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.
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