Sacramento, Calif

- The Cavaliers' longest and most miserable trip of the season will end Friday in Los Angeles against the Clippers. It couldn't come soon enough.
If this West Coast trip was a tour, with the exception of Friday's thrilling finish in Seattle, spectators would demand a refund. The Cavs' performance (96-64) against Portland on Sunday was frightening.

It was the Cavs' biggest loss (a 32-point deficit) of the season. The Cavs' 64 points tied their lowest point total of the season (Nov. 7 against New York). The Cavs' 28 points in the second half and their 11 points during the second quarter were both season lows.

The Blazers' 57 rebounds was the second most allowed by the Cavs. Orlando had 59 in their 30-point blowout victory on Nov. 3.

And don't forget, the Cavs (13-24) have lost six straight and nine out of their last 11. During this six-game slide, the Cavs are giving up 99 points per game and scoring only 84.

Coach John Lucas has said that this month is important to the Cavs' season. It's especially important if they want to contend for a playoff spot in the weak Eastern Conference. But those hopes are fading fast.

Is there any hope?

"A loss like that against Portland impacts the team," said guard Andre Miller. "Right now, we're trying to get out of a slump. We've got to go out and try to find a way to win. That's what it boils down to. We're banged up but it's something we have to suck up and deal with."

The deal gets even tougher tonight against the surging Sacramento Kings. The Kings have won eight straight overall and 13 straight at Arco Arena. The Kings' 27-9 mark is the best in franchise history and moved them in a virtual first-place tie with the Los Angeles Lakers. And injuries to starters Vlade Divac and Mike Bibby didn't stop the Kings from slipping past the Phoenix Suns, 103-100, on Sunday.

Cavs coach John Lucas knows tonight's task isn't any different from the rest of the games on this trip.

"We thought we could play Denver and maybe get that game," Lucas said. "We were close to stealing the game in Seattle, but against [Portland] and [Sacramento], we just don't have enough people. This shows you how far we have to go."

The residue from this trip might never go away. Lucas will have to dig deep into his pockets. He was fined $7,500 by the NBA yesterday for verbally abusing the officials and failing to leave the court in a timely manner following the Cavaliers' 102-100 loss to Seattle.


More bad news:

After yesterday's practice, rookie center DeSagana Diop, who played 12 minutes during the loss at Portland, twisted his left ankle. Diop's status is day to day.

Masked man:

Zydrunas Ilgauskas wore a mask against Portland on Sunday to protect the nose he broke Friday in Seattle.

"The mask made me feel like Hannibal Lecter from the movie "Silence of the Lambs," Ilgauskas said. "I felt like I should've been saying, 'Hello, Clarice.' "