• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Lowly Cavs take on Suns in the desert

Jan 9, 2011 - 4:02 PM (Sports Network) - The Cleveland Cavaliers will try to stop a nine-game losing streak tonight in the continuation of a five-game road trip against the Phoenix Suns in the desert.

The Cavaliers opened the trek with Friday's 116-98 loss against the Golden State Warriors in Oakland, as Antawn Jamison scored 21 points and pulled down five rebounds. J.J. Hickson had 17 points and nine rebounds for Cleveland, which fell to a miserable 3-16 on the road this season and has dropped 10 of its last 20 games overall.

"Our guys are showing some fight, but we have a lot of young guys who are making mistakes," said Cavs coach Byron Scott. "You've got to expect that with a young team. When they start to get more comfortable the wins will come."

Manny Harris recorded his first career double-double with career highs in points with 16 and rebounds with 10 against Golden State. Cleveland will also visit the Lakers, Jazz and Nuggets on the trek, and is winless in its last seven contests against Western Conference foes.

Cavs guard Anthony Parker is questionable for Sunday with a strained back, while center Anderson Varejao (ankle) is expected to miss tonight's game.

Phoenix is also trying to right the ship, having lost three straight and seven of eight games. In Friday's 121-96 loss to former employee Amare Stoudemire and the New York Knicks, Stoudemire posted 23 points and nine rebounds to ignite his new team to victory.

Stoudemire spent the first eight years of his career with Phoenix, where he was a five-time All-Star. He then landed in New York following a sign-and- trade deal this past offseason. The Knicks gave Stoudemire a five-year deal worth nearly $100 million. Vince Carter finished with 19 points and Goran Dragic added 17 for Phoenix, which is 0-2 on a three-game homestand and 8-9 in the Valley of the Sun this season.

"We didn't play well at all," Suns head coach Alvin Gentry said. "I think we make progress defensively and then we take steps backwards. When we struggle with our shot, we have to be able to guard guys defensively so there is not that separation. We didn't do that. The end result is an embarrassing loss."

Suns point guard Steve Nash provided 14 points and nine assists in defeat. The Suns had a tough time defending the perimeter, as New York buried 17-of-33 shots from beyond the arc.

Phoenix lost both meetings with Cleveland last season and is winless in the previous four matchups between the teams. Cleveland, however, has lost 10 of its last 14 stops in the desert.