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Cavs send Suns to third straight loss

Mar 13, 2014 - 5:56 AM Phoenix, AZ (SportsNetwork.com) - Kyrie Irving filled the box score with 23 points, nine rebounds and six assists in leading the Cleveland Cavaliers past the Phoenix Suns 110-101 on Wednesday.

All five Cleveland starters scored in double figures, and Dion Waiters added 10 points in a reserve role to help snap the club's four-game skid.

Spencer Hawes checked in with 19 points and Luol Deng added 18 for the Cavs, who overcame 19 turnovers by shooting 12-of-24 from 3-point range.

"It was a good win for our guys," said Cavs coach Mike Brown. "We finally buckled down and defended the 3-point line the right way."

Goran Dragic netted 20 points, Channing Frye chipped in with 17 and Markieff Morris totaled 18 points and 10 rebounds for the Suns, who have dropped three in a row and are 3-7 in their last 10.

"They (Cavs) looked like the team that was trying to get into the playoffs," said Suns coach Jeff Hornacek. "We looked like that the team that just wanted to play a basketball game."

Back on Jan. 26, the Suns limited the Cavs to a measly six points in the third quarter en route to a 99-90 victory.

Fast forward less than two months later, and the recently-acquired Hawes nearly tripled that production in the first quarter alone, as the 7-foot-1 center showed his versatility with three 3-pointers, four free throws, a mid- range jumper and a bucket inside for an eye-opening 17 points.

Deng added nine points during the frame as Cleveland jumped out to a healthy 37-24 lead after 12 minutes of play.

The Cavs led by double digits through most of the second, took a 60-47 lead into the locker room and held off Phoenix's surge in the third.

Dragic scored 11 points in the frame and had a chance to give the Suns their first lead near the final minute. He missed the 3-point attempt, however, and Waiters' buzzer-beating 3-pointer gave Cleveland an 82-77 edge.

Waiters scored the first five points of the fourth, and Irving followed with a jumper to extend the margin back to a dozen, 89-77, less than two minutes in.

Midway through the frame the Suns called a timeout following an Irving triple, and coming out of the timeout, Irving stole the ball from Dragic and went in for a layup for a 98-84 Cavs cushion.

The closest Phoenix got from there was seven.

Game Notes

The Cavs are 5-2 in their last seven games against Western Conference teams ... Cleveland had lost four straight meetings with the Suns ... Marcus Morris made his first start since Mar. 16, 2013 and scored 14 points for the Suns, who also received 15 points and nine assists from Eric Bledsoe ... Phoenix has allowed 100 or more points in each of the last 10 games ... Suns forward P.J. Tucker served a one-game suspension for throwing a punch at Clippers forward Blake Griffin on Monday.