Cleveland @ San Antonio preview

Last Meeting ( Apr 7, 2019 ) San Antonio 112, Cleveland 90

The Cleveland Cavaliers look to halt an eight-game losing streak when they visit the San Antonio Spurs on Thursday. Cleveland has dropped 14 of its last 15 after losing 116-110 against the Houston Rockets on Wednesday while the Spurs have won three of their past four games.

The Cavaliers had lost previous four games by an average of 27 points but put forth a strong effort against Houston before eventually succumbing as Rockets star James Harden scored 20 of his 55 points in the final stanza. While Cleveland is traveling on a back-to-back, the Spurs haven't played since Friday and coach Gregg Popovich gave his players ample time off after going double-overtime and overtime in consecutive wins last week. Shooting guard DeMar DeRozan relished Friday's 105-104 single-overtime win over the Sacramento Kings as San Antonio trailed by nine points with 1:50 left in regulation before staging a strong rally and then held on by successfully contesting Sacramento's final four shots in the last 17.4 seconds of overtime. "I think it's the best way for us to understand how we need to close out games, what mistakes cause us to be in a hole where we have to fight back so hard," DeRozan told reporters afterward. "For the most part, as long as we get the win, that's all that matters."

TV: 8:30 p.m. ET, FS Ohio (Cleveland), FS Southwest (San Antonio)

ABOUT THE CAVALIERS (5-19): Speculation that five-time All-Star Kevin Love will be dealt continues to persist and first-year coach John Beilein said the chatter doesn't bother him nor is it a distraction to the team. "I've been hearing about that from the day I was hired," Beilein told reporters. "Whatever happens in this basketball business happens. We want Kevin to play at his best and I'm sure he does as well. We hope that happens every day going forward." Love reportedly is hoping for a trade to the Portland Trail Blazers as he grew up in the area though a host of other teams have interest.

ABOUT THE SPURS (9-14): San Antonio's recent stretch of success comes after it lost 12 of 14 contests and the two extra-session games - the first was a win over the Houston Rockets - were the type of games in which the team wasn't making the key plays in during the rough stretch. "This is two really hard-fought wins," Spurs forward Rudy Gay told reporters. "We dug ourselves out of holes, we got it together. These are games we were losing a couple of games ago. We're just figuring a way to get these wins now." Power forward LaMarcus Aldridge had 19 points and 13 rebounds against the Kings after missing two games with a thigh injury and the extended break should help him be more spry against the Cavaliers.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. The Spurs have won the past six meetings.

2. Cleveland is 7-40 all-time in San Antonio.

3. San Antonio backup C Jakob Poeltl is 17-of-23 from the field over the past five games.

PREDICTION: Spurs 106, Cavaliers 96