CLEVELAND -- The Cavaliers had played poorly for long enough offensively that coach Tyronn Lue thought they needed a reminder of how good they can be when they play the right way.

So Lue compiled a highlight video of earlier in the season when guys consistently found the open man and made the extra pass.

The results seemed evident in Thursday's 118-103 win Thursday against the Phoenix Suns. LeBron James scored 21 points, matched his season high with 15 assists and grabbed nine rebounds, while Kyrie Irving scored 26 points on the night both he and James were named Eastern Conference starters in the All-Star Game.

The Cavs made 19 3-pointers, tallied 29 assists (two shy of their season high) and only committed 12 turnovers after struggling in all three phases during their 3-3 West Coast swing. Lue said the Cavs were averaging 23 assists per game before January, then averaged about 16 on the six-game trip.

"That's a difference of probably 17 points if you count 3s," Lue said. "So just showing them who we are and what we need to do."

The Suns' Tyson Chandler scored 22 points and grabbed 16 rebounds after missing one game with stomach problems. Eric Bledsoe scored 22 points and passed for nine assists, while Devin Booker had 21 points, seven rebounds and eight assists for the Suns, who lost for the fourth time in their last five games. They also committed 16 turnovers.

"They hit a bunch of shots," Chandler said of the Cavs. "They did a great job of spreading the floor and keeping us in the pick-and-roll, confusing us with cutters and things like that. You have to give them credit. They made adjustments from the first game."

The Cavs led by 21 late in the first half and were never really threatened by a Suns team with the worst record in the Western Conference.

It was the second time in 11 days the Suns fell behind big to the Cavs. They only lost by four at home less than two weeks ago, but never cut the deficit to single digits Thursday.

"You can't keep depending on second-half runs to get back into games, especially versus the defending champs with the experience they have," Suns coach Earl Watson said. "We thought we had a chance, but they stopped it around 13 (points) and kind of kept it around there."

Cavs forward Kevin Love missed the game with a sore back. Love was considered a game-time decision after he missed the second half of Monday's blowout loss to the Golden State Warriors. He didn't believe he'd miss any time, but he didn't participate in contact drills during Wednesday's practice and then couldn't make it through Thursday's morning shootaround.

James Jones started in place of Love and scored 14 points, one shy of his season high. The Cavs aren't yet concerned about Love, believing rest is all he needs. It's the fifth game Love has missed this season and he would seem to be questionable for Saturday's big home game against the San Antonio Spurs. Iman Shumpert scored a season-high 17 points and Channing Frye scored 18 points and grabbed 10 rebounds off the bench.

"Coming off our road trip, we weren't playing Cavalier basketball and getting the ball moving, popping from one side to another," James said. "It was just good to get back to playing the way we've been playing for most of the season."

NOTES: F LeBron James and G Kyrie Irving were named Eastern Conference starters for the All-Star game, to be held Feb. 19 in New Orleans. It is Irving's second start and fourth All-Star appearance in six years, while James will become the fifth player in NBA history to appear in at least 13 All-Star games. James led all players in fan voting. ... F James Jones' start Thursday in place of the injured Kevin Love was his first since April 2, 2015. ... Tristan Thompson left the game briefly in the second quarter with a dislocated left index finger, but was able to start the second half. ... Suns coach Earl Watson leased Kyle Korver's condo in Utah after Watson joined the Jazz for the 2010-11 season. Korver played for Utah from 2007-10. "We go back," Watson joked. "I sent him a lot of money every month. I'm glad I don't do that anymore." ... Suns G Devin Booker (20.4 ppg) began the night averaging 30 points over his last six games.