Route 66 Is a Dead End for Cavaliers

P.J. Brown really went out onto a limb Saturday night.

“I don’t expect that tomorrow, I really don’t,” said Brown, trying to keep a straight face. “I definitely feel like we’re going to run more. I think I can guarantee somebody’s going to get 80.”

That’s points in an NBA game.

For a team.

And he had better not bet his house on it.

OK, so it’s not like Joe Namath guaranteeing a Super Bowl victory, but this is the Miami Heat, and these are the Cavaliers, who lost to the Heat, 71-66, in a typically ugly game in Cleveland.

The teams play again tonight in Miami.

The first time this season the teams played, the Heat won, 76-74.

“We’ll make up for it,” Coach Mike Fratello said of the plodding pace his Cavaliers play, which Wednesday night produced a franchise-low 65 points in a loss to the New York Knicks.

That was almost eclipsed Saturday. After Brown made two free throws with 5.8 seconds to play, Terrell Brandon raced to the other end and put in a layup at the buzzer for the final Cleveland points, saving the record for another day.

The teams’ 137 points is the sixth-lowest combined total since the 24-second shot clock was introduced for the 1954-55 season.

Detroit 90, New Jersey 75--Grant Hill had his fourth triple-double of the season, scoring 22 points, dishing out 11 assists and grabbing 11 rebounds, and Otis Thorpe made it easy to shoot a high percentage by throwing down six dunks in a Pistons’ victory in East Rutherford, N.J.

Thorpe made 10 of 12 shots and finished with 23 points for Detroit, which has won five consecutive games and has held opponents under 100 points 24 games in a row.

Dallas 100, Utah 97--Derek Harper, a late insert into the starting lineup, scored 29 points and made a key three-point basket with 25.9 seconds to play to give the Mavericks a victory in Dallas and end Utah’s five-game winning streak.

Sacramento 113, Denver 107--Mitch Richmond had 35 points and 13 rebounds and Kevin Gamble scored 23 in a reserve role for the Kings, who shot 53% in Denver.

The Nuggets were held to 44% shooting. They closed to within 108-107 with 2:25 to play, but failed to score the rest of the game.

Toronto 110, Phoenix 86--Walt Williams tied a team record with six three-point baskets in a 33-point performance that led the Raptors in Toronto.

Williams also pulled down 12 rebounds for the Raptors, who have won 10 of their last 15 home games. Phoenix has lost six games in a row.

Philadelphia 109, Milwaukee 100--Reserve forward Don MacLean scored a season-high 29 points, 20 over his average, in a win in Milwaukee.

MacLean has scored 21, 24 and 29 points in the 76ers’ last three games.

Allen Iverson added 23 points and 14 assists for Philadelphia.