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Cavs head to Phoenix

Nov 9, 2012 - 4:12 PM (Sports Network) - The Cleveland Cavaliers will continue their longest road trip of the season Friday, as they visit the Phoenix Suns for a battle at US Airways Center.

After splitting their first two contests of the season at home, the Cavs have posted a 1-2 record over the first three tilts of a six-game road trip.

Cleveland is coming off Wednesday's 106-96 loss at Golden State. David Lee filled the box score with 22 points, 14 rebounds, six assists and three steals for the Warriors, while Stephen Curry added 21 points in the win.

The Cavaliers, who were trying to build off a big road win against the Los Angeles Clippers on Monday, allowed Golden State to shoot 54 percent from the floor. Kyrie Irving had four of the Cavs' 11 makes from behind the arc and finished with 28 points, seven assists and six boards in the loss.

"We started out the first quarter really bad and we were just going uphill the whole entire game," Irving admitted.

Cleveland trailed 37-21 after the first quarter but the Cavs managed to take the lead briefly in the third quarter before falling short in the fourth quarter.

The Cavs, who were 10-23 on the road last season, will finish this swing with stops in Oklahoma City and Brooklyn.

Like Cleveland, the Suns are 2-3 on the young campaign, but Phoenix is aiming to take consecutive games for the first time after beating Charlotte on the road. Shannon Brown hit six 3-pointers in the fourth quarter and finished the game with 24 points to lead the Suns to a 117-110 win over the Bobcats on Wednesday.

"I just didn't want to break the rhythm by taking terrible shots," said Brown. "Once I knew I was hot I wanted to take a shot that I knew could go in."

Michael Beasley and Marcin Gortat each posted double-doubles with 21 points and 15 rebounds and 23 points and 10 rebounds, respectively, for the Suns, who had dropped their previous two games.

The Suns are 1-1 at home this season after going 19-14 in the desert during the 2011-12 campaign.

Phoenix center Jermaine O'Neal missed the last two games due to personal reasons, but he is expected to be available for Friday's game.

For Cleveland, guard Dion Waiters (thigh) and center Anderson Varejao (knee) are questionable.

The Suns have won three of their last four meetings with Cleveland, but the Cavs have been victorious in three of their previous four trips to Phoenix.