Cavs repel Heat in 1st game without Love

CLEVELAND — LeBron James scored 24 points, Jae Crowder made a go-ahead 3-pointer with 1:21 left and the Cleveland Cavaliers began a long stretch without injured All-Star Kevin Love by holding off the Miami Heat, 91-89, on Wednesday night (Thursday Manila time).

The Cavs rebounded from a troubling loss at Detroit — Cleveland gave up 125 points to the undermanned Pistons — and prevented the Heat from overtaking them for third place in the Eastern Conference standings.

Cleveland played its first game since Love broke his left hand against the Pistons. The five-time All-Star is consulting with surgeons in New York, and it's possible he'll undergo an operation as early as Thursday. Love, who could miss two months, already has screws in the hand from a previous procedure after he broke it in 2009 with Minnesota.

While he's out, the Cavs have to hold themselves together.

Goran Dragic scored 18 and Josh Richardson 15 to lead the Heat, who went just 3 of 28 on 3-pointers.

Miami had a last chance after Cleveland's Kyle Korver made one of two free throws with seven seconds left, but Heat forward James Johnson, harassed by James on the baseline, couldn't get off a shot before the horn sounded.

The Cavs have been enveloped in drama all season. There have been injuries, blowout losses, persistent trade rumors and more story lines than a day-time soap opera.

"As The Land Turns," coach Tyronn Lue said with a sigh following his pregame media availability.

The chaos could continue, but for at least one night things didn't get any worse for the Cavs, who went 6-8 in January and have been plagued by shoddy defense.

It was the first time they've held a team under 90 points since November 20.

Despite going just 1 of 16 on 3-pointers, Miami overcame a 14-point deficit to take a 50-48 lead at halftime.