CLEVELAND (AP) — Darius Garland scored 22 points, Donovan Mitchell added 21 and the Cleveland Cavaliers snapped a season-high, three-game losing streak with a 110-91 win over the Detroit Pistons on Monday night.

The Cavaliers stormed back to tie the game at 107 with just seconds remaining and had a chance to tie or win the game on the final possession with the Rockets leading 109-107. Bizarrely, Rockets forward Tari Eason fouled Darius Garland on a 3-point attempt, giving the Cavaliers sharpshooter a chance to tie or win the game at the line.

Trailing the Houston Rockets 109–107 in the closing seconds, Cavaliers guard Darius Garland was fouled on a three-point attempt by Tari Eason and was gifted three free-throw attempts. After review, officials deemed that Eason's close-out was actually "reckless" and upgraded the personal foul to a flagrant foul 1—meaning Garland would get three free-throw attempts and the Cavaliers would receive the ball.

Darius Garland couldn’t close this time. Cleveland mounted a fourth-quarter rally that fell short Wednesday night, losing to the Houston Rockets, 109-108, inside Houston’s Toyota Center. The NBA-best Cavs are just 3-3 in their last six games.

Alperen Sengun made two free throws with 4.5 seconds left and Darius Garland missed two of three free throws after that to allow the Houston Rockets to hold on for a 109-108 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Jake LaRavia is proving that hang time can be overrated, while a Phoenix rookie has turned into a long snapper.

The Houston Rockets continued to prove that they're a real threat this season when they beat the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday night, 109-108. Now 29-14, the Rockets have the fourth-best record in the league and are the only team with wins over the Cavaliers and Oklahoma City Thunder-- the best team in each conference with identical 36-7 records.

With the Cavaliers down two points, Darius Garland, their potential All-Star guard and 90 percent free-throw shooter, sat alone at the line with the chance to give Cleveland the lead. Even if he failed to make all three free throws, Cleveland, via a Flagrant One on the Rockets, would have the ball with a chance to seal the game.

In Houston’s bizarre win over Cleveland, did Tari Eason and/or broadcaster Craig Ackerman jinx Darius Garland on his late free throws? Fans think so.

Before the 2024-25 season started, Darius Garland thought about leaving the Cavaliers following their second-round exit from the playoffs.

Fans all made the same joke on Wednesday about Cleveland Cavaliers guard Darius Garland's late-game choke job.

Trailing the Houston Rockets 109–107 in the closing seconds, Cavaliers guard Darius Garland was fouled on a three-point attempt by Tari Eason and was gifted three free-throw attempts.