LOVE-LESS CAVS FALL TO MAVS

WASHINGTON: Struggling with star forward Kevin Love sidelined by back spasms, the defending NBA champions Cleveland Cavaliers were downed 10497 at Dallas on Monday.

LeBron James led the Cavaliers with 23 points on 9-of-19 shooting while Kyrie Irving added 18 points and five assists but made six turnovers, only one fewer than the entire Mavericks’ squad.

But an up-tempo Dallas attack proved more than the Cavaliers could stand a night after defeating Oklahoma City. The Mavericks seized a 100-85 edge with 4:18 to play on a 3-pointer by Yogi Ferrell and coasted home from there.

Love, averaging 20.1 points and 11.1 rebounds, stayed home for medical tests on Monday and no structural damage was found in his back, but he will also miss the Cavaliers’ home game on Wednesday against Minnesota. Asked if he thought the Cavaliers would make a trade for another playmaker as he has sought, James replied, “If it happens, it happens. We’ve got what we got. We’ve got to get better every game.”

Dallas forward Harrison Barnes had a game-high 24 points and 11 rebounds, and guard Wesley Matthews added 21 points. Ferrell had 19 points and Curry added 16 for the Mavericks. The Cavaliers fell to 32-15 but still remained the top team in the Eastern Conference by 2.5 games over Boston, while the Mavericks rose to 18-30, third-worst in the Western Conference but only four games out of the last West play-off spot. Celtics over Detroit 113-109 squandering an 11-point lead.

Thomas was one point shy of joining Larry Bird and Paul Pierce as the only Celtics to average 33 points in an entire month. “I was close but I wasn’t trying. I was just trying to do what my team needed me to do,” Thomas said. “It doesn’t sound real. To have my name up there with those legends is unbelievable.”

Boston improved to 30-18, a game ahead of Toronto atop the Atlantic division.

Pistons big man Andre Drummond had a season high-tying 28 points and 22 rebounds in a losing effort.

At Phoenix, Mike Conley scored a career-high 38 points, hitting 7-of-10 3-point shots, and Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph each added 18 as the Memphis Grizzlies downed the host Suns 115-96. despite