CLEVELAND, March 23 (UPI) -- Jeff McInnis did not score from the field and his teammates weren't much better Tuesday as Cleveland suffered a 103-86 setback to the Phoenix Suns.
The Cavaliers had been 17-8 since the acquisition of McInnis, a point guard who has steadied the offense with his ability to score and distribute. However, he had missed the last two games with a painful bruised shoulder.
McInnis returned Tuesday. He wore a protective shirt beneath his jersey, but that could not cover the pain, which was evident nearly every time he shot as he went 0-of-7 from the field.
Cleveland fell behind 10-2 in the opening minutes, 34-24 after one period and 60-41 at halftime.
Joe Johnson thoroughly outplayed LeBron James, matching a career high with 31 points on 14-of-23 shooting.
The Cavaliers (31-39) are just one-half game ahead of Boston for the final playoff berth in the Eastern Conference.