Brooklyn @ Cleveland preview

Last Meeting ( Mar 6, 2019 ) Cleveland 107, Brooklyn 113

The Cleveland Cavaliers showed some life with an impressive victory in the middle of a difficult stretch and look to win back-to-back games for the second time this season when they host the Brooklyn Nets on Monday night. The Cavaliers, who are in the midst of eight contests in 13 days, snapped a six-game losing streak Saturday with a 110-104 win against Portland at home.

“I didn’t see any fatigue,” Cleveland first-year coach John Beilein, whose team lost by 42 points Friday in Dallas, told reporters after the victory. “I didn’t see anything but effort to try and win the game. There are a lot of teams that have had tough schedules, that have had injuries and are rebuilding. We just have to stick together so we can be better than this.” The Cavaliers lost three of four meetings last season - both at home - against the Nets, who will be without their top scorer Kyrie Irving for the sixth straight game due to a shoulder injury. Irving (28.5 points per game) wasn’t slated to make the trip to Cleveland, but Brooklyn has won three straight games and four of five after edging the rival New York Knicks 103-101 on Sunday night. Guard Spencer Dinwiddie has stepped up in Irving’s absence, stringing together five consecutive games with at least 20 points and pouring in 30 on Sunday.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, YES (Brooklyn), FS Ohio (Cleveland)

ABOUT THE NETS (8-8): Dinwiddie is averaging 25 points during his impressive five-game run and center Jarrett Allen has also been a major factor with four double-doubles in his last six contests after going for 18 points and 10 rebounds Sunday. Forward Taurean Prince had 14 points and 11 rebounds for his fourth double-double Sunday and sharp-shooting guard Joe Harris added 13 points against the Knicks after recording a season high-matching 22 in the win over Sacramento on Friday. Brooklyn has also been without guard Caris LeVert (16.8 points) for the last seven games, but he is progressing after thumb surgery and could return in a few weeks.

ABOUT THE CAVALIERS (5-11): Leading scorer Kevin Love (17.9 points, 11.8 rebounds) missed the second of the back-to-back Saturday with lingering lower back issues and his status for the Brooklyn game is uncertain. In his absence, guard Jordan Clarkson - who averaged 22.5 points against Brooklyn last season - stepped up to score a season-high 28 against Portland while veteran center Tristan Thompson matched his season best with 25. Guard Collin Sexton is second on the team in scoring (17.8) after pouring in 19 on Saturday and forward Larry Nance Jr. notched his first double-double of the season (11 points, 12 boards).

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Brooklyn G Garrett Temple scored 12 on Sunday and has connected on 8-of-17 shots from 3-point range the last two contests.

2. Cleveland’s rookie G Darius Garland had nine points Saturday to end a string of five straight double-figures games, including 23 at Dallas on Friday.

3. Harris, who led the league in 3-point shooting percentage last season (47.4), has connected on 44.2 percent in 2019-20.

PREDICTION: Cavaliers 108, Nets 102