Game Summary
The Cavaliers (38-27) continue their six-game roadie on Sunday when they battle the Los Angeles Lakers (29-36). Tipoff from the STAPLES Center is at 9:00 p.m. (ET).
The Wine & Gold are looking to rebound after falling to the Los Angeles Clippers, 116-102, on Friday night in Tinseltown. Despite their first loss of the road trip, the Cavaliers are still 5-1 in their last six road games and are averaging 115.2 points on .499 shooting (.426 3FG%) since February 9.
Cavs Visit Lakers
From where to catch all the action to Sunday's game notes, Cavs.com has you covered.
FOX Sports Ohio, ESPN
WTAM 1100, 100.7 WMMS, 87.7 FM La Mega
Joe G.'s guide to a victory.
Learn more about Sunday's matchup.
Join Wine & Gold Nation and get into the convo.
With their success away from The Q, it's important to highlight some of the strides the Cavs made in Friday's loss to the Clips, which give fans a good idea of where the team is heading through the middle of road trip.
The Cavs connected on 12 three-pointers against the Clippers on Friday, their 50th game of the season with at least 10 triples. It is also the third-straight season Cleveland has record at least 50 games with 10 or more three-pointers (65 in 2016-17 and 51 in 2015-16). On the season, the team is averaging 11.9 threes per game (third-most in NBA).
Cleveland also finished with 18 fast break points against the Clippers and is now averaging 16.2 fast break points since January 1 (fourth-most in NBA).
From an individual perspective, Larry Nance Jr. - who will be taking on his former team on Sunday night - set a career-high for consecutive double-doubles (three, March 5-present) and consecutive double-digit scoring outings (six, February 27-present). Against the Clippers, Nance Jr. posted 16 points on 7-10 (.700) shooting, a team-high 12 rebounds, one steal and one block in 30 minutes.
Another former Laker, Jordan Clarkson, also had one of his biggest games of the season on Friday against the Clippers. Clarkson had his highest scoring game as a Cavalier with 21 points (6-12 FG, 4-5 3FG, 5-5 FT), two rebounds and one steal in 25 minutes off the bench. He is averaging 14.2 points off the bench this season, which ranks second in the NBA.
As Clarkson, Nance Jr. and the rest of the Cavaliers squad prep to do battle with the Lakers on Sunday, Los Angeles is looking to finish the season strong.
L.A. has played extremely well since the middle of February, going 6-2 since February 23. That record also includes a pretty impressive five-game win streak before they dropped two of their last three contests.
The Lakers lost their most recent contest to the Denver Nuggets who, like the Clippers, are battling for the eighth seed in the Western Conference Playoff picture. Even though Los Angeles left with an "L", they gave Denver a great game. Center Brooks Lopez excelled down low, scoring 29 points, tallying eight rebounds and eight assists in the process. Julius Randle followed Lopez's lead, knocking down 18 points and six boards.
Where to Catch the Action
TV: FOX Sports Ohio, ESPN
Radio: WTAM 1100, 100.7 WMMS, 87.7 La Mega
For live in-game updates, follow @cavs, @CavsJoeG, @CavsFredMcLeod, @MrCavalier34, @CavsJMike and @chones22 on Twitter.
Probable Starters/Status Update*
#3 - George Hill
#5 - JR Smith
#23 - LeBron James
#32 - Jeff Green
#22 - Larry Nance Jr.
G
G
F
F
C
#2 - Lonzo Ball
#1 - Kentavious Caldwell-Pope
#0 - Kyle Kuzma
#21 - Julius Randle
#11 - Brook Lopez
Status Update: (Cavs) - Kevin Love, (Left hand fracture, Out), Tristan Thompson, (Right ankle sprain, Out), Cedi Osman, (Left hip strain, Out), Rodney Hood, (Low back strain, doubtful)
Status Update: (Lakers) - Channing Frye, (Appendectomy, Out), Josh Hart, (Left hand/fourth metacarpal fracture, Out), Brandon Ingram, (Left groin strain, Out)
*Subject to change.
Head-to-Head Matchup
Sunday night's contest between the Lakers and the Cavaliers will be the second, and final, meeting between the two squad's this season. Cleveland won the first matchup, 121-112, on December 14 at The Q.
In that victory, the Wine & Gold had 32 assists and shot 43-86 (.500) from the field, 15-36 (.417) from three-point range and 20-25 (.800) from the foul line. Defensively, the Cavs swiped 10 steals and held the Lakers to 9-31 (.290) shooting from deep, while also scoring 25 points off 18 Lakers turnovers.
Overall, the Cavs have won seven straight games against the Lakers (their longest win streak against them in team history) and four in a row at STAPLES Center.
During that stretch, the Cavaliers have outscored Los Angeles by 9.7 points (119.1-109.4), scoring at least 120 points in five of those meetings. They have also shot a combined .516 from the field, knocking down an average of 14.1 threes (.423 3FG%) and dishing out 24.9 assists (10.4 turnovers).
On Deck
Following the Cavs' final meeting with the Lakers on Sunday, they'll head to Arizona to battle the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday for the first time this season. The Wine & Gold will then take on the Portland Trail Blazers (March 15) and Chicago Bulls (March 17) before returning to The Land on March 19 to face the Milwaukee Bucks. That contest with the Bucks will be the first of a three-game homestand in Cleveland with the Cavs also taking on the Toronto Raptors (March 21) and Suns (March 23).