CLEVELAND: Tristan Thompson lost his starting job and won a game all in one evening.
Thompson’s basket gave the Cavaliers the lead in the final minute and then preserved it with a big block in the Cavs’ 100-96 victory over the Indiana Pacers on Monday night to stop a two-game losing streak.
Thompson, who was pulled from the starting lineup prior to the game in favor of Timofey Mozgov, replaced Kevin Love in the final minute for defensive purposes. Then he scored the go-ahead basket off a LeBron James drive to give the Cavs a 96-94 lead with 39 seconds left. His block at the rim of George Hill’s drive preserved the victory after the Cavs had lost three of their last four.
James scored 33 points, but just two in the fourth quarter. Guard Kyrie Irving had 22 points and six assists, including four free throws in the final eight seconds to clinch the win. Love had 13 points, eight rebounds and six assists.
Pacers guard Monta Ellis scored 28 points, while forward Paul George had 23 points, eight rebounds and six assists. Ellis and George combined for 28 of the Pacers’ 30 points in the third quarter.
A 3-pointer from George with 4:46 left appeared to tie the game at 89, but officials waved off the basket during the next stoppage in play. Officials ruled with 2:27 left that George’s basket came after the shot clock expired, trimming a four-point Pacers lead to just 90-89. James quickly gave the Cavs the lead coming out of the timeout with a basket off the inbounds pass.
James was in full attack mode early Monday. He took the day off in Sunday’s disappointing loss at the Washington Wizards and responded by making his first four shots and scoring 12 points in the first quarter Monday. He had 21 at the half and 31 after three quarters, but took only three shots in the fourth quarter.
Thompson finished with 14 points and 11 rebounds off the bench.
It’s been a tough few days for the Cavs, who blew a nine-point lead to lose Friday at Toronto and then were blown out Sunday at Washington. Lue was asked before the game if his team is just battling the season’s dog days of late February and March.
“It happens when you’re close to 60 games into the season. That can’t be our focus,” he said. “What we’re trying to do, trying to win a championship, you can’t have days like that. You have to come out and compete, no matter how tough the season is, no matter how many back-to-backs or three-in-four nights we have, that’s not [an] excuse. We’ve got to come out and compete. If not, we’ve got to find guys that will do it.”
Jason Lloyd can be reached at jlloyd@thebeaconjournal.com. Read the Cavs blog at www.ohio.com/cavs. Follow him on Twitter www.twitter.com/JasonLloydABJ.