Tag Archives: Kevin Love

Cavaliers fall short in Toronto, lose 108-105

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It was a tough night north of the border as the Cleveland Cavaliers were not able to come away with a win against the Toronto Raptors.

The 4th quarter began with the Cleveland Cavaliers holding on to an eight-point lead and were just 12 minutes away from starting the season on a winning note. Cleveland held a one-point lead until Toronto took over with 3:31 left to play. The Raptors would outscore Cleveland 12-9 over the final few minutes as they handed the Cavaliers a three-point loss. This stretch from Toronto was actually just a small snippet of what they were able to do in the final quarter. Cleveland was outscored 32-21 as they were simply not able to keep up with Toronto.

A big reason for the Cavs loss was an injury which forced Darius Garland to leave the game late in the 2nd quarter. It was revealed after the game that Garland has a laceration on the inside of his eyelid. The absence of Garland for over half of the game was a clear issue for Cleveland. Losing a player as talented as Garland would take down most teams in the NBA and the Cavalier were no exception.

Player notes

Donovan Mitchell was outstanding in his Cavaliers debut, leading Cleveland with 31 points on 12-21 shooting and nine assists. Mitchell was a primary reason why the Cavs were in the game for as long as they were. Without Mitchell the final differential may have been a bit lopsided.

Cavaliers big man Jarrett Allen started the season off on the right foot as he finished with his usual double-double. Allen scored 13 points and grabbed 10 boards in addition to two blocks.

The leading bench scorer and second-highest Cavs scoring effort came from Cedi Osman. Osman had one of his on nights, making six of 12 field goal attempts including 3-6 from downtown.

Second-year star Evan Mobley was the second-highest scoring Cavaliers starter with 14 points on 5-9 from the field. Mobley also had six rebounds, one assists, one steal, and one block.

Kevin Love had a productive night in 21 minutes off the bench. Love totaled eight points, seven rebounds, and two assists for Cleveland.

The Cavaliers are off until Saturday when they travel to Chicago to take on the Bulls as they look for their first win of the season.

Cavaliers miss out on NBA Awards

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The Cleveland Cavaliers took a massive step forward last season in their ascension from the basement of the Eastern Conference, but did not result in any awards for members of the organization. Award winner after award winner was announced without any Cavs taking home the respective honor.

Up for Most Improved Player, Darius Garland finished in third behind winner Ja Morant and second place Dejounte Murray. Garland’s rise in the wake of multiple teammates suffering season-ending injuries propelled the Cavs to postseason play without LeBron James for the first time in a quarter century.

In a very controversial decision Evan Mobley finished in second place for Rookie of the Year with Toronto’s Scottie Barnes being named the winner. The 15 vote differential is the smallest ever in the system of voting.

The comeback season of Kevin Love got a lot of appreciation league wide, but not enough to win Sixth Man of the Year. Tyler Herro of the Heat won by nearly 270 votes taking 96 of 100 first place votes (Love finished with three first place votes).

Koby Altman was up for Executive of the Year, but fell short to another individual from Memphis, Zach Kleiman. Altman finished with two first place votes, five second place votes, and two third place votes for 27 points total while Kleiman had 85.

If the Cavaliers are the type of team that thrives on being overlooked then this could be some motivation for next season. This young Cavs team could make sure that next time that the end of season NBA awards are being announced that they get the call.

Cavaliers lose to Hawks in final play-in game

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The Cleveland Cavaliers had their season on the line when taking on the Atlanta Hawks Friday and it did not end the way they wanted. After entering the half with a 61-51 lead, it was a less than stellar second half for the Cavs.

Once Atlanta tied the game at 86 just over two and half minutes into the 4th the game was all but over. The scales were tipped in the Hawks favor at that point and the Cavs fate was sealed. Atlanta outscored Cleveland 56-40 over the final two quarters leading to a slim six-point Cavs point loss.

Atlanta’s Trae Young was the difference for the Hawks in this game. Young finished with a game-high 38 points on 13-25 from the field and 8-9 from the charity stripe. While Darius Garland did finish with 21 points and nine assists, his 9-27 shooting performance and 1-7 from deep was an issue. Comparing Young’s 52% shooting to Garland’s 33% on a similar amount of attempts from the field is an intriguing exercise. Young is an established star player in the league while Garland is on the rise, a performance such as this will only help the young Cavaliers guard grow as a player.

Cleveland’s leading scorer in the contest was Lauri Markkanen which is rarely a good thing. Markkanen needs to be the tertiary scorer on a competitive team and with a team-high 26 points on 10-17 shooting (6-12 3PT) that was not the case.

Evan Mobley had an impressive postseason debut, finishing with 18 points, eight rebounds, five assists, and two blocks. Mobley made quite the impression with this performance and has put the league on notice.

Perhaps one of the more confusing aspects of this game was that Kevin Love only played 10 minutes. Love was one of the more productive players for the Cavaliers this season and may have even garnered sixth man of the year consideration. This was a game that JB Bickerstaff should have leaned on him more not less.

Cleveland has a bright future and this is only the beginning for this young Cavaliers team.

Cavaliers no match for Nets in 115-108 loss

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It was the first postseason (not playoff) game for the Cleveland Cavaliers without LeBron James in nearly a quarter century and it did not necessarily go well. The Brooklyn Nets were in control from the start as they never trailed, at one point leading the Cavs by 22 points. Cleveland was able to make things interesting late, cutting the Brooklyn lead to just six with over five minutes to play, but it was ultimately the veteran experience of the Nets that prevailed.

Darius Garland lead the Cavaliers in scoring with 34 points.. Putting the team on his back in an attempt to keep this game competitive, Garland was 13-24 from the field while making three of six shots from deep and five of six from the free throw line. Evan Mobley also made a large contribution for the Cavs, finishing with 19 points, seven rebounds, two assists, and two blocks. Kevin Love did Kevin Love things off the bench, scoring with 14 points and 13 rebounds in 29 minutes.

Not everyone who played or the Cavaliers was a positive as Caris LeVert, Lauri Markkanen, and Isaac Okoro all struggled. LeVert was 4-12 with 12 points, Markkananen went 5-14 for 12 points, and Okoro went scoreless as he was 0-3 from the field.

There was one notable Cavaliers player who was absent, Jarrett Allen. Allen is still rehabbing his fractured left finger which kept him out of the lineup Tuesday. While his presence may not have resulted in a win, it would have at least made the game more competitive.

What’s next?

With the win, Brooklyn has secured the seven seed while Cleveland awaits to find out their opponent of the next play-in game to see if they can advance to the playoffs or if they are headed home for good. Cleveland will play the winner of Charlotte and Atlanta Friday in an attempt to continue their season.

Cavaliers take down Bucks 115-99

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The Cleveland Cavaliers played host to the Milwaukee Bucks, defeating the reigning NBA Champions 115-99.

Wednesday night provided the Cleveland Cavaliers with the opportunity for a statement win. The Milwaukee Bucks came to town and the Cavs had the chance to leap them in the standings with a win. Cleveland trailed by nine points after the 1st quarter, but luckily it did not last.

The Cavs were able to outscore Milwaukee by 17 points in the 2nd, flipping the script on the Bucks and holding a 65-57 lead. It was a 39-point quarter for Cleveland as they drained eight of their 12 first half three-point makes in the quarter. This was the driving force which was able to propel the team into a lead they would never surrender.

The second half provided more of the same as the Cavaliers made seven more shots from deep as they at one point built their lead to 21. There was not stopping the Cavs as they enforced their will on the Bucks and there was nothing they could do about it. Cleveland was able to outscore Milwaukee 50-42 over the final two quarters, cruising to a comfortable 16-point win.

Kevin Love had one of his better games coming off the bench this season. Love scored a team-high 25 points powered by a 5-9 three-point effort in addition to finish gin with nine rebounds, two assists, and two steals. Love was not the only bench player to make an impact as Cedi Osman’s 23 points was second for the Cavaliers on the night. Osman went 6-14 from downtown, contributing to Cleveland’s assault from deep.

Darius Garland was the Cavs highest scoring starter, finishing with 19 points on an efficient 7-12 night from the field and 3-5 from deep. Garland would leave the game with a back injury two separate times, but was still able to return and make an impact. The third year guard also had eight assists in the contest.

The win moves Cleveland into third place in the Eastern Conference with a 30-19 record. Cleveland will have a mini break prior to traveling to Detroit on Sunday for their next contest against the Pistons. 

Cavaliers hold on against Knicks

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It was a close call, but the Cleveland Cavaliers managed to hang on for a narrow two-point victory over the New York Knicks.

The Cavaliers played some fantastic defense on the final play of the game to force a wild shot from Julius Randle that was off target resulting in a 95-93 win. Cleveland was clinging to slim lead over the final minute and a half, ultimately coming out victorious against the visiting New York Knicks.

A crucial stretch for the Cavaliers came during the 3rd quarter as Kevin Love made three of his six made three-pointers in just 53 seconds, pushing the Cavs lead to 11. Love scored 14 of his team-high 20 points in the quarter, helping Cleveland create a buffer they would need later. Love was not the only Cavaliers big man to make multiple three-pointers as Dean Wade went 4-7 from deep.

Darius Garland did not have the best shooting night scoring just 13 points on 6-19 from the field, but was able to make up for it with a game-high 12 assists. Evan Mobley was also able to contribute with a double-double of his own, finishing with 15 points and 12 rebounds.

The Cavaliers were without the services of Lauri Markkanen (ankle sprain) and Jarrett Allen (illness) in the contest. Even down two starters they were still able to win their eighth game in their last 10. Cleveland is now 29-19 on the year and will take on the Milwaukee Bucks Wednesday in search of their 30th win of the season.

Cavaliers fall short in Chicago, lose to Bulls 117-104

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The Cleveland Cavaliers were able to battle in Chicago, but a late Bulls run resulted in a double-digit loss on the road.

With just over four minutes left to play the Cleveland Cavaliers were able to draw within one point of the Chicago Bulls. Cleveland was chasing Chicago for the majority of the game as the Cavs were only able to hold a lead early in the contest and this was their chance to possibly steal a win on the road. Chicago was able to put together a 14-2 run over the final 4+ minutes to send the Cavs home with a double-digit loss.

Lauri Markkanen made his return to Chicago in the loss and was able put together his highest scoring effort of the season with 28 points. Markkanen was 5-9 from three-point range and 9-14 from the field overall in addition to 5-6 from the free throw line.

Darius Garland registered his fifth double-double in his last six games, finishing with 20 points and 12 assists. It is the second straight game with 12 assists for Garland as he has 42 assists over his last three games overall. Garland was 9-18 shooting on the night (1-6 3PT, 1-2 FT) as he was Cleveland’s second-highest scorer.

Evan Mobley was the third and final Cavaliers starter to score in double-digits. Mobley had 18 points, five rebounds, two assists, two blocks, and one steal while going 8-12 from the field. The young rookie continues to impress as the Cavs have a certified building block for the future.

Kevin Love was able to be productive off the bench, finishing with 13 points, eight rebounds, and four assist in 21 minutes. Nights like this from Love usually allow the Cavs to be competitive on more nights than most.

Cleveland returns home Saturday to take on the Oklahoma City Thunder 8:00 P.M.

Cavaliers hold on against Kings for slim win

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Withstanding a late rally, the Cleveland Cavaliers were able to hold on and defeat the Sacramento Kings 109-108.

The Cleveland Cavaliers were a missed De’Aaron Fox game-winner away from losing Monday night in Sacramento. Holding just a one-point lead with 11 seconds to go, Cleveland managed to come away with a win as their once 10-point lead was erased to one in just over two minutes. A combination of offensive futility and the Kings being effective down the stretch led to the close call in Sactown.

Leading the way for the Cavaliers was Jarrett Allen. Allen had a monstrous performance with 18 points and 17 rebounds in 31 minutes. All of Allen’s boards did not come on the defensive end however as he also had six of the offensive variety. Allen’s front court mate Evan Mobley also had himself a game. Mobley finished with 17 points, seven rebounds, five assists two blocks, and one steal. Both of Cleveland’s big men went 8-14 from the field in the contest.

Kevin Love was fantastic yet again off the bench. Love led Cleveland’s bench attack why 18 points on 5-13 shooting, 2-8 from downtown, and 6-7 from the free throw line. If the Cavaliers are able to get this type of production from Love, they will be competitive more often than not.

It was a nice bounce back performance for Cedi Osman after a dismal outing the night before. Osman scored 15 points on a 5-9 shooting night including 2-6 from deep. While Osman is usually an up and down performer, the nights he can be an impact player usually lead a Cavaliers victory.

The Cavaliers are 23-18 on the year and are 4-6 over their last 10 games. Cleveland is currently sixth in the Eastern Conference just ahead of the play-in group. The Cavs are off Tuesday, but return to action Wednesday in Utah as they take on the Jazz.

Cavaliers lose to Grizzlies 110-106

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The Cleveland Cavaliers were able to keep things competitive with the Memphis Grizzlies, but fell short late in a four-point loss.

It was a battle between Cleveland and Memphis Tuesday night, the game was even tied at 104 with just just 36.7 seconds remaining. A Cavaliers turnover plus a couple of made baskets by the Grizzlies resulted in Cleveland being on the short end of a 110-106 final score.

The Cavs put together an incredible effort against Memphis, going back and forth for most of the game. Unfortunately close losses in this manner happen for every team and that was the case for the Cavaliers Tuesday night.

Leading the Cavs in scoring was Darius Garland who finished with a game-high 27 points, going toe-to-toe with Memphis’ Ja Morant in the contest. Garland was 9-26 from the field, 3-10 from deep, and 6-6 from the free throw line in addition to having 10 assists.

It was the second consecutive double-double of the new year for Jarrett Allen, fishing with 22 points and 12 rebounds. Allen can usually be counted on for a double-double (or close to it) on a regular basis.

Evan Mobley continues to prove how good of a selection he was for the Cavaliers. Mobley’s night included 17 points, eight rebonds, two blocks. and one assist .

Proving to be a valuable player of the bench, Kevin Love also finished with a double-double, 18 points and 10 rebonds in 29 minutes. 12 of Love’s 18 points came from deep as he was 4-11 from three-point range.

This was the fourth loss in the last five games for the Cavaliers as they are now 21-17 on the year. Cleveland is about to embark on a road trip which sees them playing some tough opponents on the west coast. Their next contest is Friday in Portland which should be the team debut of Rajon Rondo.

Cavaliers unable to keep up with Wizards, lose 110-93

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The shorthanded Cleveland Cavaliers were not able to make Thursday’s matchup with Washington a contest as they lost by 17 points.

Despite keeping things close in the first half, the Cleveland Cavaliers lack of depth became a clear problem in the second. Washington was able to pull away and at one point led by 21 points against an undermanned Cavs team. Cleveland struggled to shoot making 42.2% of their field goals (35-83), 28.6% from deep (8-28), and 65.2% fro the free throw line 15-23). The Wizards are far from a juggernaut, but there was difference in talent on the floor Thursday night.

This was the first game for Cleveland after losing Ricky Rubio for the season, As they were still without Darius Garland who is still currently in the league’s health and safety protocols, this led to some obvious problems for the Cavaliers. Cleveland was left to start Kevin Pangos and depend on Dylan Windler, R.J. Nembhard Jr., and Malik Newman as their primary guards with underwhelming results. This group of guards combined to go 6-23 for 15 points.

While the Cavaliers guards were a negative, at least Evan Mobley and Kevin Love were positives. Love finished with team-highs with 24 points and 11 rebonds. Mobley finished with 21 points, five rebounds, three assists, two blocks, and one steal. Lauri Markkanen and Isaac Okoro both finished with 11 points, typical production from each player.

The Cavs have now lost two straight and find themselves at 20-15 on the season. Continuing to lose players by one way or another is having an impact on their ability to win games. That ability will be tested Friday night as they face the Hawks at home.