MILWAUKEE: With 3:49 left in the third quarter and the Cavaliers behind by 11, Cavs coach Tyronn Lue had seen enough. Enough of the uncontested drives through the middle of the defense, enough of the highlight-reel dunks and enough of J.R. being J.R.
Lue yanked all of his regulars and went with a hockey line change of little-used reserves, including Chris Andersen, Jordan McRae and James Jones, signaling the end of the Cavs’ winning streak in their lethargic 118-101 loss at the last-place Milwaukee Bucks.
The long and athletic Bucks shot 57 percent in the first half and pummeled the Cavs at the rim. Fourteen of their first 16 points in the second quarter were scored in the lane and they ended the night with 68 points in the paint, compared to just 32 for the Cavs.
Budding star Giannis Antetokounmpo matched his career high with 34 points on a night the Bucks dominated.
Smith, meanwhile, became distracted during an inbounds play in the first half. He wandered completely off the floor to hug Bucks reserve Jason Terry in the midst of the game while Tony Snell, whom Smith was supposed to be guarding, clapped his hands in disbelief and took the inbounds pass for an easy basket. Most of the Bucks’ baskets came rather easily.
The Cavs were supposed to practice Monday in Philadelphia, but Lue gave them the day off after playing his starters heavy minutes Sunday against the Sixers. They responded with their worst performance of the season and will assuredly be back on the practice floor at the Cleveland Clinic Courts on Wednesday in advance of a tough back-to-back against the Los Angeles Clippers and the Chicago Bulls.
The Cavs have struggled defensively at various turns this season, but they’ve typically been able to outshoot their mistakes. Not on this night.
Lue went back to his starters to begin the fourth quarter, but by then they trailed 92-74. LeBron James scored 22 points, but committed a season-high seven turnovers. James now has 16 turnovers in his past three games. Kyrie Irving scored 20 points, including 11 in the second quarter. Kevin Love scored 13 points and grabbed 13 rebounds one day after he was named Player of the Week in the East. The Cavs committed 20 turnovers and trailed by as many as 22 in the fourth quarter.
The loss made a winner out of Matthew Dellavedova in his first game against his old team. The Cavs did not match the four-year, $38 million offer the Bucks gave him as a restricted free agent. Dellavedova scored three points and passed for seven assists, but Antetokounmpo did the bulk of the damage.
Along with matching his career high in scoring, Antetokounmpo grabbed 12 rebounds and dominated the Cavs inside. Jabari Parker scored 18 points and Michael Beasley scored 17 off the bench for the Bucks.
Jason Lloyd can be reached at jlloyd@thebeaconjournal.com. Read the Cavs blog at www.ohio.com/cavs. Follow him on Twitter www.twitter.com/JasonLloydABJ.