• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Cavs aim to avoid 21st consecutive loss vs. LeBron and the Heat

Jan 31, 2011 - 4:12 PM (Sports Network) - There will be no sympathy from LeBron James and the Miami Heat when they play host to the moribund Cleveland Cavaliers this evening from AmericanAirlines Arena in south Florida.

James and the Heat have won two straight and three of four games since a four- game slide and are coming off a tight 108-103 win over Kevin Durant and the impressive Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday in the OKC. Durant led all scorers with 33 points, but it was Eddie House who stole the show with a go-ahead three-pointer with 22.2 seconds remaining in the game. It was his only field goal of the game.

"Any time Eddie raises and shoots, you think it's going in," said Heat guard Dwyane Wade, who had 32 points and nine rebounds. "He's one of those guys that look for the moment."

James finished with 23 points and 13 assists, while Chris Bosh returned from a four-game absence because of a sprained ankle to register 20 points and seven boards. Wade had been battling a case of migraine headaches as well.

The Heat, who managed to beat the Thunder despite giving up 34 points on 20 turnovers, will put their 17-5 ledger as the host on the line Monday.

Cleveland has lost a single-season franchise worst 20 straight games and its 23 consecutive road losses is another team record. It suffered a 103-87 loss in Orlando on Sunday, as Manny Harris notched 20 points and Samardo Samuels netted 16 in defeat.

"We can't allow ourselves to get behind 16 or 17 points and expect to come back," Cleveland coach Byron Scott said. "It was an uphill battle all night long."

Ryan Hollins had 11 points and guard Daniel Gibson left the game with a sore left quadriceps and could miss tonight's game. Cleveland, which is 3-24 on the road, hasn't tasted victory since beating New York in overtime on Dec. 18. The Cavs' last win away from Quicken Loans Arena was on Nov. 9 versus New Jersey. The NBA record for most consecutive defeats in one season is 23 shared by both Vancouver (1995-96) and Denver (1997-98).

Miami has beaten the Cavaliers twice this season and recorded a 101-95 triumph in the previous bout on Dec. 15 at home. Cleveland is still 9-3 in the past 12 meetings, thanks in large part to James' time in the Forest City, but has dropped 11 of 15 matchups as the guest in this series.