CLEVELAND _ After trailing for most of the fourth quarter, Kevin Love stood at the free-throw line with 3:15 left in the fourth quarter and a chance to give the Cavaliers a lead. He missed it, but he made sure to make up for it.
Love responded by first drilling a 3-pointer to put the Cavs up, 106-103, and then after the Grizzlies hit back-to-back shots, Love again gave the Cavs the lead with another 3-pointer, the latter making it 109-107 with 1:03 to go.
Collin Sexton came away with a steal at the other end and after being fouled, he hit one of two free throws. Another Grizzlies miss and Sexton's offensive rebound after Jordan Clarkson's missed 3-pointer iced the game, and the Cavs went on to win it, 114-107 Friday night.
The Cavs (8-21) and Grizzlies (10-19) traded the lead until late in the third quarter, when the Cavs' defensive issues caught up with them. A 3-pointer from Love with just over three minutes remaining in the quarter put the Cavs on top 78-76 before the Grizzlies went on a run.
A Jaren Jackson dunk tied it before Jackson came back with a deep 3-pointer to put the Grizzlies on top. Brandon Clarke added a layup the next time down the floor and after another Cavs miss, Jonas Valanciunas added a basket to cap the 9-0 run with the Grizzlies up 85-78.
That momentum continued to work against the Cavs to start the fourth quarter. A dunk from Valanciunas was followed with Grayson Allen's 3-pointer, which was turned into a four-point play thanks to Kevin Porter Jr.'s flagrant foul, to give the Grizzlies a 12-point lead with 10:28 left.
The Cavs responded by pulling themselves off the mat. Clarkson hit a floater and then drilled a 3-pointer to slice the deficit to 93-86. Darius Garland came away with the defensive rebound at the other end and led a fast break that ended with his miss but a put-back dunk from Larry Nance Jr. that pulled the Cavs within five points.
The Grizzlies' ice-cold shooting stretch continued, which opened the door for free throw from John Henson and then two more from Garland to make it a one-score, 93-91 game.
With 5:12 to go, Clarkson hit a step-back jumper that was originally called a 3-pointer to cut the Grizzlies' lead to 103-100, and Tristan Thompson added a thunderous dunk on a put-back to cut the lead to 103-102, leading the way to Love's two crucial 3-pointers.
Love finished with 21 points and 13 rebounds, while Clarkson poured in a game-high 33 points, including 20 in the first half alone. Garland (14 points, five rebounds), Cedi Osman (13 points) and Thompson (10 points, 15 rebounds) all finished in double figures as well.
Jackson led the Grizzlies with 24 points.
