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 The Lakers (17-32) dressed just eight players and seven of them
scored in double figures. The only player who didn't, guard Nick
Young, left the game with a twisted left knee in the first half and
didn't return.
"It was interesting, to say the least," Lakers coach Mike D'Antoni
said.
Center Robert Sacre picked up his sixth foul with 3:32 to play.
However, the Lakers' only player on the bench, guard Jordan Farmar,
had his leg iced because of cramping. So, Sacre remained in the
game.
"I knew they would attack him," D'Antoni said. "I didn't think he
would foul that many times to where it would kill us. We had a big
enough lead to where I thought we were OK."
Guard Steve Nash was active, but was in street clothes. He switched
to his uniform in the late going.
"I wasn't going to go to (Nash)," D'Antoni said. "That wouldn't be
fair to him. Jordan Farmar could have just stood out there
somewhere, but that wouldn't have been the best thing."
Lakers power forward Ryan Kelly finished with a career-high 26
points and six rebounds.
Farmar added 21 points and eight assists, while forward Wesley
Johnson had 20 points and nine rebounds.
The Lakers were leading by 18 after three quarters, 98-80, then had
to hold on for dear life.
A clutch 3-pointer by Steve Blake with 1:17 left iced the contest.
He had a triple-double with 11 points, 10 rebounds, a game-high 15
assists and seven turnovers.
Guard C.J. Miles had a game-high 27 points for the Cavs (16-33), who
have now lost six in a row, as well as eight of their last nine.
Center Anderson Varejao added 15 points, 13 rebounds and five
assists for the Cavs.
Cavs coach Mike Brown benched all his starters for the fourth
quarter, with the exception of Varejao.
"That last group on the floor gave us a chance to win," Brown said.
"Maybe we can learn something from what that group did on the
floor."
Brown sent C.J. Miles, Dion Waiters, Matthew Dellavedova, Anthony
Bennett and Varejao into the game.
They outscored the Lakers in the fourth quarter, 28-21, and narrowed
their deficit to six points at one juncture.
"Our second unit did a heck of a job," Cavs guard Kyrie Irving said.
"They believed they could get back in the game. They fought their
butts off."
Irving said he doesn't think a message was sent to the players on
the bench.
"If I were the coach, I would have played that second unit to the
end," he said.
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The ending was an odd one, even for veterans who thought they'd seen
it all.
"I've never seen anything like that," Lakers center Chris Kaman
said. "I asked (assistant coach Kurt Rambis) and (athletic trainer
Gary Vitti). They've been around 30 years and neither one of them
have seen anything like that. It was interesting. I don't think
you'll ever see anything like that again."
If Sacre had committed another personal foul, he would have been
assessed with a technical foul.
The Lakers connected on 18-of-37 3-point goals (48.6 percent),
compared to the Cavs' five-of-33 (15.2 percent).
Bennett, the No. 1 overall pick in the draft, added 14 points and
eight rebounds for the Cavs.
"I liked his assertiveness," Brown said. "He's not getting down on
himself. He's just playing the game. When he does that, he can do a
lot of things. He will be able to do some things that will wow
people."
Dellavedova finished with eight points, four rebounds and five
assists.
"He was a presence on both ends of the floor," Brown said. "He was a
big part of us having a shot at winning the game.
"We had dug ourselves such a big hole, it was difficult for that
group to overcome. We wanted this group to have an opportunity to
finish the game."
Cavs power forward Tristan Thompson contributed 13 points and eight
rebounds.
Irving was limited to 11 points in 28 minutes.
NOTES: Former Cavaliers legend Austin Carr's No. 34 banner has been
replaced in the rafters of Quicken Loans Arena. It mysteriously
disappeared sometime after the wrestling event and before the New
Orleans game on Jan. 28. The Cavs replaced the banner in time for
Wednesday's game against the Los Angeles Lakers. ... Lakers G Manny
Harris' second 10-day contract expired on Tuesday in Minnesota. The
Lakers either had to sign him for the rest of the season or kick him
loose. They chose the latter. He had 19 points and eight rebounds
against the Timberwolves. Harris had two stints with the Cavs in
2010-11 and 2011-12. ... The Cavs need locker room leaders in the
worst way. G Jarrett Jack might be turning into that guy. "He's
probably our most vocal guy," Brown said. "His communication skills
on both ends of the floor have been pretty good." ... Lakers coach
Mike D'Antoni wouldn't say his team was snake bit with injuries. "We
can play better," he said. "We're not concentrating on the other
things. We have to stay positive." It seems as if D'Antoni changes
his starting lineup on a daily basis. He started Jordan Farmar and
Steve Blake in the backcourt, Ryan Kelly and Wesley Johnson at
forwards and Robert Sacre at center. Missing are Kobe Bryant, Pau
Gasol and Steve Nash, among others. ... Blake suffered a burst ear
drum recently. "I just can't talk to him on the left side," D'Antoni
joked. "He's fine." ... Guard Steve Nash was held out of the game
because it was the second night of a back-to-back. ... There are no
restrictions on minutes on Cavs G Anderson Varejao, who has returned
from a hyperextended left knee.
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