Cavs’ Week in Review (or, Righting the Ship)
The Cavs posted a 2-1 record over the past week and righted the ship after a three game losing streak surrounding the All-Star Break. Here are a few takeaways in the week that was…
1. Raptors 93, Cavs 118 (or, Revenge is Sweet)
The Cavs finally delivered a thorough beatdown of their nemesis the Toronto Raptors 118-93, in a performance so good that it begs the question of what the hell happened in the previous three meetings. Donovan Mitchell rained eight threes en route to 35 points, Darius Garland controlled the game with 11 assists and a staggering +39 plus/minus, Jarrett Allen delivered an All-Star worthy 23 points, 11 rebounds double-double, and Evan Mobley completely outplayed the fraudulent Rookie of the Year Scottie Barnes. And while the bench’s numbers didn’t wow, they still played winning basketball with Caris LeVert delivering six assists and a +13 plus/minus and Dean Wade posting six rebounds and a +10. The biggest takeaway is the Cavs being able to handle a small-ball team, something they’ve struggled with at times during the season (recall the three game losing streak earlier in the season to Toronto, Brooklyn pre-KD trade, and Indiana). When Tower City imposes its will on the game, the Cavs go to another level.
2. Cavs 113, Celtics 117 (or, Lights Too Bright)
It was the Boston Celtics’ turn for revenge as they put this game away in the third quarter and let their massive lead salt away to make the game look a lot more competitive than it actually was. In recent games against top level competition, the Cavs’ youth and inexperience have betrayed them. With so many guys playing (and coaching) their first meaningful games of their careers, it’s better to take their lumps now in the regular season to gear up for the playoffs.
In spite of the loss, there were a few bright spots for the Cavs… mainly the backcourt trio of Donovan Mitchell (44 points), Darius Garland (29 points, nine assists, four steals), and Caris LeVert (10 points, six rebounds, three assists, +11 plus/minus in a four point loss). But as it was aforementioned, the Cavs didn’t have another gear in this game because none of the frontcourt players couldn’t get it going. Evan Mobley did post a double double but didn’t shoot it efficiently, and had only one steal and one assist. Jarrett Allen and Isaac Okoro were invisible on offense and on the boards, and also let Jayson Tatum, Al Horford, and Robert Williams III run roughshod over the Cavs the whole game. Luckily for the Cavs, they get a chance to win the season series tomorrow night against Boston, who’s coming off a brutal double overtime loss to the surging New York Knicks.
3. Pistons 90, Cavs 114 (or, Bum Slaying)
The Cavs toyed with the hapless Detroit Pistons before putting them away with a brilliant third quarter as they take care of business 114-90, avoiding the trap game blues in preparation for tomorrow night. Coach J.B. Bickerstaff was able to use the bench liberally, with only Evan Mobley logging at least 30 minutes among the starters. The only blemish on the night was poor rebounding but the Cavs did everything else well, move the ball and make shots on offense and force turnovers and bad shots on defense. Tower City was a force to be reckoned with as Mobley nearly recorded a triple double and JA rebounded from the Celtics’ game with 15 efficient points. SpidaLand was brilliant in the backcourt, the only concern being Donovan Mitchell’s injured finger luckily on his non-shooting hand. Don’t be surprised if Mitchell struggles a bit or misses some games because it was a gnarly looking injury. Yours truly is totally unconcerned about a late season fall-off for the Cavs however because they have plenty of firepower this season as opposed to last year.
4. How are the Cavs coping without Love?
The Cavs haven’t exactly taken off since Kevin Love left the team in a buyout, going 2-4 since the request was made and honored. There was speculation that Darius Garland took it particularly hard, given how close he and his family is to Love, even attending Love’s wedding over the summer. Cleveland.com’s Chris Fedor reported that Love got squeezed out of the lineup to make room for Dean Wade’s return from injury, yet he’s obviously struggled since coming back and Wade’s best play this season actually came at the starting small forward position rather than backup power forward. Further, Love gave the Cavs a different dimension with his elite rebounding and passing, something Wade and Lamar Stevens don’t replicate. Now, is Love’s absence going to make a massive difference in the outcome of the season? Probably not, but as Tom Pestak noted in the last podcast, Love’s ability to get hot shooting can definitely win you a game in the playoffs single-handedly. More than than anything it mainly just reduced the frontcourt depth of the team that didn’t really have any to spare, especially from a playoff/championship experience angle, and funked up the vibes at least temporarily. Hopefully Dean Wade and Cedi Osman can catch a rhythm heading into the playoffs, which would really take the sting out of losing Love.
5. Next up, another big game
The Cavs will welcome the Boston Celtics to shores of Lake Erie to wrap up their season series, and the game has massive import for both teams as they scramble for the Eastern Conference’s top seeds. The Cavs are only a game ahead of the New York Knicks for the fourth seed, and the Celtics are trying to stay within striking distance of the Milwaukee Bucks for the top seed. The Cavs will have a chance to take advantage of the Celtics’ dead legs and take the season series against a championship contender, Go Cavs!