• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers
• Game Tracker

Cavs, Suns tangle in the desert

Jan 12, 2012 - 3:48 PM (Sports Network) - Rookie Kyrie Irving and the Cleveland Cavaliers resume a seven-game road trip tonight against the Phoenix Suns at US Airways Center.

Irving has scored 20-plus points in back-to-back games for the Cavs and registered 20 on 7-of-14 shooting in Tuesday's 113-105 loss at Utah. Antawn Jamison scored 22 points and Anderson Varejao registered 12 points and 11 rebounds for the Cavs, who have lost two in a row and fell to 1-3 on the trek.

"This loss tonight was about us. We kind of beat up ourselves a little bit too much," said Irving, who entered the game averaging 15 points -- most among rookies.

Cleveland, which is 2-4 away from Quicken Loans Arena this season, will also visit the Lakers and Bobcats before returning home.

The Suns look to extend their home winning streak to four games when they entertain Cleveland tonight in the desert.

Phoenix had won two straight and three of four games until Tuesday's 99-83 road loss to the Los Angeles Lakers in which Kobe Bryant scorched the Suns' defense for an NBA season-high 48 points. Marcin Gortat totaled 16 points and 12 rebounds, while Channing Frye scored 17 points for the Suns.

"We did a good job of defending Kobe, he just makes tough shots," Suns head coach Alvin Gentry said.

Steve Nash added 13 points and eight assists in the loss. Phoenix was outscored by a 16-2 margin to close out the game. After hosting both Cleveland and New Jersey, the Suns will hit the road for five straight games against San Antonio, Chicago, New York, Boston and Dallas.

The Suns swept a two-game series from Cleveland a year ago and have won six of the past 10 meetings between the teams. Cleveland has lost 10 of its last 12 trips to the Valley of the Sun.