NBA: Cavs' skid hits league-record 24 in a row

CLEVELAND (AP) - The Cavaliers have the NBA's record for futility all to themselves.

Cleveland's losing streak reached 24 games on Saturday night as Wesley Matthews scored 31 points and LaMarcus Aldridge added 20 to lead the Portland Trail Blazers to a 111-105 win over the pitiful Cavs, who remain winless in 2011 and have lost a mind-boggling 34 of 35.

The Cavs, who have won just once since Nov. 27, now own both the single-season mark for consecutive losses and matched the record for overall losses in a row they previously set over two seasons (1981-82 and 1982-83). Cleveland nearly overcame a 10-point deficit in the fourth quarter, but once again failed to make plays down the stretch.

Antawn Jamison scored 17 to lead the Cavs, who will try to end their skid on Monday in Dallas.

For much of the night, it appeared the Cavaliers might finally end a slide that shows no signs of ending.

Cleveland led early in the fourth quarter, but Rudy Fernandez hit a 3-pointer and the Blazers went on a 15-4 run to open a 105-95 lead. The Cavs didn't fold, and they responded with a 10-2 spurt to make it 107-105 on Ramon Sessions' lay-in with 1:23 left.

But on Portland's next possession, former Cavs guard Andre Miller, who had just one point with five minutes left, dropped a tough, 12-foot fadeaway to put the Blazers back up by four.

Sessions then missed a layup with 39 seconds left after grabbing a loose ball that went through teammate J.J. Hickson's hands underneath. The Cavs had to foul and Fernandez's two free throws sent Cleveland to another gut-wrenching defeat.

The Cavs, who at one point were 7-9, came in tied with Vancouver (1995-96) and Denver (1997-98) for the longest losing skid in one season.

It's all theirs now, another blow in a nightmarish season - their first without LeBron James.

The night didn't start well for the Cavs.

Forward Jamario Moon was involved in a minor accident while driving to Quicken Loans Arena as another heavy snow blanketed Cleveland. Moon couldn't avoid hitting the back of a truck that swerved and struck the center divider. The driver of the other vehicle left the scene before police arrived.

Moon banged his knee but was otherwise uninjured. However, his Mercedes L350 sustained heavy damage. He needed help from members of Cleveland's Fire Dept., who used a hammer to make his car drivable.

"It's an F175 now," teammate Anthony Parker cracked.

Moon came off the bench and knocked down two straight 3-pointers, and the Cavs made 6 of 7 from behind the arc while outscoring the Blazers 37-32 in the second quarter to open a 57-55 halftime lead. Moon hasn't been getting much playing time of late, but coach Byron Scott decided to use him and it paid off.

Moon finished with a season-high 14 points, but it wasn't nearly enough, and Cleveland was again plagued by not having anyone to turn to in the closing minutes.

Nicolas Batum added 21 points and Miller had 13 assists for the Blazers, who made 12 of 19 3-pointers and snapped a seven-game losing streak in Cleveland.

Notes: Cavs C Anderson Varejao will have surgery on Feb. 12 to repair a torn tendon in his ankle. Varejao sought a second opinion before choosing Dr. Robert Anderson, a specialist who will perform the operation in Charlotte, N.C. Varejao sustained the season-ending injury during a non-contact running drill in practice on Jan. 6. Varejao said his rehab could take up to four months. ... Blazers C Dante Cunningham sustained a nasty gash after he was accidentally elbowed by Cleveland's Samardo Samuels in the second quarter. He did not return. ... Cleveland will play eight of its next nine at home.