DENVER — Kevin Love scored 22 points, Jarrett Allen recorded his second straight double-double and the Cleveland Cavaliers held off the Denver Nuggets 99-87 on Monday night.
Allen finished with 21 points and 16 rebounds to help the Cavaliers start a five-game trip on the right note. This was on the heels of a 11-point, 14-rebound performance in a win over Atlanta over the weekend.
The Cavaliers overcame a big night from NBA MVP Nikola Jokic, who scored 24 points and grabbed 19 rebounds. They held Denver to 9-of-38 shooting from 3-point land, and forced more than 20 turnovers.
Up by 11 in the third quarter, Cleveland saw Denver rally to tie the game at 70. But Love hit a reverse layup to ignite a 19-3 run that helped put the game away.
Darius Garland scored nine points for the Cavs as he returned after missing the last two games with a sprained left ankle.
Ricky Rubio and Facundo Campazzo were both issued technicals late in the third quarter after getting in the face of the other. Rubio appeared to take exception with Campazzo’s foul in the corner.
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