SAN ANTONIO _ The multitude of Cavaliers fans that lined up outside AT&T Center two hours before tipoff Tuesday night may care only that LeBron James became the seventh player in NBA history to reach 30,000 career points.
But this is a Cavs team in crisis following Monday's grievance-airing session in Cleveland. It's a Cavs team at a crossroads as the Feb. 8 trade deadline approaches and a deal for Kings guard George Hill appears imminent.
What happened against the short-handed San Antonio Spurs, who had four players out because of injury, may have greater bearing on the Cavs' future than the milestone that James congratulated himself on via Instagram before it even happened.
Cavs coach Tyronn Lue said he hoped the team meeting that questioned the accountability of nearly everyone would have an impact on the court. It did little in the short term as the Cavs fell behind by 14 points in the third quarter and could get no closer than four in the fourth before falling, 114-102.
The Cavs (27-19) have lost 10 of their last 13 and let a winnable game get away against the Spurs, who were without Pau Gasol (right wrist sprain), Rudy Gay (right heel bursitis), Manu Ginobili (right thigh contusion) and Kawhi Leonard (right quadriceps).
James led the Cavs with 28 points, nine rebounds and seven assists, but made 10 of 23 field goals and lost five turnovers. Isaiah Thomas scored 14 points, but hit just 3 of 9 field goals, and Dwyane Wade added 12. Kevin Love, who played after experiencing a migraine and dizziness that limited him to three minutes Saturday, had 10 points and 11 rebounds.
Coming into the game needing seven points for 30,000, James missed his first two shots and took a while to get into the flow.
A 19-foot pull-up jumper with 1.1 seconds left in the first quarter gave him 30,001. The Spurs acknowledged the accomplishment at the break, posting on the jumbotron the list of the seven members of the 30K club _ Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (38,387), Karl Malone (36,928), Kobe Bryant (33,643), Michael Jordan (32,292), Wilt Chamberlain (31,419), Dirk Nowitzki (30,837) and James.
James also became the youngest to hit the mark at 33 years and 24 days; Bryant was 34 years and 104 days when he reached it.
James' close friend Wade met him at midcourt for a long embrace and James put his head on Wade's shoulder as Wade slapped him on the chest. James then accepted hugs from Jeff Green, Jose Calderon and the rest of his teammates as he made his way to the bench. James acknowledged the cheers of the crowd before he sat down to rest, reentering with 7:35 left in the second quarter.
But James' honor was just the sideshow to the Cavs' three-ring circus that gets more hair-raising by the hour.
The Cavaliers who were in a funk before Monday's meeting did not snap out of it. J.R. Smith remained in his two-season slump, going 0 for 4 from the field. The Cavs defense was not any tighter, even though the Spurs made just 8 of 28 from 3-point range. Some of the Cavs' 18 turnovers were horrendous _ Thomas fell down repeatedly and dribbled the ball off his foot, and Derrick Rose was called for an over-and-back.
Even with the Spurs (31-18) missing four regulars, including two-time defensive player of the year Leonard, who has played only nine games, they got it done with whomever coach Gregg Popovich sent out.
LaMarcus Aldridge (12 of 18 from the field for 30 points and eight rebounds) was nearly as unstoppable as the Thunder's Steven Adams on Saturday.
The best thing the Cavs did was get to the free-throw line, hitting 26 of 31 to keep them in the game until the final four minutes.
