SAN ANTONIO — So much for the momentum the Spurs had generated before taking a five-day break from their schedule after beating Sacramento last Friday.
Forward Kevin Love scored a season-high 30 points and added 17 rebounds, leading the inspired Cleveland Cavaliers to a 117-109 overtime victory against the Spurs on Thursday night at the AT&T Center.
The win snapped an eight-game losing streak for the Cavs, who were coming off a loss to the Houston Rockets on Wednesday night in Cleveland.
Love nailed 4 of 9 three-pointers, including a 27-footer that tied the game at 103 with 7.5 seconds left in regulation. The game went to OT when DeMar DeRozan missed a jumper on the Spurs' last possession.
Love's tying three-pointer came after DeRozan missed two free throws with 14 seconds remaining and San Antonio up 103-100.
"Beyond frustrating," DeRozan said of the loss. "I put that loss on myself. I mean, there's no excuse why I shouldn't make those free throws. Seal the game. Put the game away, make it at least a two-possession game with 14 seconds, whatever it was. That's just not acceptable on my part."
The Cavs (6-19) were playing on the second night of a back-to-back, but it was the Spurs (9-15) who came out lethargic before making a game of it in the second half. S.A. outscored Cleveland 60-50 in the third and fourth quarters after trailing 28-19 at the end of the first quarter and 53-43 at the break.
The Silver and Black had won two straight games, both in overtime, and three of their last four before falling to 7-7 at home. San Antonio hasn't won three consecutive games since starting the season 3-0.
"It was a tough loss," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. "We played a really fine 24 minutes in the second half, but the game is 48 and we didn't do that. Cleveland played for 48 and we played for 24. That's the bottom line."
Collin Sexton and Wagner High School graduate Jordan Clarkson also helped Love with the scoring load, finishing with 28 and 25 points, respectively. Clarkson, who came off the bench, hit 10 of 18 shots, including 4 of 11 from the three-point line.
Cedi Osman (15) rounded out the Cavs' double-figure scoring.
DeRozan led the Spurs' scoring with 21 points and LaMarcus Aldridge and Derrick White finished with 18 and 17 points, respectively. Aldridge also finished with 10 rebounds.
Patty Mills (10) and Marco Belinelli (10) were the other S.A. players scoring in double digits.
The Spurs trailed for most of the game before DeRozan scored on a layup to put the Silver and Black up 84-83 with 6:23 left in regulation. S.A. pushed the lead to six and was ahead until Love knocked down the three-pointer that forced OT.
Cleveland was up by 10 at the half and maintained that margin, 78-68, going into the fourth quarter.
Sparked by Love, the Cavs led 53-43 at the half and trailed only once in the first two quarters. Love scored 19 points in the first half, hitting 8 of 12 shots, including 2 of 3 from the three-point line. Love also had eight first-half rebounds.
Sexton, who scored the last four points of the half, had 10 points at the break.
Cleveland, which led 28-19 after one quarter, shot 46.7 percent (21-45) from the field in the first half. The Cavs were 7 of 20 (35 percent) from beyond the arc.
White, who started at point guard for the Spurs, was aggressive from the opening tip. He finished with 11 points on 5-of-6 shooting in the first half.
DeRozan was asked how difficult it will be for the Spurs to put Thursday night's loss behind them.
"It’s going to suck, man," he said. "I know for a fact, it’s going to suck. It’s going to eat away at me. Can’t do nothing with it but channel it until the next game when we go out to play.”
The Spurs play their next two games on the road, squaring off against Phoenix on Saturday in Mexico City and Houston on Monday. The game in Houston will be broadcast by KENS 5, the Official Television Station of the San Antonio Spurs.