PACERS-CAVALIERS
Irving scores 37, Cavs hold on to beat Pacers 117-111
CLEVELAND (AP) - Kyrie Irving scored 37 points, Kevin Love added 27 and the Cleveland Cavaliers avoided another fourth-quarter collapse in Game 2, beating the Indiana Pacers 117-111 on Monday night to take a 2-0 lead in the series.
After squeaking out the opener by a point, LeBron James and Co. showed more intensity on defense, more swagger in general and won their 10th straight first-round game over the past three seasons.
However, they nearly blew an 18-point lead in the fourth as the Pacers got within four before Cleveland closed it out at the line.
James added 10 rebounds and seven assists, but had eight of Cleveland's 19 turnovers.
Game 3 is Thursday night.
Paul George scored 32 and Jeff Teague 23 for Indiana, which showed more fight, but now has a steep hill to climb to get back in the series. Cleveland is 12-0 when starting 2-0 in the postseason.
COLTS-LUCK SURGERY
Luck offers no timetable for return from shoulder surgery
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - Andrew Luck isn't sure when he'll start throwing again and won't set a timetable for his return from shoulder surgery.
The Indianapolis Colts starting quarterback isn't expected to do much - if any - work during the team's offseason workouts.
Players and coaches held their first official team activities Monday at the team complex, and for the first time Luck acknowledged that his injury problems began during a Week 3 contest at Tennessee in 2015.
He missed nine games that season with an assortment of injuries, including a lacerated kidney. After the season, Luck said he decided to undergo rehab rather than opt for surgery. But after aggravating the injury several times last season, he decided to have surgery.
FEVER-CATCHINGS HIRED
Tamika Catchings returns to Indiana with front office job
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - Tamika Catchings is returning to Indiana - as director of player programs and franchise development.
The longtime WNBA star retired at the end of last season after a 16-year career that included 10 All-Star selections, one WNBA championship, one league MVP award and four Olympic gold medals.
Catchings will work with three different franchises - the Indiana Fever, who she played with, the Fort Wayne Mad Ants of the NBA's D-League and the Indiana Pacers.
The 37-year-old Catchings will be asked to help build chemistry and continuity among players and recruit free agents for the Fever and Mad Ants and will assist with community outreach programs for all three franchises.
BREWERS-CUBS
Thames, Braun power Brewers past struggling Cubs 6-3
CHICAGO (AP) - Eric Thames homered in his club record-tying fifth straight game and the streaking Milwaukee Brewers turned back the Chicago Cubs 6-3 on Monday night.
Milwaukee never trailed after Thames hit an opposite-field homer to snap a 3-3 tie in the third inning. Jeromy Burnitz became the first and last Brewers player to homer in five straight games in August, 1997.
Ryan Braun and Jeff Bandy also went deep for Milwaukee, the only team to hit as many as three homers in a game off Chicago starter John Lackey (1-2) last season. The victory was the Brewers' sixth in the last seven games.
The Cubs lost for a fourth straight time, their worst stretch since a five-game skid from July 5-9 last season.
Brewers starter Chase Anderson (2-0) pitched five innings of three-run, seven-hit ball to pick up the victory. He walked two batters and struck out five. Neftali Felix pitched a scoreless ninth for his fifth save in as many tries.
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