Late swoon costs Cavaliers in Phoenix

   The Cleveland Cavaliers played the Phoenix Suns to a draw for most of their matchup Monday night in Phoenix, but when the game hit the time that determines victors and the defeated, it was the Phoenix Suns that made the big shots in a 119-113 Phoenix win.

Collin Sexton led Cleveland with 23 points for the now 10-15 Cavaliers.

Cleveland's next stop will be in Denver for a Wednesday showdown with the Nuggets.

Swashbucklings

1) J.B. Bickerstaff mixed up the starting lineup in Phoenix by starting Andre Drummond and Jarrett Allen in a big man heavy lineup.

Drummond finished with 15 and 14 while Allen contributed a line of 14 and 5.

2) I'm not sure that is a lineup that will be used often, but it does make some sense to get your best players on the floor together as much as possible.

Allen seems more suited to play power forward than Drummond does, but both are better suited as rim-protecting five's.

3) Collin Sexton apparently was headed to the line for a three-point play attempt after drawing a foul on Cam Johnson.

Hitting on that free throw would have given the Cavaliers the lead with less than a minute remaining.

Then, an official overruled the closer official's call, charged Sexton with the foul, erased the bucket, and gave Phoenix the ball back up two.

It was a bad call from an official out of position. 

Had it been a no call, I wouldn't have complained, but to make that call at that point of the game was a game-turning decision.

4) Cedi Osman's time was reduced in this one as Osman played only fifteen minutes and scored just two points.

Osman was the odd man apparently in the lineup maneuverings.

5) Phoenix didn't play Chris Paul in this game and that likely didn't hurt the Cavaliers' competitiveness in the loss.

They did still have Devin Booker though and Booker made the difference with 36 points and 8 assists.