Washington @ Cleveland preview

Last Meeting ( Dec 8, 2018 ) Washington 101, Cleveland 116

The Cleveland Cavaliers snapped their latest slide at six straight losses with a win over the Chicago Bulls on Sunday and will try to make it back-to-back triumphs for the first time since November when they host the Washington Wizards on Tuesday. The Cavaliers, who own the worst record in the NBA, improved to 2-18 over their last 20 games with Sunday's victory.

Cleveland came within single digits of an opponent once during its latest slide - a 100-94 setback against Miami on Friday - and coach Larry Drew was pleased with how his team executed down the stretch on Sunday. "We haven't been in that situation often, but when we do get there, it's important moving forward that we learn how to play down the stretch, we learn how to execute, how to defensively get the stops we need," Drew told reporters. "... We came up with the plays down the stretch that we needed and that's what let us come up with the win." Washington could not come up with the plays it needed on Sunday and fell to 1-1 on its three-game road trip with a 132-119 setback at San Antonio. The Wizards allowed the Spurs to shoot 57 percent from the floor and were outrebounded 56-41 while falling to 6-19 on the road.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, NBCS Washington, FS Ohio (Cleveland)

ABOUT THE WIZARDS (21-28): While the defense was a problem on Sunday, Washington was pleased with the offensive efforts of point guard Tomas Satoransky, who nearly pulled off a triple-double while collecting 21 points, nine rebounds and eight assists. The 27-year-old is starting in place of All-Star John Wall (heel) and posted at least eight assists in each of the last four games. Some of those passes are finding center Thomas Bryant, who scored in double figures in each of the last seven games and posted his third double-double in that stretch with 15 points and 10 boards on Sunday.

ABOUT THE CAVALIERS (10-41): Cleveland is firmly in a rebuilding mode this season but took the ball out of the hands of the youngsters down the stretch on Sunday and instead turned to veteran point guard Matthew Dellavedova. The 28-year-old collected 16 points, five assists and four rebounds in the win while logging 22 minutes - his longest stretch in over a month. "It wasn't just what he was doing offensively as far as making shots, but he did a really good job of getting us organized and did a really good job on the defensive end just being scrappy," Drew told reporters of Dellavedova. "He was consistent with our coverages and going down toward the end there I just felt as well as he had been playing, he needed to be in there."

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Cavaliers C Ante Zizic grabbed a career-high 14 rebounds on Sunday.

2. Washington SF Sam Dekker (back) sat out Sunday and is day-to-day.

3. The teams split the first two meetings, with Cleveland earning a 116-101 home win on Dec. 8.

PREDICTION: Wizards 116, Cavaliers 104