PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Jarrett Allen scored a career-high 40 points and grabbed 17 rebounds as the Cleveland Cavaliers handed the Portland Trail Blazers their fifth straight loss with a 130-111 victory Sunday night.
Sam Merrill added 22 points, including six 3-pointers, and the Cavs rebounded from a loss to the Phoenix Suns on Friday night that snapped a five-game winning streak. Allen also contributed five assists and four blocks.
Caleb Love had 21
points for the Blazers, who struggled without top scorer Deni Avdija. He missed the game with a lower back strain.
Portland trailed by 24 but closed the gap in the final quarter, pulling to 106-96 with 7:32 left. The Cavaliers went up 118-104 on Merrill's 3-pointer with 4:15 remaining, and fans streamed toward the exits.
Before the game, Avdija earned his first All-Star nod when he was selected as a Western Conference reserve. Cleveland star Donovan Mitchell was chosen as a reserve in the Eastern Conference.
With the trade deadline approaching, both teams made deals ahead of the game. The Cavs acquired guards Keon Ellis and Dennis Schroder from Sacramento in a three-team swap that sent forward De’Andre Hunter to the Kings. The Chicago Bulls received Dario Saric from Sacramento along with draft picks as part of the deal.
Portland acquired forward Vit Krejci from the Atlanta Hawks in exchange for injured center Duop Reath and a pair of draft picks.
The Cavaliers jumped out to an early 11-point lead, but Love's 3-pointer pulled Portland to 43-41 with just more than five minutes left in the first half. The Cavs led 57-48 at the break.
Dean Wade hit back-to-back 3s to stretch Cleveland's lead to 66-52 in the third quarter.
Blazers guard Blake Wesley played for first time since October after recovering from foot surgery, entering the game in the opening quarter.
The Cavaliers visit the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday night.
The Trail Blazers host Phoenix on Tuesday night.
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