11-29-16 at Bucks

clenadams

var $ = jQuery.noConflict();
$(document).ready(function(){	
	loadrecapdata('0021600262');
});

Wrap-Up -- Over the course on an 82-game season, every team is bound to have a clunker or two along the way – even a machine that’s been as running as smoothly as the Cavaliers have this year.

The Wine and Gold turned in one of those on Tuesday night – as the Bucks overcome an early deficit to shred Cleveland’s interior defense in the second half, handing the Cavs just their third loss of the season, a 118-101 decision at the BMO Harris Bradley Center.

Cleveland came into the contest having won three of its last four in Milwaukee, and the story went according to script early – with the Cavaliers jumping out to a two touchdown lead late in the first quarter.

But the Bucks closed the period on a 10-0 run and things spiraled from there. And by the three-minute mark of the third quarter, the roles were reversed, with the Wine and Gold trailing by 14. At that point, Tyronn Lue had seen enough – substituting his entire starting five as the Bucks had their way offensively.

His starters returned to the game early in the fourth, but the Bucks were well into their rhythm at that point, and by the midway point of the fourth, Lue emptied his bench for the second and final time.

The Big Three all performed well on Tuesday night.

LeBron James led Cleveland with 22 points to go with four boards and four assists – but he also committed a game-high seven turnovers, four of which, by his own admission, were unforced.

Kyrie Irving hit the 20-point mark for the 32 time in his last 37 outings – including Playoffs – finishing with 20 points on 5-for-12 shooting, including 2-of-5 from long range, to go with three assists and a steal.

The reigning Eastern Conference Player of the Week, Kevin Love, doubled-up for the 10th time in his last 11 outings – finishing with 13 points and a game-high 13 boards in the loss.

But neither the Big Three nor any other member of the Wine and Gold had an answer for the Greek Freak – Giannis Antetokounmpo – who tied a career-high with 34 points, going 13-of-19 from the floor (mostly from close-range) and adding 12 boards, five assists, five steals and a pair of blocked shots.

The Wine and Gold start strong but the Bucks dash past the Cavs to hand them just their third loss of the season.

Jabari Parker followed up with 18 points for Milwaukee, but it was their bench that did most of the damage aside from Giannis, combining for 48 points – 17 by Michael Beasley – in the win.

On the night, the Bucks shot 54 percent from the floor, but the team that gets over 50 percent of its baskets on layups and dunks did exactly that on Tuesday night – doubling Cleveland’s production in the paint, 68-34.

Turning Point -- As important as the Bucks’ late run to end the first quarter was, it was their energy out of the halftime locker room that sealed the Cavs’ fate on Tuesday.

Trailing by four at the break, LeBron James and Kevin Love hit back-to-back triples to start the second half and tie the affair at 65-apiece with 8:01 to play in the period. But things escalated quickly from there.

Over the next five minutes, the Bucks would go on a 13-2 run, prompting Coach Lue to substitute his entire lineup. Things didn’t get better from there, with Milwaukee closing the quarter on a 14-7 burst to put the Cavaliers squarely behind the 8-ball to start the fourth.

By the Numbers – 10 … games so far this season in which LeBron James and Kyrie Irving have both reached the 20-point plateau, including Tuesday’s defeat in Milwaukee.

Quotable – Kevin Love, on Coach Lue’s mass substitution late in the third …

”He just wanted us to play harder. We weren’t getting the job done. I think it was an effort between the coaching staff and everybody to get a new lineup in there and get a fresh start. He got us back in there in the fourth but it wasn’t enough.”

Up Next -- After Tuesday night’s lopsided loss at the Bradley Center, the Wine and Gold make a one-game stopover back at The Q – a nationally-televised Thursday night matchup with the Clippers at The Q. The following night, the Cavaliers embark on their longest road trip of the young season – beginning with their first regular season matchup against Dwyane Wade and the new-look Bulls. On Monday night, it’s Cleveland’s third matchup with Toronto this season, followed by a date with the Knicks in New York two nights later.

bucks-big-second-half-sinks-cavaliers

Bucks' Big Second Half Sinks Cavaliers

cavsbucks-game-photos-november-29-2016

#CavsBucks Game Photos - November 29, 2016

clejgabriele

var opponent  = "bucks"; //used in image formatting opponent-dateCode-page.jpg
   var dateCode  = "161129";
   var pageSelectorTag  = "div"
   var pageSelectorClass  = "article-section"
   var pageTitleTag = "h4";
   var pageTitleClass = "key";

After cruising through a three-game homestand last week and blowing past the Sixers behind Kyrie Irving’s huge fourth quarter on Sunday, the Wine and Gold continue their road sojourn on Tuesday night in Milwaukee.

The Cavaliers – who will play four of their next five on the road – are off to a franchise-best 13-2 start after dropping the Sixers on Sunday afternoon in Philly, overcoming an 0-for-14 start to win their fourth straight contest.

Cleveland has won five of its last six against Milwaukee, including a 3-1 mark at the BMO Harris Bradley Center, averaging 109 points and 12.8 triples per contest over that stretch while beating the Bucks by an average of over 12 points.

At 7-8, the Bucks come into tonight’s matchup having dropped four of their previous six, despite winning their last outing – a 104-96 victory over the Magic on Sunday in Orlando.

When an opponent is asked what makes the Bucks so difficult to deal with on both ends, the answer will invariably be their “length.” And nobody in Milwaukee’s lineup represents that more than 21-year-old Giannis Antetokounmpo (a/k/a the Greek Freak), whose star continues to rise as he consistently puts up numbers reserved for guys with last names like James, Jordan and Olajuwon.

There’s only one player in the Eastern Conference who’s tallied more games of 25+ points, 5+ rebounds and 5+ assists – he’s had five so far this season – and that player wears No. 23 for the team he’ll face on Tuesday.

Giannis – who can cover more ground with fewer dribbles than just about anyone in the Association – has been especially good of late, averaging 24.0 points, 8.6 rebounds and 2.0 blocks per game over his last six.

Position-wise, Kevin Love will open against Giannis, but the Freak – who was Milwaukee’s point guard for most of last season – will face any number of defenders on Tuesday night.

Kyrie Irving came into the NBA ready to be a star and, like the Greek Freak, his ascension has been meteoric. Including last year’s Playoffs and Sunday’s second-half masterpiece in Philadelphia, Kyrie has now notched 20 points or more in 31 of his last 36 games.

As good as he’s been all season, Irving’s been even better over his last half-dozen outings – shooting 57 percent from the floor, including 51 percent from long-range, averaging 26.2 points per over that span. In the past two games, he’s posted 19-point quarters – including the fourth in Philly, as he proceeded to post a season-high 39 points in the win.

He’ll be going against a very familiar face on Tuesday night, his erstwhile “Australian Brother” – Matthew Dellavedova. Delly – one of the most popular Cavs during his memorable three-year run in Cleveland – has been very good for the Bucks, averaging a career-best 6.3 assists per game, good for 13th in the NBA this season. Delly’s also averaging career highs in points (7.9), rebounds (2.9), steals (1.0) and minutes (29.1).

The man from Maryborough has also dished out at least five helpers in 10 games this season, including five of his last six.

On Monday afternoon, after LeBron took honors in the season’s first two weeks, it was Kevin Love’s turn to be recognized as the Eastern Conference Player of the Week.

In three games this past week, the three-time All-Star averaged 30.7 points, 9.7 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.3 steals. He shot 55 percent from the floor, including 66 percent (19-for-29) from beyond the arc to go with a perfect 21-of-21 mark from the stripe. Among East leaders, Love ranked first in points, three-pointers and free throws made – all while posting a Conference-best +68 plus/minus number.

But Love’s production this year has extended well beyond this week. Over his last 10 games, the former UCLA star has doubled-up in nine of them, averaging 22.5 points and 12.1 boards over that stretch.

In four games against the Bucks last season, Love tallied three double-doubles, averaging 21.8 points on 50 percent shooting, including 47 percent from long-range to go with 12.5 boards per.

The Wine and Gold will be without their top reserve and the league’s top three-point shooter, Channing Frye, again on Tuesday night as he continues to deal with a devastating month that claimed both of his parents.

While the Cavaliers wait for their beloved Sixth Man to return, they’ve had to make do with a patchwork second unit that saw Iman Shumpert miss Sunday’s contest while nursing a sore hamstring he tweaked on Friday night against Dallas. Shump – who’s having a stellar season on the offensive end, shooting .477 from the floor, .459 from deep and .842 from the stripe, all career-bests – participated in shootaround on Tuesday morning and will be a game-time decision.

With Shump on the shelf (and while Kevin Love was in the locker room getting stitched up), James Jones gave Cleveland some excellent minutes off the bench on Sunday, going 2-for-2 from long-range as the Cavs mounted their comeback.

Milwaukee’s bench has been one of their strengths all season. They finished with a combined 42 points in Sunday’s win over Orlando and are averaging 38.7 points per contest this season. Led by Michael Beasley, Greg Monroe and Malcolm Brogdon, the Bucks reserves have already combined for 40+ points in seven of Milwaukee’s 15 games this year.

keybank-five-keys-cavaliers-at-bucks-2

KeyBank Five Keys: Cavaliers at Bucks

The Cavaliers will go for their fifth straight win when they travel to the BMO Harris Bradley Center to face the Milwaukee Bucks. Tipoff is at 8:00 p.m. (ET).

Cleveland is an Eastern Conference-best 13-2 on the season, which is their best 15-game start in team history.

CAVS TO DON WINE JERSEYS.
        From where to catch all the action to Tuesday's game notes, Cavs.com has you covered.

Get into the conversation with other die-hards.

The Wine and Gold continue to light it up from beyond the arc. The Cavs have hit at least 10 three-pointers in all 15 games, extending their NBA record for consecutive games with 10 or more made threes to start a season. They also rank 2nd in threes made per game (13.8) and 2nd in three-point field goal percentage (.392).

The Cavs have four players who rank among the NBA’s Top 20 in three-point field goal percentage: Frye (1st, .485), Shumpert (8th, .459), Irving (15th, .433), Love (17th, .430).

As a result of their sharp shooting, Cleveland is averaging 112.0 points in 2016-17 (2nd-best in NBA) and has scored at least 110 points in three straight games (seven overall).

Cleveland hopes to keep their dominance at the offensive end rolling as they close out their mini road trip on Tuesday in Milwaukee.

Milwaukee has had an up-and-down start to their 2016-17 campaign and come into Tuesday's contest sporting a 7-8 record.

The Wine and Gold will square off against a familiar face in Bucks point guard, Matthew Dellavedova. Dellavedova spent his first three seasons in Cleveland before inking a deal with Milwaukee this offseason.

Delly has made the most of his departure thus far and is handing out a career-high 6.3 assists per game, which ranks 13th in the NBA this season. The Aussie floor general is also averaging career-highs in points (7.9), rebounds (2.9), steals (1.0) and minutes played (29.1) on the season. He has handed out 5+ assists in 10 games in 2016-17, including five of his last six games.

Along with Delly, the Bucks rising superstar, Giannis Antetokounmpo or "The Greek Freak", is off to a fantastic start this season. Antetokounmpo has tallied five games with 25+ points, 5+ rebounds and 5+ assists this campaign, trailing only LeBron James (6) for most 25-5-5 games in the Eastern Conference. Over his last five games, Antetokounmpo is averaging 24.0 points, 8.6 rebounds, 6.4 assists and 2.0 blocks per game.

Radio: WTAM 1100, 100.7 WMMS, 87.7 La Mega

Programming Note: On Tuesday, November 29, 2016, FOX Sports Ohio is airing the Cavs – Bucks game (8:00 p.m.) and the Blue Jackets – Lightning game (7:00 p.m.). To view TV listings, CLICK HERE.

For live in-game updates, follow @cavs, @CavsJoeG, @CavsFredMcLeod, @MrCavalier34, @CavsJMike and @chones22 on Twitter.

Status Update: (Cavs) - Mo Williams, (NWT), Channing Frye, (Excused for Personal Matter, Out), Iman Shumpert, (Left Hamstring Strain, Questionable)

Status Update: (Bucks) - Khris Middleton, (Post-Surgery, Left Hamstring Out)

The Cavs have won five of their last six contests versus the Bucks, which includes a 3-1 mark at BMO Harris Bradley Center.

Over those six games, the Cavs are averaging 109.0 points and 25.7 assists on 39.3 field goals (12.8 three-pointers), while outscoring Milwaukee by 12.2 points per contest (109.0-96.8). Cleveland is also shooting .494 from the field and .391 from the three-point line in that six-game span.

Tuesday's tussel will be the first our four meetings between the Division foes (at MIL 12/20, at CLE 12/21, 2/27).

Following Tuesday's game, the Cavaliers make a brief stop at home on Thursday night against the L.A. Clippers at The Q. After that, it’s another three straight on the road – with matchups in Chicago, Toronto and New York on tap to close out the trip. GET TICKETS | VIEW FULL SCHEDULE

cavsbucks-game-preview-november-29-2016

#CavsBucks Game Preview - November 29, 2016

On Tuesday, November 29, FOX Sports Ohio is airing the Cavs – Bucks game (8:00 p.m.) and the Blue Jackets – Lightning game (7:00 p.m.). Please refer to these programming details, available online HERE.

Cavaliers Live Pregame Show begins at 7:30 p.m. | Tipoff at 8:00 p.m.

cavsbucks-programming-note-november-29-2016

#CavsBucks Programming Note - November 29, 2016

Presented by:

fubo

REMAINING ROUND 2, GAME 4 TICKETS ARE AVAILABLE NOW. <strong><a href="https://seatgeek.com/cleveland-cavaliers-tickets?market=open&amp;aid=15870&amp;pid=web&amp;rid=50624&amp;utm_medium=partnership&amp;utm_source=cavs_ticketing&amp;utm_campaign=web&amp;utm_content=playofftickets">FIND SEATS &gt;&gt;</a></strong>

11‑29‑16 at Bucks

Bucks' Big Second Half Sinks Cavaliers

#CavsBucks Game Photos - November 29, 2016

KeyBank Five Keys: Cavaliers at Bucks

#CavsBucks Game Preview - November 29, 2016

#CavsBucks Programming Note - November 29, 2016