Tag Archives: Cleveland Cavaliers

Cavaliers take down shorthanded Bucks

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The Cleveland Cavaliers traveled to Milwaukee to take on the Bucks and came away with a decisive 119-90 victory.

There is one thing that the Cleveland Cavaliers must continue to do, win. That is just what they did Saturday night as they took down a shorthanded Bucks squad. After trading leads throughout most of the 1st quarter, the Cavs eventually took the lead and didn’t look back. From the last point Cleveland trailed to the end of the game, the Cavaliers outscored the Bucks 115-75. Cleveland made 50% of their shots including 16 three-pointers en route to the lopsided victory.

Due to various reasons the version of the Milwaukee Bucks the Cleveland Cavaliers faced was not anything resembling the reigning NBA Champions. Milwaukee found themselves without Giannis Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton, Rodney Hood, Bobby Portis, Done DiVincenzo, Wesley Matthews, and Brook Lopez. The Bucks starting five on Saturday had a total of 20 combined starts this season, 12 of which are credited to George Hill.

Leading the Cavaliers scoring effort was Cedi Osman who finished with 23 points in 27 minutes off the bench, right behind him though was Darius Garland with 22 on an efficient 10-13 from the field. Kevin Love and Ricky Rubio also contributed 15 points each while Jarrett Allen scored 14 of his own.

The Cavaliers are now 19-12 on the season and are far exceeding any realistic expectations for this team. Cleveland will travel to Atlanta Sunday to face a healthier Hawks squad looking for their seventh straight win.

 

Evan Mobley dealing with hip issue

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The Dynamic Cleveland Cavaliers rookie is currently dealing with a hip issue which kept him out of Wednesday’s win over Houston.

Evan Mobley was listed as questionable for Wednesday’s contest against Houston and did not play in the lopsided win. According to reports Mobley is dealing with a hip injury and the team is managing the injury rather than rushing him back.

While it was disappointing that Evan Mobley did not play, there are two positives to take away. Cleveland was still able to come away with a 35-point win over the Rockets and the team is looking big picture when it comes to his injury. Often times teams will rush rookies back at the risk of further injury, especially if they are exceeding expectations. The Cavs appear to be handling this properly which shows some competence in the organization, something that has eluded them for some time.

Evan Mobley is averaging 13.8 points, 8.3 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 1.8 blocks in 25 games this season. Mobley has been an impact player more often than not and it appears the Cavaliers have hit on a pick they absolutely needed to.

Isaac Okoro has entered COVID protocols

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The Cleveland Cavaliers second-year small forward has entered COVID-19 protocols.

Isaac Okoro has entered COVID-19 protocols according to reports. The Cavs small forward played in last night’s win over Houston.

Isaac Okoro is just the latest and will not be the last NBA player to enter these protocols as the list grows by the hour.

This comes at a time that Isaac Okoro where he is playing his best basketball. Over his last four games Okoro is averaging 18.5 points per game while making 70% of his field goals and 58.8% of his three-point attempts. While those numbers are not sustainable over a long period of time, the fact that Okoro was playing at this level was highly encouraging. Now any momentum Okoro has been building could be lost if he were to miss a significant amount of time.

Cavaliers demolish Rockets 124-89

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On the strength of 18 three-pointers, the Cleveland Cavaliers destroyed the Houston Rockets by a score of 124-89.

Make it five straight wins for the Cleveland Cavaliers. Even without dynamic rookie Evan Mobley, the Cavs were able to take care of business and hand the Houston Rockets a 35-point loss. Like Cleveland, Houston was also on a hot streak, winning eight of their previous 10 games. Houston was without a few of their key players (Christian Wood, Kevin Porter Jr., Eric Gordon, Jalen Green, John Wall, Daniel House Jr.) which may have played a factor in the final differential.

The major difference between the two teams was three-point shooting. Houston struggled from deep, going just 5-29 while the Cavaliers connected on 18 of 40 attempts. Whenever a team makes 13 more threes than the other it will usually be a lopsided victory and the was the case for the Cavs Wednesday.

It was mostly a group effort scoring wise, but Darius Garland led the way with 21 points.  Garland was 7-11 from the field including being tied for a team-high three makes from deep. Isaac Okoro joined Garland as the only players to score 20 or more points. Okoro made seven of nine field goals (3-3 3PT) as his recent scoring surge continues. Okoro is averaging 18.5 points per game over his last four games while showing signs of improvement offensively.

Since the Cavaliers were without Evan Mobley someone had to step in and that someone was Dean Wade. Wade came through with a 16 point 10 rebound performance and contributed to the downtown onslaught making three of five attempts.

Kevin Love also made three shots from deep as he finished with 15 points, his six straight game with 10 or more points off the bench. Love has made just over 50% of his three-point attempts in December and has been a valuable player off the bench.

The Cavaliers are 18-12 and now sit in fourth place in the Eastern Conference. Cleveland will be off for two days before beginning a road trip Saturday in Milwaukee.

Evan Mobley questionable vs Rockets

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The Cleveland Cavaliers rookie is questionable for Wednesday’s game against the Houston Rockets.

When the Cleveland Cavaliers take on the Houston Rockets Wednesday they may be without Evan Mobley. Mobley is listed as questionable with a hip injury and may miss his fist game since late November.

Evan Mobley has been a force for the Cavs this season, averaging 13.8 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 2.5 assists while shooting 47.4% from the field. While things may change as the season progresses, Mobley looks like a near lock for the Rookie of the Year Award.

Cavaliers cool Heat, win fourth straight

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The Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the visiting Miami Heat by a score of 105-94 as they won their fourth consecutive game.

It’s time to start taking the Cleveland Cavaliers seriously. The Cavs controlled their Monday night contest with the Miami Heat for the majority of the game and were able to avoid the usual pitfalls they found themselves into in previous seasons. Miami battled and were keeping up with Cleveland for most of the contest until the Cavaliers put the game away midway through the 4th.

With the win Cleveland did something that they have not accomplished since February 4, 2010. The Cavaliers defeated the Heat in two straight games with one of those games taking place in Miami for the first time since the first LeBron James era. The Cavs have defeated the Heat in consecutive games prior to Monday, but that elusive win in Miami did not happen until earlier this season.

Game Notes

A major reason for why the Cavaliers were able to beat the Heat was the difference at the free throw line. Miami went 5-9 while Cleveland was 17-18, being able to get shots at the charity stripe and converting them at a high rate more often than not will lead to a win.

Leading Cleveland’s scoring attack was none other than Kevin Love. Coming of the bench, Love scored 23 points on the strength of making five of eight three-point attempts and all six free throws in just 24 minutes. Love’s 23 points was tied for a game high with Miami’s P.J. Tucker.

Isaac Okoro had his third straight impressive scoring night, finishing with 18 points with most of his damage coming from deep (4-8 3PT). Okoro’s effectiveness from deep certainly played a part in the Cavaliers win.

Jarrett Allen finished with 17 points, eight rebounds, three assists, and one block. While Allen’s double-double streak came to an end, the double-digit scoring streak continues as he scored 10 or more points in 19 straight games. Prior to this streak beginning on November 1st, Allen scored just 14 points combined in the previous three games.

It was an all around solid game for rising star Darius Garland. Garland had 16 points, five assists, four rebounds, and three steals for the Cavs. While it was not a great shooting night for Garland, (5-16 FG, 3-7 3PT), the fact he can impact in the game in other areas separates him from others.

With the win the Cavaliers are now 17-12 on the year and are in fourth place in the Eastern Conference. Cleveland’s current four game winning streak is tied with two other streaks earlier in the year for longest of the season. The Cavs can make it five in a row as they take on the Houston Rockets Wednesday at 7:00 P.M.

Cavaliers dominant in win over Kings

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The Cleveland Cavaliers controlled their Saturday night contest with the Sacramento Kings from start to finish.

There was not a point on Saturday night which made anyone feel that the Cleveland Cavaliers were in danger of losing to the Sacramento Kings. The Cavs were not the welcoming party that Sacramento was hoping for as they ran them out of the building. Cleveland was able to build their lead up to 29 points, coming at the end of their 45 point 2nd quarter. While the Cavs were outscored 51-36 in the second half, they had built such a large lead that it did not matter as Cleveland was able to hang on for a 117-103 win.

It was a team wide offensive onslaught which propelled the Cavaliers over the Kings. While there was not a singular player who scored in bunches, six players scored 15 points or more. Leading the Cavs in points was Isaac Okoro with 20, a season-high. Joining Okoro in the surprising scoring output department was Cedi Osman. Osman finished with 18 points, making his first six shots of the game.

With Okoro and Osman primarily being scoring threats, others were able to score and make an impact in other areas of the game compiling double-doubles. Jarrett Allen had 19 points and 11 rebounds, Evan Mobley had a casual 15-15 game (PTS, REBS), and Darius Garland had 16 points and 13 assists.

This was the exact type of game that the Cavaliers have to win. This team is starting to gain some momentum and is getting noticed by those outside of Cleveland. In order to take the next step they desire, winning games against teams that are the caliber of the Kings is a must. Win decisively against the bottom feeders while at least being competitive with the playoff teams and things start to look a lot brighter.

The Cavaliers have a tough matchup Monday night as they host the Miami Heat looking to avenge their loss earlier this season. 

 

Cavaliers topple Timberwolves 123-106

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The Cleveland Cavaliers took a trip to Minnesota and took care of business at the Target Center, defeating the Timberwolves 123-106.

From the start it was clear the Cleveland Cavaliers were going to cruise to a victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves. The Cavs built an early 14 point lead at the end of the 1st quarter and continued to create separation between themselves and the T’Wolves. Eventually Cleveland would hold a 33 point lead in the contest as they proceeded to continue their scoring barrage into the second half and claim the inevitable double-digit victory.

It was one of the better shooting nights for the Cavaliers, conversing 46 of their 85 field goal attempts, good for 54.1%. 13 of their made field goals were of the three-point variety and the Cavs also went 18-22 at the free throw line. Only two of their made two-point field goals did not come in the paint, as Cleveland scored 62 points in that area compared to Minnesota’s 42. This differential certainly played a factor in the final outcome.

Leading the way for the Cavaliers was Jarrett Allen, finishing with an easy 21 points and 10 rebounds in addition to his two blocks, two assists, and one steal on the night. This was the ninth double-double in 10 games for Allen as he has proven to be quite a force this season.

It was also a productive night for Kevin Love off the bench, scoring 18 points and grabbing 13 boards in 23 minutes. Love made all seven free throws and went 3-7 from deep. Love has shown that he can be a valuable player off the bench at times this season.

Perhaps one of the more shocking shooting performances came from Lauri Markkanen. Markkanen went 4-5 from three-point range and 7-8 overall as he scored 19 points in 22 minutes.

The Cavaliers are now 15-12, good for sixth in the Eastern Conference. Cleveland will take on the Sacramento Kings Saturday night as they look to win their third straight game. 

Cavaliers bully Bulls in 115-92 win

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The Cleveland Cavaliers were able to take care of business at home against a shorthanded Chicago Bulls team.

After competitive games but losses to the Bucks and Jazz, the Cleveland Cavaliers were looking to reverse their fortunes and they had that opportunity while taking on the Chicago Bulls. Chicago was without Demar Derozen and Alex Caruso which gave the Cavs the advantage they needed to break their losing streak.

Cleveland shot an impressive 46.4% from three point range, making 13 of their 28 attempts, nearly double the makes of Chicago. The three-point barrage at one point built the Cavaliers lead up to 26 late in the 4th quarter.

Darius Garland bounced back from an off game their previous game, scoring a game-high 24 points on 9-16 from the field and 3-7 from deep. One thing has become clear this season, when Garland is able to score at this rate the Cavs are usually able to at least be competitive in games.

It was another impressive performance from Evan Mobley. The Cavaliers rookie made an impact in multiple facets of the game, finishing with 16 points, nine rebounds, five blocks, two steals, and one assist. Mobley is certainly on the fast track towards Rooke of the Year as long as he continues to play at this level.

After his double-double streak ended, Jarrett Allen rebounded against the Bulls and perhaps is starting a new streak. Allen had 13 points and 12 rebounds in addition to four rebounds, one block, and one assist.

With the win Cleveland is 14-12 on the year and currently sit in the seventh place in the Eastern Conference. The Cavaliers will have a chance to win their second straight game as they travel to take on the Timberwolves in Minnesota Friday night.

Cavaliers fall short in Milwaukee, lose to Bucks

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The Cleveland Cavaliers were able to keep things competitive in Milwaukee, but ultimately the Bucks came out on top.

It was always going to be an uphill battle for the Cleveland Cavaliers in Milwaukee. While the Cavs have played above expectations up to this point, the fact of the matter is that they do not have the same star power as the reigning champs. The difference in overall talent ultimately made the difference as the Cavaliers found themselves on the wrong side of a 112-104 final score.

It was not a great night for Darius Garland to have a bad night. After two straight games scoring 30+, Garland only managed 10 points on a 3-12 shooting effort. While expecting Garland to continue to score in that range is not realistic, somewhere between 10 and 30 is more than reasonable.

With Garland struggling someone had to pick up the scoring load and that someone was Jarrett Allen. Allen scored a team-high 25 points while making 10 of 12 shots from the field and all five free throws. Although Allen’s double-double streak came to an end at seven after only collecting nine rebounds.

The second-highest scorer for the Cavaliers was Lauri Markkanen with 20 points on 7-15 from the field (4-9 3PT). When an opponent can force Markkanen to be the second-highest scorer that is not a good sign. Markkanen is a fine player, but should not be leading the team in field goal attempts.

Kevin Love was the highest-scoring bench player in the contest with 15 points. Love only attempted three-pointers and went 5-11 from deep.

Now losers of two straight, the Cleveland Cavaliers are now 13-12 on the year and are in ninth in the Eastern Conference. Cleveland is averaging just 104.6 points per game, which is the third-fewest in the conference and could be a sign of things to come moving forward. The Cavs have a chance to end their losing streak Wednesday at home as they take on the Chicago Bulls.