The Cavs unraveled late and lost to the 76ers on Monday night in Philadelphia.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cavaliers lost to the 76ers, 95-92, Monday night at Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia. Here is a capsule look from The Plain Dealer reporter Dennis Manoloff:

Slumping: The Cavs (19-16) have lost two in a row and six of eight.

King desperately needed: The Cavs are 1-5 without LeBron James, who continues to be sidelined because of left-knee and back issues..

Inexcusable: The Cavs were shorthanded -- extremely shorthanded -- for a variety of reasons, including trade negotiations. Regardless, the 2014-2015 Cavs, no matter who is or is not available, never should lose to the 2014-2015 Philadelphia 76ers.

File this one in the utterly embarrassing column.

How bad are the 76ers? They improved to 5-28.

How bad are the 76ers? They won at home for the first time all season. They had lost their first 14.

How bad are the 76ers? They entered Monday ranked last in the NBA in points, field-goal percentage and 3-point percentage and led the NBA in turnovers.

Inexcusable, Part II: One of the 76ers who burned the Cavs was center Henry Sims. The former Cav went 6-of-9 from the field and scored 12 in 24 minutes.

Unraveling: It would be one thing if the undermanned Cavs were handled from the beginning and needed to give kudos to the 76ers for a game well-played. But that is not what happened Monday.

The Cavs, as undermanned as they were, led after the first period (20-19) and at halftime (50-37).

With 6:48 left in the third quarter, the Cavs led, 62-45. They finished the third quarter ahead, 68-60.

The Canton Charge needs to close that game.

Yet somehow, some way, the Cavs melted down against a horrible team.

The Cavs returned to their bad defensive ways and allowed Philadelphia to score 35 in the fourth quarter. They turned Tony Wroten and Michael Carter-Williams into Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen. Wroten and Carter-Williams, along with Sims,  basically did whatever they felt like doing -- especially when it came to dribble-penetration.

Wroten, at the head of the layup line, strutted around Wells Fargo as if he were headed to the Hall of Fame. Who could blame him, though? The Cavs weren't doing anything to stop him.

Wroten finished with a team-high 20 points in 28 minutes off the bench. Four teammates scored in double-figures, including Carter-Williams with 18.

Harsh reality: One player does not lose a game -- but this game came down to the ineffectiveness of Cavs substitute point guard Matthew Dellavedova.

Dellavedova went 1-of-7 from the field and 0-of-2 from the line for three points in 39 minutes. He had eight assists, two rebounds, one steal and two turnovers. The 76ers, led by Carter-Williams, ran their offense literally through Dellavedova: Wherever he was, the ball went.

Dellavedova deserves credit for the eight assists, no question. But his overall struggles led to the Cavs' downfall. Yes, Dellavedova was overexposed because of the absences of Kyrie Irving (injury) and Dion Waiters (pending trade) -- but that doesn't excuse his level of performance against the 76ers.

Dellavedova had several chances to salvage the night for him and his team.

With 28 seconds left and the Cavs leading, 92-91, Carter-Williams missed a jumper. Cavs forward Kevin Love rebounded. The 76ers eventually fouled Dellavedova with 20 seconds remaining, putting him at the line for two shots.

To that point in the season, Dellavedova had taken four free throws and made them all. However, in a classic case of the moment being too big for the player, Dellavedova clanged both attempts off the back of the rim.

The 76ers rebounded and called a 20-second timeout. As the Cavs went to huddle, Dellavedova could be seen saying, ''My fault.'' That would be correct.

Wroten easily beat Joe Harris from topside and cruised down the lane for a layup, which gave the 76ers a 93-92 lead with nine seconds left.

Coming out of a Cavs full timeout, Dellavedova was unable to get the ball inbounds and called a 20-second timeout.

Coming out of the 20-second timeout, Dellavedova passed to Tristan Thompson, who handed the ball back to Dellavedova. Everybody at Wells Fargo knew that the Cavs wanted to get the ball to Love on the low block.

Love established position against Robert Covington on the left edge of the key. Dellavedova moved to the left as his man, Carter-Williams, was screened by Thompson. Because Thompson's man, Sims, sagged in the lane, Dellavedova had an opportunity to feed Love with a zip or bounce pass -- but decided against it.

Dellavedova continued to move left and had a golden opportunity to lob over the top to Love because Covington was overplaying and nobody was underneath. Again, Dellavedova decided to continue the dribble.

Then Dellavedova put his head down and dribbled past Love, who screened Covington. Carter-Williams recovered in time to bother Dellavedova into a short miss. Love's lefty tip attempt went begging, and the 76ers secured the rebound. The 76ers were fouled and made two free throws to account for the final margin.

Why Dellavedova eschewed feeding Love not once, but twice....only Dellavedova knows. He compounded the error by attempting to channel Derrick Rose and bull-rush the ball to the hole.

Love absolutely, positively, needed to touch the ball (not counting a tip) in the final possession with the game on the line -- especially because he wasn't double-teamed. The only chance that the 76ers realistically had to foil the entry pass was for guard K.J. McDaniels to leave Harris in the left corner and help Covington. But McDaniels ended up being concerned enough with Harris that he would not have been able to help until after Love received the pass.

Superb work wasted: Love scored 28 and grabbed 19 rebounds. Thompson scored 18 and grabbed nine rebounds. And the Cavs still lost.

To the 76ers.

It was a bizarre night even before the game between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Philadelphia 76ers tipped off, and it ended with the Cavaliers squandering a 17-point lead, making a three-team trade and searching for answers on how they possibly lost to the league's worst team.

PHILADELPHIA -- It was a bizarre night even before the game between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Philadelphia 76ers tipped off, and it ended with the Cavaliers squandering a 17-point lead, making a three-team trade and searching for answers on how they possibly lost to the league's worst team.

"It was tough, but we still felt like we should have won the game," Kevin Love said after the 95-92 loss to lowly Philadelphia. "We feel like we had it under control, we just didn't bury them. We felt like this was a team we should have beat and this is a tough one to have here."

Dion Waiters was yanked from the starting lineup shortly after player introductions. He went from being excited about playing in his hometown, with family and friends in attendance, to sitting in the locker room with Alex Kirk and Lou Amundson, the trio awaiting their fate.

"I thought the guys played under some pretty adverse conditions and mentally they responded very well," David Blatt said after the game. "Because it's never easy to have that kind of thing happen at any time during the season, and certainly not right before a game. But, on the other hand, this is part of basketball and part of the profession and the guys handled it very well. Very well."

At least for three quarters anyway.

Then came a collapse, one dotted with Matthew Dellavedova taking two of the three final shots in the closing moments and missing two other free throws during the meltdown. Dellavedova also failed to get the ball inside to Love, who scored 28 points and grabbed 19 rebounds. 

"They were switching everything down there down the stretch and we had hoped to get it in deep initially to Kevin," Blatt admitted. "They took that away and we got into a high pick-and-roll situation. We weren't blessed tonight with our 1-on-1 players like Kyrie or LeBron that could potentially break a guy down and make a play by themselves so we looked for post-ups and we looked for high pick-and-roll situations, which I think are the two correct things to do. We just didn't get the ball in the basket and that's basketball."  

It was a stretch where the Cavs finished one possession with a shot clock violation and then came down the floor on defense, and allowed Tony Wroten -- a predominantly left-handed player -- to get to his strong side.

"Guys didn't follow the scouting report," Tristan Thompson said. "Tony Wroten kept going left, we didn't stop him and other players were making shots. Just didn't follow the scouting report. That's on us."

Just about four months ago the Cavaliers completed a trade for Love, creating what was expected to be a formidable trio with LeBron James and Kyrie Irving. Winning a championship was the goal after a monumental off-season.

On Monday, a team with so much promise and such high expectations hit rock bottom inside the Wells Fargo Center.

"Of course it hurts," Thompson said. "Losing to the Sixers, a team that I don't think they've won a home game since April, that's kind of bad on our part. Didn't take care of business."

The Cavs, 19-16, have lost five of their last six games and are sitting in fifth place in the Eastern Conference. But the gap between the Cavs and the Atlanta Hawks, the team on the East's perch, is wide, a chasm of Grand Canyon proportions.

Cleveland is the only NBA team that has lost to both the Sixers and Knicks, the two worst teams in the East.

"We're not where we want to be and know we have to play better," Love said.

Now reinforcements are on the way. Shortly after the game, the three-team trade between Cleveland, Oklahoma City and New York was finalized.

The Cavs will get Iman Shumpert, a 24-year-old defensive-minded perimeter player that is athletic enough and quick enough to keep guys like Wroten and Michael Carter-Williams from getting in the paint at will. They will also get J.R. Smith, a 29-year-old wing, who has infinite range, but maddening shot selection. The 2013 Sixth Man of the Year could help answer some of Cleveland's bench woes.

The Cavs also receive a future first-round protected pick from the Thunder, which Cleveland can dangle in its pursuit for a rim protector. 

Meanwhile, Waiters, the enigmatic fourth pick in the 2012 NBA Draft, is on his way to the Thunder. He was expected to be Irving's future running mate, the second piece of a lethal backcourt, but it didn't work as planned.

Waiters was taken out of the starting lineup after three games and moved back to the bench where he was expected to be a second-unit spark plug. Once again, the plan failed. Waiters stumbled to career-lows in points (10.5) and shooting percentage (.404) before being dealt.

As for Kirk and Amundson, they are on their way to New York along with a second-round pick.

"It's not goodbye because we're going to see them down the road so 'see you later' and wish them all the best," Thompson said after the game. "We had a game to play. We can't stop. We have to keep moving forward."

Not everyone got to say farewell.

"I didn't see them," Love said. "I was on the floor when it happened. I'm usually the first one out to go get a feel for the ball so I didn't get a chance to say anything to them."

Shumpert and Smith should help the Cavs in a few areas that have been lacking early this season, perimeter defense and outside shooting. But the Cavs have other issues. Even without James, Irving and Anderson Varejao to start the night and having to play with nine healthy bodies, there's no sugarcoating a loss against the 76ers. Everyone can see the problems and there's no time to rest.

Heading back home to Cleveland to play the Rockets on Wednesday begins a stretch of five of seven games against playoff teams. And it will take a lot to get through that grind, maybe even something the Cavs have not had as an ally.

"Health," Love said. "We have to get as many players as we can get back. We're kind of hitting murderers row right now. We have a tough game on Wednesday and then we play some of the best teams in the league. Just need to keep fighting. We're down, but not out. Just need to keep fighting."

It's a long climb to the top of the Eastern Conference. Two new players are on their way to try to help the Cavs get there.

J.R. Smith and Iman Shumpert are being shipped to the Cleveland Cavaliers as part of a three-team trade.

CLEVELAND, Ohio. – The Cleveland Cavaliers confirmed they traded Dion Waiters to the Oklahoma City Thunder Monday night and received J.R. Smith and Iman Shumpert from the New York Knicks as part of a three-team trade.

The Cavaliers also acquired Oklahoma City's protected first round pick in 2015, and sent rookie center Alex Kirk, forward Lou Amundson, and a 2019 second-round pick to New York.

The trade unfolded Monday nigh during the Cavs' 95-92 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers.

It's the first of potentially multiple steps by Cleveland general manager David Griffin to upgrade a roster that's been battered by injury and has lost six of its last eight. The Cavaliers remain in pursuit of a post player to protect the rim.

To acquire Shumpert, the Cavs used their one-time Disabled Player Exception (worth $4.9 million) they received for losing starting center Anderson Varejao for the season last month. Those exceptions can be used on one-year players; Shumpert is a restricted free agent this summer.

Cleveland still has its roughly $5.3 million trade exception.

"We wish Dion the best as he continues his career with the Thunder and thank him for his effort and work here with the Cavaliers," Griffin said. "Dion is a talented player with potential ahead of him. Trades like this are always difficult to make because there are relationships and bonds built and that was the case with Dion." 

"At the same time, we're very excited to welcome Iman and J.R. to Cleveland. With their size and versatility, we think both Iman and J.R. can help our team on both ends of the court and we look forward to them joining us."

Waiters, Kirk and Amundson were held out of Monday's loss against the Philadelphia 76ers due to the pending deal.

Shumpert will provide Cleveland with the athletic wing defender they so desperately desired; and Smith, the 2013 Sixth Man of the Year recipient, could fill the void of a consistent scoring punch off the bench.

LeBron James and Smith have a relationship dating back to high school. For years, Smith would train with James in Akron.

A source said James enjoyed Waiters as a teammate and believes he will be a good player in this league. However, James is looking to forward to getting acclimated with his new teammates and building something sustainable.

Shumpert is averaging 9.3 points, 3.4 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game. Smith is averaging 10.9 points, 2.4 rebounds, 3.4 assists.

This story was updated with additional information. Reporter Joe Vardon contributed to this story.

Why did 49 voters leave Pedro Martinez off of their ballots? What would Kenny Lofton have to say about this year's voting? When are Jim Thome and Omar Vizquel eligible for induction?

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Randy Johnson, Pedro Martinez, John Smoltz and Craig Biggio will join baseball's elite fraternity this summer, as voters elected the foursome to the Hall of Fame on Tuesday.

Here are eight takeaways from a ballot and voting process defined by endless debate.

1. Vote for Pedro: How did 49 voters leave Pedro Martinez off of their ballots? Martinez strung together several of the greatest seasons by a pitcher in the last 100 years and he did it during an era in which hitters swatted 40 home runs a season in their sleep. In 2000, the season with the most runs scored in major league history, Martinez posted an 18-6 record, 1.74 ERA and an astounding 0.737 WHIP, with 284 strikeouts in 217 innings. His ERA+ was 291, which illustrates the difference between his performance relative to the league average (which was a 4.76 ERA in 2000).

Martinez retired with a 219-100 record, 2.93 ERA, three strikeout titles and 3,154 punchouts in all, three Cy Young Awards and eight trips to the All-Star Game. In 1999, he went 23-4 with a 2.07 ERA and 313 strikeouts and he persevered through a back injury to toss the final six frames of a decisive Game 5 in the American League Division Series against the Indians at Jacobs Field. He held the Tribe hitless and Boston advanced.

2. Strategic ploy: Perhaps some omitted Martinez or others (even Johnson was passed over by 15 voters) in an effort to help the little guy. Voters can select no more than 10 players for induction, so one theory tossed around is to omit the few who are shoo-ins and instead opt for a handful of worthy players who need the help.

3. Junior: Looking ahead to next year, Ken Griffey Jr. seems to be the only player who figures to earn induction on his first try. Other candidates eligible for the ballot for the first time in 2016 include Trevor Hoffman, Chan Ho Park, Russ Ortiz, Mike Lowell, Jason Kendall, Mike Hampton, Jose Guillen, Mark Grudzielanek, Luis Castillo, Brad Ausmus, Garret Anderson, Jim Edmonds, Troy Glaus, Mike Sweeney and Billy Wagner.

4. Next in line: Johnson, Martinez and Smoltz all got in on their first year on the ballot. With Griffey likely the only player to do so next year, one would think Mike Piazza, who received 69.9 percent of the vote, would stand a promising chance to earn entry. Jeff Bagwell (55.7 percent) and Tim Raines (55 percent) could benefit as well.

5. Center of debate: More voters chose Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens this year, but barely. Bonds garnered 36.8 percent; Clemens merited 37.5 percent. (Strange that some voted for one, but not the other. The PED cloud hanging over their careers is the only thing that should dissuade a voter with these two. It should be both or neither. If not driven away by PED suspicion, the numbers should speak for themselves in both cases.) Last year, Bonds earned 34.7 percent of the vote; Clemens earned 35.4 percent. So, both players received tiny boosts, but not much to instill confidence in the notion that they'll eventually head to Cooperstown.

6. One is the loneliest number: I've always been fascinated by players who receive exactly one vote. Players are removed from the ballot if they don't garner at least 5 percent of the vote. When I asked longtime catcher Terry Steinbach (who batted .271 with 162 homers from 1986-99) what his reaction was when he learned he received one vote on the 2005 ballot, he replied: "What the hell [was the voter] watching?" Over the last 50 years, 122 players have earned exactly one vote. It's often from a writer who covered that player for a long time. Darin Erstad joined the illustrious group of one-vote wonders on Tuesday.

@FauxPelini I wonder what that one person was thinking?

— Darin Erstad (@Dstad17) January 6, 2015

7. K-Love: Kenny Lofton was less than thrilled when he received only 3.2 percent of the vote two years ago. "I, personally, got affected by other guys cheating," he told me in an interview in 2013. Lofton may have fared better on a different ballot. Bonds, Clemens and Sammy Sosa, on the ballot for the first time that year, hogged the attention. In the end, no player was elected. Lofton fell 11 votes shy of the 5 percent minimum. "They were concentrating on cheaters instead of concentrating on players who were legitimate," Lofton said, adding he felt he got "kicked to the curb."

Lofton's numbers strike a resemblance to Raines'.

Lofton: 68.2 WAR, 2,428 hits, .299/.372/.423 slash line, 1,528 runs, 130 homers, 622 stolen bases, four Gold Glove Awards, six All-Star Games

Raines: 69.1 WAR, 2,605 hits, .294/.385/.425 slash line, 1,571 runs, 170 homers, 808 stolen bases, seven All-Star Games

8. Tribe fest: Omar Vizquel and Jim Thome join the ballot in three years. Manny Ramirez joins it in two.

Browns offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan might be willing to take a coordinator job somewhere else because of friction between the Browns coaching staff and the personnel department.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Browns offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan will consider leaving Cleveland -- even for a lateral move -- because of friction between some of the coaches and some in the front office, multiple league sources have told cleveland.com.

Shanahan will interview Thursday morning for the Bills head coaching vacancy, and it's his ultimate goal to become a head coach. But he also might have an opportunity to be reunited with his father Mike, which is enticing to him. Kyle worked under Mike for four seasons in Washington before they were let go after the 2013 season.

Three teams are interested in possibly hiring Mike Shanahan as head coach and Kyle as offensive coordinator, sources said. They are the 49ers, Raiders and Bills. Mike Shanahan has interviewed with those teams and will also interview with the Chicago Bears.

Kyle Shanahan was eager to strike out on his own again, but landed in a situation that has become dysfunctional for him, the sources said. The biggest problem, they say is that the personnel side and coaches aren't seeing eye to eye on some key issues. One source said some coaches became upset when a high-ranking personnel member texted from the press box to the sidelines about play calls.

The coaches also may have felt pressure to start Johnny Manziel in the biggest game of the season, with the playoffs on the line. No mandate was given from the front office, but some staffers felt that the higher-ups wanted to see what their No. 22 overall pick could do. Shanahan did his best to bring Manziel up to speed, but it was evident he wasn't ready to play when he started against the Bengals, and flopped miserably.

Now, it appears that general manager Ray Farmer is willing to give Manziel another shot next year, and not everyone in the building is in agreement that the former Heisman Trophy winner has what it takes to succeed. Browns coach Mike Pettine has said the quarterback situation is "muddy at best'' and that the Browns will leave no stone unturned in their bid to fix it.

Shanahan is receiving head coaching interest this year because of the job he did with an offense that had major issues. He lost all three of his Pro Bowlers for much of the season in center Alex Mack, receiver Josh Gordon and tight end Jordan Cameron.

Still, Shanahan helped the Browns climb to the top of the AFC North after their 24-3 rout of the Bengals. At one point, he had quarterback Brian Hoyer in the top 10, and the offense was ranked No. 14 overall as late as week 11.

"(Becoming a head coach) has always been my goal,'' Shanahan said in October. "About 95 percent of coaches, if you ask them, that's eventually their goal. Everyone wants to be at the top of their profession, and head coach is the top of our profession.''

The climate, however, is such that Shanahan might be willing to leave even if he doesn't get a head coaching job. What's more, he's excited about the idea of trying to win a Super Bowl with his father and finishing the job they started in Washington.

The Browns would have to let him out of his contract in order for him to make a lateral move. Not even the additional title of assistant head coach would be enough for the Browns to have to let him go.

Shanahan, who's been an offensive coordinator for seven seasons, worked under Mike in Washington from 2010-2013, where the two led the Redskins' offense to a top 10 finish in 2013. Quarterback Robert Griffin III also enjoyed his finest season in Washington under the Shanahans, and running back Alfred Morris rushed for more than 1,200 yards in each of his first two seasons.

Shanahan looked forward to stepping out his father's shadow in Cleveland and re-establishing himself as a top coordinator in his own right. But if Mike takes a head job and wants to hire Kyle, it's a good bet he'll ask the Browns to let him go.

At that point, they'd likely have no choice but to accommodate him, considering it's the top offensive position on the club. If he doesn't want to be here, the Browns are unlikely to force him to stay.

Ohio State safety Tyvis Powell has knack for making game-ending interceptions, and keeping the football.

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Tyvis Powell left the Superdome turf with the game ball tucked under his arm. Moments earlier he had picked off Alabama quarterback Blake Sims to seal Ohio State's win over the Crimson Tide in a College Football Playoff semifinal at the Sugar Bowl.

When it  was pointed out to Powell that he had the ball, he responded with a "Shhh." He didn't want anybody to know he had another keepsake.

Powell has sealed two games in his college career with interceptions: The pick against Alabama as time expired, and one against Michigan last year on a late two-point conversion attempt that would've given the Wolverines the lead.

Both times Powell kept the football. Some might call that stealing. Powell prefers to look at it a different way.

"It's not stealing," he said Tuesday. "I just inherited them. They were given to me."

Teammates said Powell showered with the ball after Michigan. No word on if he did the same in New Orleans.

But he likes to collect things like that, mementos from big moments in his career. The footballs are at the top of the list. The Michigan ball is at Powell's family home, the Alabama ball still at his house in Columbus. He tried to swipe a Big Ten sign after the Buckeyes won the conference championship, but somebody ended up taking it from him.

View full sizeOhio State safety Tyvis Powell comes down with an interception in the end zone to seal the victory over Alabama.Chuck Crow, The Plain Dealer 

Powell is also pretty fond of the Sugar Bowl Champions hat he and and his teammates earned last Thursday in New Orleans — that one was definitely given to him. He wore it on Tuesday as the Buckeyes held an on-campus media day to preview the College Football Playoff National Championship against Oregon on Jan. 12.

"I ain't ever gonna take it off," Powell said.

Though he'll be willing to replace it with a hat that says "National Champions" if the No. 4 Buckeyes can beat the No. 2 Ducks at AT&T Stadium next week. To do that, Powell and Ohio State's secondary might have to force Oregon's Heisman Trophy winning quarterback Marcus Mariota into making a rare mistake.

Mariota has thrown just three interceptions all year.

"Going against a Heisman-winning quarterback in Marcus Mariota, the man is smart, he makes the right throws," Powell said. "So it's up to us to make sure we play our keys, that we do everything we're coached to do. Basically I feel like the secondary will be tested. I feel like this game could be won or lost with the secondary because Oregon will challenge us a lot."

Powell will take a win over the Ducks in any fashion, another game-sealing pick would just be icing on the cake. It's not out of the question, he's kind of always shown a knack for it.

When Powell was playing at Bedford High School, his Bearcats played Cardale Jones' Glenville Tarblooders in a 7-on-7 tournament. Glenville won the first game, but when the two teams met again in the game before the championship, Bedford won.

Powell sealed that game by intercepting Jones.

"No I didn't keep that ball," he said.

The Indians have a logjam in right field, first base and DH, but manager Terry Francona sees it more as security until certain players prove they're healthy in spring training.

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Don't expect the Indians' overcrowded conditions in right field, first base and DH to be alleviated anytime soon.

It's been speculated that the Indians will have to make at least one trade to create enough playing time for all involved, but manager Terry Francona on Tuesday didn't sound like a man eager to start trading players. Which means rumors that right fielder David Murphy might soon be dealt are probably premature until Francona and GM Chris Antonetti figure out who can do what in spring training.

Nick Swisher, newcomer Brandon Moss and Ryan Raburn are the injured players in question. Swisher had surgery on both his knees in August. Moss had surgery on his right hip in October. Raburn had surgery on his left knee in September and nursed a sore right wrist all season.

Swisher, Moss and Raburn are all possibilities in the revolving door in right, first and DH.

"There is some uncertainty there with health," said Francona. "You walk that fine line. You have guys who expect playing time, who are used to getting playing time, but at the same time we can't let our season be derailed by the unknown.

"I think Chris did a really god job protecting us and at the same time communicating with the players and saying 'this is where we're at.' I think it's going to make us a better team and protect us from the unknown."

Swisher, like Murphy a subject of trade rumors this winter, is scheduled for his next check up in Cleveland during TribeFest on Jan. 24 and Jan. 25.

Moss was acquired at the winter meetings in December. He was scheduled to start running in January following his hip surgery. It's unclear when he'll be ready to swing a bat, but that will be the last step in his recovery.

Raburn is scheduled to come to Cleveland in the near future.

"I've been exchanging messages with him (Raburn) over the last few days and he's really excited," said Francona. "He feels strong and he's ready to go.

"He was a bat, especially against left-handers, that really hurt us when he wasn't hitting or went down last year because he was so potent the year before."

The 40-man roster includes Murphy, Swisher, Raburn, Moss, Carlos Santana, Zach Walters, Jesus Aguilar and Tyler Holt, all of whom can play at least two of the three positions in question.

New guy: The Indians lost one pitcher and gained another Tuesday.

After releasing right-hander Tyler Cloyd so he could pursue a professional contract in South Korea, the Indians signed left-hander Michael Roth to a minor league deal and invited him to big-league camp.

Roth pitched seven games in relief last year for the Angels, allowing 12 earned runs on 16 hits in 12 1/3 innings. He struck out nine and walked nine. Roth, 24, opened the season at Class AA Arkansas where he was 11-7 with a 2.62 ERA in 22 starts.

The Angels outrighted Roth for a second time in November. He refused the assignment and was declared a free agent.

Cloyd went 10-8 with a 3.89 ERA last year at Columbus. He threw a no-hitter against Louisville on July 30.

Nice find: Francona said the addition of veteran right-hander Gavin Floyd is going to help.

Antonetti signed Floyd to a one-year, $4 million deal in December. Floyd has missed much of the last two seasons with Tommy John surgery and a right elbow fracture. If he can stay healthy, Antonetti says he'll open the season in the starting rotation.

"I think he's a really good addition. I think he'll help us not only win games, but help some of the younger guys," said Francona.

Francona said if Floyd needs more time to get ready, the situation is covered.

"We're on the younger side. So you take what you have and try to complement it," said Francona. "Gavin Floyd seemed like a really good fit.

"When he was pitching well last year (with Atlanta), our guys saw him. We don't need to push him. We have pitching in place, but it can also set guys back a slot or two in the rotation so they have a chance to grown and develop instead of asking too much from them. "

Here are a few things to ponder before the Houston Rockets visits the Cleveland Cavaliers.

CLEVELAND, Ohio. – Wednesday's game between the injury-riddled Cleveland Cavaliers and the Houston Rockets could get out of hand at The Q.

The Rockets have championship aspirations and the star power to make it a reality. A depleted Cavaliers squad is just trying to weather the storm and return to good health.

At 7 p.m. on ESPN we'll see how the story unfolds. In the meantime, here are some things to ponder.

1. Howard vs. Thompson

Does the post presence of Dwight Howard command a double-team? Can Tristan Thompson play Howard straight up? How the Cavaliers attack that matchup will have a huge bearing on how the game goes. Thompson put on about 10 pounds of muscle over the summer to withstand the beating he would endure from guarding more centers this season. Hitting those weights was for this very moment.

2. Total team effort

It's going to take more than Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving (assuming he plays) playing well to outdo the Rockets. It will take an efficient, team effort. With no LeBron James, Cleveland must rely on crisp ball movement to set up open opportunities. The firepower they'll be up against is downright scary. It has the potential to get ugly.

3. J.R. highly doubtful

Cleveland could sure use his scoring for this game, but I'm hearing it's unlikely J.R. Smith will be activated. Dion Waiters has yet to take his physical for Oklahoma City, thus slowing down the process. The team doesn't anticipate Smith being available.

4. No answer for Harden?

Who in the world is going to guard James Harden? Matthew Dellavedova? Shawn Marion? Mike Miller? Joe Harris? James Jones? You see where I'm going here. Expect Harden to go for 35 plus.

Probable starting lineups

Houston Rockets (23-11)

F Trevor Ariza

F Donatas Motiejunas

C Dwight Howard

G James Harden

G Patrick Beverley

Cleveland Cavaliers (19-16)

F Mike Miller

F Kevin Love

C Tristan Thompson

G Matthew Dellavedova

G Kyrie Irving

*Kyrie Irving (back) is probable and LeBron James (knee, back) is out.

Austin Marciniak had a game-high 22 points as Green beat Wadsworth to stay undefeated.

Austin Marciniak had a game-high 22 points as Green beat Wadsworth to stay undefeated.

The Irish are out to a 9-0 start to the season.

The Irish are out to a 9-0 start to the season.

Akron Zips overwhelm the defending Mid-American Conference champs, Western Michigan, 72-52.

AKRON Ohio -- All the spark the Akron Zips apparently bottled up the final weeks of non-conference play burst through Tuesday night with a resounding 72-52 victory over Western Michigan in the opening game of Mid-American Conference play for both teams.

The cross-division matchup of East and West division contenders was an opportunity for both teams to solidify their status. Akron passed the test, holding WMU to 35.3 percent shooting, out-rebounding WMU, 39-29, and blocking seven shots.

Key to the Zips was 6-11 junior Pat Forsythe, who finished with 14 points, making all six of his shots, plus nine rebounds, three assists and two blocked shots.

"He had it rolling," Akron head coach Keith Dambrot said.

"Right now, we're playing good,'' Forsythe said. "But it's not the best we can play. This was a statement game."

The Zips (10-4, 1-0) built a 40-30 lead at the break, and the lead would have been higher if not for WMU's Tucker Haymond. The 6-5 sophomore hit his first five 3-pointers on a 21-point night, including four straight, that helped the Broncos (9-5, 0-1) trim a 26-11 Akron lead when it looked like the Zips were about to turn the game into a blowout.

Haymond's last 3-pointer made it 31-26 before a final push from Akron put the lead back up to double digits. Akron's defense then applied the clamps to start the second half, holding WMU without a field goal for nearly six minutes. By then the Zips lead was up to 54-31, and later to 69-44 with 8:01 to play before Akron shut down for the night.

Akron, the only team in the MAC with a pair of quality non-conference road wins (USC, South Carolina), now must go on the road for a Friday game at preseason MAC favorite Toledo. The Rockets lost their MAC opener, 65-62, at home to Central Michigan.

Cleveland Cavaliers' All-Star Kevin Love launched an initiative at a local high school on Tuesday.

CLEVELAND, Ohio. – On Tuesday Cavaliers' All-Star forward Kevin visited East Tech High School to launch spreadlove4:good, a program intended to inspire students to perform acts of kindness and volunteerism.

The program will run from January to April and the aim is to have hundreds of acts of kindness completed by the end of the project. All students and teachers will participate.

"When I started SpreadLove, I wanted to create something that inspired people to do good in their communities," Love said in a statement. "With this program, I hope to continue that mission and empower high school students to give back to show them they can change their communities through small and big acts of kindness."

The school will break up into five teams with each team focusing its volunteering efforts on a particular cause. Teams will pair off with a nonprofit organization specific to that issue.

Points will be awarded for each act of kindness and at the conclusion of the program, rewards shall be handed out to teams with the most points.

Spreadlove4:good is a partnership with Love's Spread Love foundation and unite4:good.

"These students are going to gain so much through the spreadlove4:good program. as will the community," Said Anthony Melikhov, founder of unite4:good. "I'm thrilled to partner with Kevin Love who has always demonstrated his commitment to spreading love and kindness."

The Irish are off to a 9-0 start in the 2014-15 season.

The Irish are off to a 9-0 start in the 2014-15 season.

Austin Marciniak's 22 points led Green to a win at Wadsworth.

Austin Marciniak's 22 points led Green to a win at Wadsworth.

See Ohio high school girls basketball statewide scores for Jan. 6, 2015.

See Ohio high school girls basketball statewide scores for Jan. 6, 2015.

Monique Evans and Deja Winters each score their 1,000 career point at home in Richmond Heights.

Monique Evans and Deja Winters each score their 1,000 career point at home in Richmond Heights.

Pedro Martinez, Randy Johnson, John Smoltz and Craig Biggio were elected to Cooperstown on Tuesday by the Baseball Writers Association of America.

CLEVELAND, Ohio – It's confession time.

I didn't vote for this year's Hall of Fame class that will be enshrined in Cooperstown in July 26. It's the first time I've missed since I became eligible to vote in 1994.

It wasn't a protest over steroid era players or a desire to see the ballot go from 10 to 12 votes per writer. No, it was a screw up on my part. People who know me are really going to be surprised over that one.

Somehow, someway the ballot never got from my mailbox to my eager fingers. Between the curb and my desk, the ballot took a powder. By the time I realized it was really lost, there wasn't time to get a new one.

Deep down, however, I think there was some Freudian thing at work.

Well before the ballots were released, I was wrestling with the idea of voting for Pedro Martinez. As great a pitcher as he was, I thought he was punk on the mound.

I saw him throw at Tribe catcher Einar Diaz during a game at Progressive Field and hide behind hitting coach Jim Rice in the dugout when the benches cleared. Then he ran up the dugout runway.

In Game 3 of the 2003 ALCS between the Yankees and Red Sox, Martinez threw behind Karim Garcia's head and hit him high in the back in the fourth inning. The players yelled at each other with Garcia eventually gaining revenge on a hard, spikes-up slide at second base.

In the bottom of the inning, Roger Clemens of the Yankees retaliated by throwing a pitch high in the strike zone to Manny Ramirez. The pitch wasn't as menacing as Martinez's, but Ramirez screamed at Clemens and the teams sprinted onto the field.

The late Don Zimmer, New York's bench coach, came out of the dugout and charged Martinez, standing a good distance from the melee. Martinez yanked Zimmer, 72 at the time, to the ground.

The next day a tearful Zimmer apologized for his actions. Martinez should have been the one apologizing because he lit the fuse on a game that bordered on a riot.

Since we're having a come to Jesus moment here, I have to say those weren't the only reasons Martinez irritated me. He quite simply dominated the Indians. He was

11-1 with a 1.77 ERA in 16 games against some of the best lineups the Indians have ever fielded.

And that was just the regular season.

In Game 5 of the ALDS in 1999, Martinez relieved with the score tied, 8-8, and pitched six innings without allowing a run or hit. The Red Sox won, 12-8, to win the series after the Indians won the first two games.

I remember watching him shadow boxing in the bullpen before he started throwing his warm up pitches. Joe Frazier's left hook couldn't have saved the Indians that night.

Was Martinez a great pitcher, yes. Would I have voted for him if I had taken proper care of my ballot, yes. Here's why.

In 2009, 10 years after Martinez eliminated the Indians in that postseason game, he was on his last legs. It was spring training and teams were trying to coax him into pitching one more year. I asked Mark Shapiro, Indians general manager at the time, if he was interested in signing Martinez.

Shapiro said that if he could sign Martinez to a one-year deal, he'd do it in a heartbeat. Now, Shapiro watched Martinez beat the Indians year after year just like I did. He'd seen Martinez's whole act.

But when he looked at him, he saw talent. I saw a punk.

Emotion had gotten in my way. It's hard to see clearly like that.

Martinez will enter Cooperstown with Randy Johnson, John Smoltz and Craig Biggio. Martinez, Johnson and Smoltz were first ballot selections. Craig Biggio made it on his third try.

D'Angelo Russell had 25 of his 27 points in the first half.

MINNEAPOLIS — Marc Loving's jump shot from the lane with 5.6 seconds left in overtime lifted No. 22 Ohio State to a 74-72 victory over Minnesota on Tuesday night, helping the Buckeyes escape with the win after blowing a 12-point second-half lead.

D'Angelo Russell had 25 of his 27 points in the first half, missing all seven of his field-goal attempts after the break, but he made two critical free throws for Ohio State (13-3, 2-1 Big Ten) in the closing minutes. Loving added 13 points and seven rebounds.

Mo Walker had 18 points and nine rebounds, DeAndre Mathieu scored 17 points and Andre Hollins had all 12 of his points in the second half, but the Gophers (11-5, 0-3) weren't able to turn their comeback into a win.

Loving's tip-in lifted Ohio State to a 70-68 lead with 2:05 left in the extra period. Russell's foul shots after Elliott Eliason missed one of two on the other end put the Buckeyes up by three with 63 seconds remaining.

Mathieu threw the ball away on a backdoor bounce pass to Nate Mason, who never cut that way. But Russell turned it over, and Mason made a three-point play to tie it at 72 with 24 seconds left.

After Loving's leaner, Mathieu brought the ball the other way. But he was swarmed in the backcourt and had his desperation pass get swatted away.

The Buckeyes, who started a stretch of four out of five games on the road, stayed with the energizing man-to-man defense they switched to during a comeback win against Illinois on Saturday. But their strength is when they have the ball, as the conference's top-scoring team with a top-five field-goal percentage in the nation.

Their back cuts to the basket beat the Gophers again and again.

Sam Thompson had two dunks and an emphatic blocked shot of Walker in the final 4 minutes of the second half, the second slam coming from a wide-open baseline and giving Ohio State a 66-63 lead.

Mathieu answered with a layup and Thompson missed on the other end. After Joey King's 3-pointer was blocked, Mathieu chased down the loose ball he kept for the Gophers after a replay review by the officials with 42.7 seconds left. Mason was fouled on a drive, and he made one of two free throws to tie the game again.

Amir Williams had a short shot to win it in the closing seconds of regulation, but it glanced off the front rim. Russell didn't attempt a shot in the second half until almost halfway through, and his baseline try hit the side of the backboard.

Russell was on his way to the Ohio State freshman scoring record -- Jared Sullinger had 40 points in a game during the 2010-11 season -- after running Hollins and the Gophers ragged throughout the first half.

Not only did Hollins have to guard him, but he went scoreless on 0-for-6 shooting over the first 20 minutes. That left him 3 for 25 with nine points over the last two-plus games, until he got going after the break.

Williams had a vicious dunk to stretch the Ohio State lead back to seven, but the senior center was getting a little mouthy at that point and he was called for a technical on the other end following a Buckeyes foul. The Gophers made four straight free throws to seal a 21-9 spurt and tie it at 60 with 7:03 left.

The Gophers wore their rarely used black uniforms, and the school organized an all-black look for the arena with special T-shirts for the student section. Most of the rest of the fans complied with their own garb, too, but the color wasn't going to influence the advantage the Gophers have here. It's all about the noise in this 87-year-old building with the famously raised floor and the barn-shaped roof.

The place was buzzing at the beginning, with a bunch of former Gophers and a few current Timberwolves players including Andrew Wiggins in attendance. Russell swished three 3-pointers during an early 15-2 run by Ohio State, but Minnesota recovered with an establishment of the low post by Walker and Eliason. Eliason dropped in a dunk from the baseline to tie it at 21, and the arena was roaring.

Russell had a lot left in the arsenal, though, including a seemingly endless supply of those smooth one-handed floating flips he can make from anywhere when he's not firing up a shot from behind the arc. Loving leaped from the lane for an all-in-one rebound reverse dunk at the halftime buzzer to punctuate another surge by the Buckeyes that put them up 41-29.

Dion Waiters didn't fit with the Cavaliers, so the trade makes sense as it brings some backcourt help to Cleveland.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Scribbles in my notebook after the Cavs trade Dion Waiters:

1. If the Cavs were going to deal Waiters, I was hoping it would produce a big man in return. In terms of what they received, it's a pretty good job by David Griffin. But the general manager still needs to find someone who can do a decent job at center -- and those guys are hard to find.

2. Iman Shumpert was the player the Cavs most wanted. He is a 6-foot-5 guard who can defend. He's not an elite defender, but so much better than the current alternatives. He's not a big scorer, averaging 9.3 points on .409 shooting (.348 on 3-pointers). The Cavs wanted a guy who doesn't dominate the ball, who can make some 3-pointers from the corner, and most of all -- will help on defense.

3. My only concern about Shumpert is durability. He has missed the last 12 games with a dislocated shoulder. He also had a significant knee injury in the 2012 playoffs, and played only 45 games in 2012-13. He missed only eight games in 2013-14. He is 24 and in the final year of his rookie contract. He will be a restricted free agent this summer.

4. The Cavs have no shooting guard. They gave Waiters a quick chance to win the job, but they knew his chemistry with Kyrie Irving was poor because both love to have the ball. And furthermore, LeBron James would have the ball the most. They turned to Mike Miller, who had good games at shooting guard. But often, he disappears. Miller is averaging 3.0 points in 18 minutes a game. He mostly shoots 3-pointers, 59 of his 68 shots have been from behind the arc.

5. Matthew Dellavedova has played both point and shooting guard. He has lost confidence in his shot, .309 from the field. He is scoring 4.4 points in 23 minutes per game. Dellavedova is a mess right now. Opposing teams don't bother to defend him. The Cavs also tried Shawn Marion at shooting guard, but that wasn't a good fit.

6. So Shumpert gives the Cavs a viable shooting guard, something they needed. I really like this part of the trade. Unlike Waiters, he is not a "high usage" player who needs the ball a lot to be effective.

7. First-round picks help, and the Cavs added one from Oklahoma City. It's protected 1-18 this season and 1-15 in 2016 and 2017. After that, it turns into two second-rounders. The pick can be used in a deal for a big man -- along with the $5.3 million trade exception.

8. Then there's J.R. Smith. There will be games when you absolutely love Smith. He can be very hot from the outside. He is athletic. He was the NBA's best sixth man in 2012-13, when he averaged 18.1 points. Last season, he dropped to 14.5. Now, it's 10.9 and he's shooting 40 percent. He is 29, and has a contract that pays him $6 million this season with a player-option of $6.4 million in 2015-16.

9. Smith has been fined by the NBA ... a lot. He has been suspended. He has battled with coaches. He will be a challenge for David Blatt. But if the coach can keep Smith in the right frame of mind, then he'll have the bench scorer wanted when Blatt made Waiters his sixth man.

10. New York so wanted to be rid of Smith, they made the Cavs take him in order to also receive Shumpert and the first-round pick. The Knicks are 5-32 and have lost 12 in a row, so they are playing for lottery ping-pong balls and also creating salary cap room. The Knicks received Alex Kirk and Lou Amundson from the Cavs, Lance Thomas from the Thunder and a 2019 second-round pick from the Cavs. That's almost nothing. This was a salary dump by New York.

11. Oklahoma City is the new team for Waiters, and the Thunder will use him in the same role -- a scorer off the bench. The Thunder have a lot of shooting guards already with Anthony Morrow, Andre Robertson and Jeremy Lamb. At the point, the Thunder have Russell Westbrook and Reggie Jackson. Waiters will have to earn his minutes, and he could play less than he did in Cleveland.

12. The Cavs had all kinds of stats about how Waiters was a good "catch and shoot" player, meaning he didn't need to dribble much to score. The problem is Waiters grew up with the ball in his hands. It's called "ball dominant" and that's how he's wired. He was not going to turn into Kyle Korver or some other pure shooter. I like Waiters as a player, but he was a bad fit here. I wonder how he'll do in Oklahoma City, where he won't be one of the top scoring options.

13. When all the bodies landed, the Cavs ended up with the best haul. Shumpert should start. Smith is a gifted NBA scorer, albeit with attitude issues. A first rounder from Oklahoma is a good addition. And it cost them Waiters, Kirk, Amundson and a 2019 second-rounder.

14. Griffin has improved the roster. He still needs to find a player with size. He has the Thunder's first-round pick and the $5.3 million trade exception to use in a deal.

15. This will be a challenge for Blatt to blend the new players into the team with a West Coast trip looming. That means very little practice time. But the talent has been upgraded, and that should help immediately -- assuming Shumpert is healthy.

The podcast took a look at the big weekend ahead in local hoops.

The podcast took a look at the big weekend ahead in local hoops.