Soup-er Smith comes to boil but Denver ladles out loss

INDEPENDENCE, Ohio - JR Smith's return from suspension was, ahem, soup-er. For one half.

Smith scored all 19 of his points in the second half on Saturday, but the struggling Cavaliers couldn't stop Denver's long-range shooting attack in a 126-117 loss to the Nuggets.

Much like his season, Smith's comeback after he was benched by Cleveland for throwing a bowl of soup at Cavs assistant coach Damon Jones was strange. One of the NBA's least bashful shooters, Smith did not attempt a shot in the first half.