Monday, Feb. 7, 2011

CLEVELAND (AP) The losing streak has been long, painful and embarrassing.

Hard times: Manny Harris, left, is fouled by Rudy Fernandez during the Cavs' 111-105 loss to the Trailblazers. AP PHOTO

Now it's historic.

The Cleveland 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 are yet to win in 2011 and have lost a mind-boggling 34 of 35.

With just one win since Nov. 27, the Cavaliers now own the league's single-season mark for consecutive losses and have matched the record for overall losses in a row they previously set over 1981-82 and 1982-83.

"It feels like a bad dream," said guard Daniel Gibson.

And it's not over.

Cleveland nearly overcame a 10-point deficit in the fourth quarter, but once again failed to make plays down the stretch and fell to 8-42 — an almost unimaginable record for a team that won more than 60 games the past two seasons and went deep in the playoffs.

But that when they had superstar LeBron James.

Without him, the Cavs are shells of their former selves.

"We have to figure out how to win these games," said Gibson, who scored 12 with nine assists. "We just have to keep trying until we do. It's not a matter of if, but when. We have to continue to play the way we're playing and things are going to change for us."

When?

"The next game, hopefully," he said. "That's the way you have to approach it."

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