This game will haunt the Cavs much, much longer than being done in by a red-hot LeBron James and the Heat.
View full sizeThe Cavaliers' Leon Powe is clearly on the wrong end of this battle for a loose ball with Minnesota's Kevin Love during the first half of Saturday's game in Minneapolis.MINNEAPOLIS -- Those who thought Cavaliers coach Byron Scott was not upset enough after Thursday's devastating loss to Miami should have seen him Saturday.
His rage was evident after the Cavs sank to a new low with a 129-95 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves at Target Center.
Minnesota had won four games coming in, was missing its leading scorer in Michael Beasley with a sprained ankle. But despite playing Friday night at San Antonio, the Wolves led the Cavs by 40 points at one point.
"We played like the word that starts with an s and ends with a t," Scott said. "It's only four letters. That's the bottom line. On both ends of the floor, that's how we played."
While Scott was fuming, veteran Antawn Jamison was almost dumbfounded.
"To me we're playing like the worst basketball team in the NBA right now," he said after dressing slowly and trying to find wrap his head around what's going on after three straight blowout losses to Boston, Miami and Minnesota.
"I don't know what to tell you, really. To have the two games that we had previous to tonight and for them to have a game last night and for us to know the importance of this game and this three-game span before we get back home ... I can't put into words what took place or where we're at right now.
"I don't know. It's the first time in a while I've been at a loss for words."
This game will haunt the Cavs much, much longer than being done in by a red-hot LeBron James and the Heat. This was inexcusable, even with starters J.J. Hickson and Joey Graham out with stomach viruses. The offense was unrecognizable and the defense was, well, indefensible.
Minnesota scored season highs in almost every category: points, points in a half (73) and points in a quarter (37 in the first). The Wolves also registered season highs in field-goal shooting (59.3 percent) and 3-point shooting (69.2 percent) while setting franchise records for 3-pointers made in a game (18) and a first half (11).
It was the sort of shooting performance you think cannot continue. Except it did. For 48 minutes.
"We better figure out real quick how we need to play," Scott said. "Defensively we've been playing like crap for the last three or four games."
Kevin Love, the league's leading rebounder, has been a monster all season, and he was all that and more on Saturday. By halftime, he had 20 points and 13 rebounds -- matching the Cavaliers' rebounding total. He finished with 28 points and 19 rebounds as the Wolves improved to 5-15 and snapped a nine-game losing streak to Cleveland.
Rookie Wesley Johnson added a career-high 20 by making 8 of 9 field goals, including 3 of 4 3-pointers.
Not that it mattered, but Ramon Sessions had 18 points and Jamison 17 for the Cavs, who dropped to 7-12 with their fifth straight loss on the road.
But scoring was the least of Jamison's concerns on Saturday.
"I can't tell you the last time we played well on both ends of the floor," he said. "I think it's time to look in the mirror. We're just playing bad basketball. It's not who we're playing, it's us, and it's going to get out of hand if we don't find a way to solve the problem and start playing the right way."
Scott agreed.
"The positive thing about this road trip is we still have two games left, he said, referring to Sunday's game at Detroit and Tuesday at Philadelphia. "Winning two out of three would make it a good trip. We still have that goal in mind. But those guys better get their heads out of their you-know-whats and start playing basketball, start competing."