J.R. Smith calls out LeBron-less Cavaliers after tepid performance

Alec Brzezinski

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J.R. Smith calls out LeBron-less Cavaliers after tepid performance image

Sunday was a day of rest and relaxation in the NBA, at least for some of the game's biggest stars.

It started early when LeBron James sat out Cleveland's contest against the Wizards. The Cavaliers ultimately lost that game 113-99 and shooting guard J.R. Smith was displeased with the team's effort.

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"We can't play basketball like this going down the stretch," Smith said (via Yahoo Sports) of the Cavs, whose lead over the Raptors for the top seed in the Eastern Conference sits at just 1 1/2 games. "There's 24, 25 games left in the year and you talk about contending, being a championship contender and get blown out by a team. ... After losing a game to the No. 2 team in the East then you come out and get thrashed and make it look good at the end.

"We can't do that. If we're serious about who we're supposed to be, then we can't do this." 

John Wall led Washington with 21 points, 13 assists and seven rebounds. The Wizards are 10th in the Eastern Conference standings but have won three of their past four games.

The next absentee star was Raptors All-Star point guard Kyle Lowry, who sat out against the Pistons to get some rest. Detroit won the game 114-101 at home. 

Andre Drummond led the Pistons with 15 points and 18 rebounds, his 13th straight double-double and 25th game with at least 15 points and 15 rebounds this season.

Coincidentally, the two losing teams are Nos. 1 and 2 in the Eastern Conference standings and the two winning teams are Nos. 9 and 10. The Pistons have looked especially rejuvenated since adding Tobias Harris. They have won four straight games and are only on the outside looking in based on a tiebreaker.

The Eastern Conference is shaping up for an exciting ending.

Highlights:

Wall to Markieff Morris. Get used to this:

Tim Hardaway Jr. from half court:

Dwight Powell with the thunderous slam:

Stud of the night:

Trail Blazers point guard Damian Lillard continued to prove why he should have been an All-Star this season, scoring 33 points with five rebounds Sunday in a 111-102 win against the Pacers. Lillard has scored 30 or more points in seven of his past eight games. Portland has won 13 of its past 15 contests.

Dud of the night:

In what was possibly the worst NBA game of the season, Hornets shooting guard Nicolas Batum finished with just two points on 1-of-6 shooting despite playing 38 minutes in a 87-76 loss to the Hawks. To be fair, the entire Charlotte team could have been here. The Hornets shot just 33 percent from the field.

What's next:

Pacers (31-27) at Cavaliers (41-17), 7 p.m. ET — Cleveland heads into this contest with three losses in its past four games. The Pacers are still fighting for a playoff spot, so this one won't be easy for the Cavaliers either.

Jazz (28-30) at Celtics (35-25), 7:30 p.m. ET — Boston continues to surprise people with its consistent play. The Celtics may not have a star, but they have six or seven high-quality players. Utah has been playing better lately, so this one could be a high-scoring contest.

Alec Brzezinski