NBA

Cavs win 1st game without Irving

6 score double figures in win

The Cavs’ Alonzo Gee (33) shoots between the Wizards' Emeka Okafor (50) and Martell Webster (9) during the second quarter. Gee finished with 17 points in the win.

CLEVELAND — Dion Waiters scored 20 points, Alonzo Gee added 17, and the Cleveland Cavaliers held off a late run to beat the Washington Wizards 95-90 on Tuesday night.

Cleveland played its first game since Kyrie Irving sprained his left shoulder Sunday against Toronto. The all-star point guard, who watched the game from the bench with his left arm in a sling, could miss the next month — and maybe the rest of this season. The Cavaliers are 5-10 without him this season.

Cleveland led 90-78 with 4:29 remaining, but the Wizards cut the margin to 91-88 with 45 seconds remaining. Waiters, who scored 12 points in the fourth quarter, hit four free throws in the final 13.1 seconds to secure the win.

John Wall led Washington with a season-high 27 points. The Wizards have the league's worst road record at 5-25.

Rookie guard Bradley Beal, the Wizards' leading scorer, missed his fourth straight game with a sprained left ankle.

Cleveland placed six players in double figures. Tristan Thompson scored 13 points and had 14 rebounds. Shaun Livingston and Wayne Ellington added 12 points apiece, while C.J. Miles had 10.

Wall also had season highs with 14 assists and seven rebounds. Emeka Okafor scored 18 points and had 11 rebounds, while Martell Webster added 17 points, including five 3-pointers.

The Cavaliers used a 16-7 run to end the third quarter and took a 76-65 lead into the final period. The spurt was sparked by a pair of 3s from Gee, a jumper by Luke Walton, and a reverse layup by Ellington.

The Wizards scored the game's first 11 points, including three 3-pointers by Webster. Cleveland coach Byron Scott called timeout just more than two minutes into the game and benched all of his starters with the exception of Livingston. Washington led 33-20 after one quarter, but Thompson scored all 11 of his first-half points in the second period as the Cavaliers rallied to lead 50-49 at halftime.