Cleveland @ San Antonio preview

Last Meeting ( Mar 27, 2017 ) Cleveland 74, San Antonio 103

The Cleveland Cavaliers are spiraling in the wrong direction with nine losses in 12 games and attempt to shake out of their doldrums when they visit the San Antonio Spurs on Tuesday. The Cavaliers were blasted 148-124 by the Oklahoma City Thunder on Saturday and the points allowed matched the worst in franchise history in a regulation game.

Cleveland has lost by margins of 34, 28 and 24 over the past six games and the defensive effort against Oklahoma City was lacking with the Thunder scoring at least 33 points in every quarter. "It's embarrassing. It's not acceptable," point guard Isaiah Thomas told reporters. "We can only go up from here, that's the only positive about that. We've got to really look in the mirror, look at ourselves and get some pride." The Spurs own the best home record in the NBA at 19-3 but dropped a 94-86 decision to the Indiana Pacers on Sunday while committing 20 turnovers as a 14-game home winning streak reached an end. "It happens a little too much with our team," center Pau Gasol told reporters afterward. "We get a little bit out of whack. We don't execute, we're a little sloppy at times and we pay the price."

TV: 8 p.m. ET, TNT

ABOUT THE CAVALIERS (27-18): Forward LeBron James needs just seven points to become the seventh player in NBA history to reach 30,000 career points but the perennial star is more interested in figuring out his team's porous play. Speculation regarding the status of coach Tyronn Lue has arisen and that deeply concerns James, who doesn't see Lue as the problem but stopped short of giving his coach an endorsement. "I don't know what's going to happen with our team," James told reporters. "I have no idea what conversations have been going on. Me personally, I've been trying to stay as laser-sharp as I can to keep my guys ready to go out and play. Obviously, it hasn't resulted in wins, but I got to stay as fresh mentally as much I can with the struggles. I can't worry about job securities and trades and things of that nature."

ABOUT THE SPURS (30-18): San Antonio also hasn't played as sharp as its reputation in a season in which star forward Kawhi Leonard has played in just nine games due to a quadriceps injury that is reportedly causing issues between Leonard and the organization. Coach Gregg Popovich decided to shake things up on Sunday by moving veteran point guard Tony Parker (12 points and five assists in 20 minutes on Sunday) to the bench and starting Dejounte Murray, who had eight points and seven rebounds in 28 minutes. "A little different, so I guess we're figuring where we need certain things (with Parker) coming off the bench to start the game," Spurs shooting guard Danny Green told reporters. "Trying to get a happy medium of getting some fast pace, slower pace, getting it inside, working outside, but turn the ball over a little less, move it a little bit better."

BUZZER BEATERS

1. The Spurs won both of last season's meetings, including a 103-74 home romp.

2. Cleveland C Kevin Love (illness) is expected to play after leaving after three minutes against the Thunder.

3. San Antonio backup SG Manu Ginobili (thigh) is questionable after missing the past three games.

PREDICTION: Spurs 101, Cavaliers 96