Trail Blazers 111 - 105 Cavaliers
Final
  for this game

Cavs hope to avoid NBA futility vs. Portland

Feb 5, 2011 - 4:04 PM (Sports Network) - Tonight could be the night the Cleveland Cavaliers take the Grizzlies and Nuggets off the hook for the worst single-season losing streak in NBA history.

The Cavaliers look to avoid that distinction Saturday versus the Portland Trail Blazers from Quicken Loans Arena, a place where they have dropped nine in a row and own a 5-16 record. The Cavaliers lost for the 23rd straight time in last night's 112-105 decision at Memphis, as J.J. Hickson led the way with a game-high 31 points and 15 rebounds.

Ramon Sessions contributed 20 points and 11 assists, while Antawn Jamison scored 19 points for Cleveland, which tied the 1995-96 Grizzlies and 1997-98 Nuggets for consecutive losses in a season. Cleveland 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, having lost 25 in a row as the guest. They dropped 19 in a row to close out the 1981-82 season and went on to lose the first five in 1982-83 for an NBA-record 24-game skid.

"We just got to keep plugging away and just find a way to get a win," Jamison said.

Cleveland has lost 14 straight against teams from the Western Conference.

Meanwhile, the Blazers hope to salvage the finale of a three-game road trip tonight and have dropped four of their last five games.

In Friday's 100-87 loss in Indiana, Rudy Fernandez scored 19 points off the bench and LaMarcus Aldridge ended with 14 points and 10 rebounds for Portland, which dropped to 9-17 away from the Rose City this season.

"Teams have been the aggressors," Blazers coach Nate McMillan said. "We haven't showed that sense of urgency until we get ourselves down by a margin. You can't play that way."

Andre Miller and Nicolas Batum both had 14 points in defeat. The Blazers shot a paltry 36 percent from the field. Aldridge is averaging 25.0 points and 10.3 rebounds since mid-Decmeber.

The Blazers and Cavs are meeting for the first time since Cleveland swept a home-and-home series a year ago. The Cavs have won six straight and 11 of the last 13 meetings in this series, but that was mainly due to the presence of LeBron James, who's now in Miami.

Portland hopes to halt a seven-game slide in the Forest City.






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