Cavaliers 105 - 100 Nets
Final
  for this game

Williams, Nets entertain Cavs

Mar 19, 2012 - 2:39 PM (Sports Network) - Deron Williams returned to action after missing four straight games with a calf injury, but it wasn't enough to lift his New Jersey Nets to a much-needed win.

Williams and the Nets will get back to work tonight in the continuation of a three-game homestand versus the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Nets suffered a 102-94 loss to lowly New Orleans on Saturday, as Williams posted 20 points and 12 assists in losing fashion. Anthony Morrow chipped in 20 points and Gerald Wallace finished with 11 points in his Nets debut.

"We were not able to slow them down in the fourth quarter," said Morrow. "We couldn't get anything going offensively. It's a tough situation to see everything come apart like that."

The Nets have dropped two in a row and four of their last five games, and fell to 5-16 as the host this season. New Jersey will also host Washington on the homestand. Kris Humphries posted eight points and 16 rebounds versus the Hornets.

Cleveland will play three straight games on the road against the Nets, Hawks and Magic, and is 7-12 away from home this season.

In a 103-87 loss versus Atlanta on Sunday, Alonzo Gee paced the Cavaliers with 20 points and Kyrie Irving recorded a double-double with 19 points and 10 assists. Antawn Jamison recorded 17 points and seven rebounds for the Cavs, losers of three straight and nine of 12 games.

"I thought in the first quarter, they came out and as we would say, 'punched us in the mouth' and I don't think we ever really responded after that," Cavaliers head coach Byron Scott said. " I thought they came out very aggressive from the start. We didn't come out aggressive enough. That's the bottom line."

The Cavs are still 3 1/2 games out of the eighth and final playoff spot in the East despite a 16-26 record.

Cleveland and New Jersey have split a pair of meetings this season -- both at Quicken Loans Arena. The Cavaliers have won 10 of the last 14 matchups between the teams, but have lost 12 of 18 visits to the Garden State.






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