and 5.6 assists.

Luol Deng is out for tonight's game with a lower back strain. Alonzo Gee will start in his place.

Tonight's starters: G Irving G Waiters, F Gee, F Thompson, C Hawes