Cavs try to halt 28-game road losing streak in Atlanta

Atlanta, GA (Basketball News) - The youthful Cleveland Cavaliers have a great opportunity to end a 28-game road losing streak tonight when they visit Jason Terry and the Atlanta Hawks tonight at Philips Arena.

The Cavaliers fell to the Minnesota Timberwolves, 97-83, on Friday at Gund Arena.

LeBron James netted 19 points and hauled in nine rebounds for the Cavaliers, who had a four-game home win streak halted. Cleveland, which was only able to force eight turnovers, played without forward Carlos Boozer, who missed his second straight game with an ankle injury.

The Timberwolves led 26-21 after the opening quarter and they led the rest of the way. Cleveland’s last lead was at 5-4 early on after a Darius Miles three- pointer and a Zydrunas Ilgauskas bucket.

In a tight second quarter, Minnesota outscored Cleveland, 29-25, en route to taking a 55-46 edge into the intermission.

With 5:26 to play in the third, Latrell Sprewell drained a three to complete an 18-6 Minnesota run and the Timberwolves pushed their advantage to 88-71.

Boozer is questionable for tonight’s game.

The Cavs, who last won on the road on January 12, 2003 at Seattle, are 0-7 away from home this season.

Cleveland has lost five in a row and 12 of its last 13 in Atlanta.

Atlanta returns home after getting crushed by the San Antonio Spurs, 114-75, on Friday at SBC Arena.

Shareef Abdur-Rahim had 16 points and seven rebounds and Dion Glover finished with 14 points and five rebounds, as the Hawks lost for the third time in four games.

Atlanta’s Stephen Jackson, who received his 2003 NBA Championship ring he earned with the Spurs before the game, finished just 2-of-9 from the floor on the way to an eight-point night.

The Hawks are 1-3 at home.

In 2002-03, the Hawks swept four contests between the two clubs.

Overall, Atlanta has won five straight and nine of the last 10 meetings between the two squads.