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Cavs, Bucks square off in Brew City

Apr 11, 2014 - 2:44 PM (SportsNetwork.com) - The Cleveland Cavaliers are out of playoff contention, but can still close out the season on a high note.

The Cavaliers have three remaining and will visit the Central rival Milwaukee Bucks Friday night at the Bradley Center. They will host Boston and Brooklyn to wrap up another disappointing campaign.

Cleveland ended a two-game slide and won for the sixth time in nine tries with Wednesday's 122-100 beating of the Detroit Pistons. One game after scoring a career-high 44 points in a loss to Charlotte, Kyrie Irving was held to eight points on 3-of-6 shooting in 23 minutes.

Dion Waiters led the Cavs with 22 points, Tyler Zeller added 18 off the bench and Matthew Dellavedova ended with 14 points and 12 assists in a reserve role for the Cavaliers, who shot 57 percent for the game and have won five straight against Central Division opponents.

"I thought our guys played a good basketball game. We hit a little lull in the third quarter but besides that time I thought the little things we always talk about were really good tonight," said Cavaliers head coach Mike Brown.

The Cavaliers have allowed fewer than 45 points in the paint in 18 consecutive games, which is the longest active streak in the NBA.

Waiters has started the last 12 games and is averaging 21.8 points and 4.7 assists over that stretch.

Cleveland is 14-26 on the road this season. Cavs coach Mike Brown matched Bill Fitch for second on the franchise's wins list (304). Lenny Wilkins recorded 316 victories with the Cavaliers.

The Bucks will try to salvage the finale of a three-game homestand Friday and have dropped meetings with Toronto and Indiana. In Wednesday's 104-102 setback to the Pacers, Brandon Knight scored a game-high 25 points and handed out 10 assists.

Ramon Sessions scored 20 points and Jeff Adrien ended with 13 and 17 rebounds for Milwaukee, which has lost six straight and 17 of 19 games. The Bucks couldn't fend off Indiana's reserves, as starters David West, George Hill, Paul George, Roy Hibbert and Lance Stephenson rested.

"It was kind of like a smack in our face," Adrien said of Indiana sitting all of its starters.

The Bucks are an NBA-worst 14-64 on the season and winless in the last three games at home. They have a 9-30 record at the Bradley Center.

Cleveland is 2-1 against Milwaukee this season, but has lost 10 of the past 14 meetings between the Central foes. The Cavs have lost seven of eight and 16 of the past 23 trips to Milwaukee.