GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS (28-17) 108, CLEVELAND CAVALIERS (13-33) 95
Quicken Loans Arena
Tuesday
Radio/TV: WTAM (1100 AM), WFUN (970 AM)/Fox Sports Ohio

WHAT HAPPENED: Let's talk a little about Alonzo Gee's night.

He's known as the Cavaliers' defensive stopper. That wasn't the case tonight. He started on Warriors point guard Jarrett Jack and was decent against him in the first half.

The coaches shifted him over to Warriors shooting guard Klay Thompson to start the second half. It was no contest. Thompson kept firing from long range. He made his first six 3-pointers en route to his career-high 32 points and seven rebounds.

Gee not only stunk up the place defensively, he was scoreless on offense. He was 0 of 5 from the field, 0 of 2 from the 3-point line.

"(It) was just a bad night on both ends of the floor," Cavs coach Byron Scott said.

My God, Thompson was impressive. He shoots the ball with so little effort, especially from long range. I'd take him on my team in a second. He's a little better than his brother, Mychel, who played five games with the Cavs during the 2011-12 season (just a little).

Stephen Curry, another major snub for the All-Star Game, sprained his ankle in the Toronto game on Monday and was one of four players held out by the Warriors. He was replaced by Jack, who had 26 points and matched his career high with 12 assists.

"He's a helluva security blanket to have," Cavs coach Byron Scott said.

What would have happened if Curry, center Andrew Bogut and forwards Harrison Barnes and Carl Landry had played? I don't even want to think about it.

Often times, though, when opposing teams find out the other team is short-handed, they let down. Scott tried to warn his troops it was going to happen, calling the Warriors a "wounded animal."

Monday's game was one of the first times all year they had their projected starting lineup together. Center Andrew Bogut finally returned from an ankle injury. The 7-footer has appeared in just five games this season. He was also held out of the game. The Warriors are holding him out of back-to-back games.

Small forward Harrison Barnes, who has a sore left knee, was also sidelined.

All-Star power forward David Lee has been having an outstanding season.

Another local connection is Warriors assistant coach Mike Malone, an assistant coach with the Cavs from 2005-10.

This was the most potent offensive team the Cavs have faced in quite a while. Now, they are defending, too, which is another reason they are 11 games over .500.

They will be game planning for Cavs guard Kyrie Irving, who has averaged 35.7 points in his last three games. He had been playing the best basketball of his career. He had a real downer on Tuesday with 14 points on 5 of 17 shooting.

He was questionable before the game with a virus. He should go home and stay in bed for two days.

The Cavs played without two key players on the second team: Power forward Luke Walton (ankle/foot) and Boobie Gibson (toe).

The Cavs have lost five in a row to the Warriors, including their last three at home. They stumbled at Oracle Arena on Nov. 7, 106-96. Lee definitely looked like an All-Star in that game with 22 points, 14 rebounds and six assists. 

YAHOO! SPORTS' Kelly Dwyer said he thinks Kyrie Irving will be the starter in the All-Star Game. Here's a link to that story.

LAST GAME: The Cavs defeated Toronto on Saturday, 99-98.

UP NEXT: The Cavs travel to Detroit 7:30 p.m. Friday at The Palace of Auburn Hills.

STARTERS
SF Alonzo Gee (6-6, 219) vs. Richard Jefferson (6-7, 230)
PF Tristan Thompson (6-9, 227) vs. David Lee (6-9, 240)
C Tyler Zeller (7-0, 250) vs. Andris Biedrins (7-0, 242)
SG Dion Waiters (6-4, 221) vs. Klay Thompson (6-7, 205)
PG Kyrie Irving (6-3, 191) vs. Jarrett Jackson (6-3, 197) 
INACTIVE LIST
Cavs – C Anderson Varejao, G Josh Selby 
Warriors - G/F Brandon Rush, C Andrew Bogut 
OFFICIALS
Derrick Stafford, Karl Lane, Zach Zarba