Bucks - Cavs: 4th Quarter Breakdown
After being up on an injury-riddled Bucks team by as many as 18 points in the first three quarters, the Cavaliers trailed 91-89 going into the 4Q. This meant that their undefeated 7-0 run to start the season was now on the line.
Atkinson went to the Mitchell/Mitchell pairing to begin the quarter and surrounded them with three-point threats in Jerome, Merrill and Niang. As a result, the Cavs looked to knock-down threes to start the quarter, hoping to blow this game open right off the jump. Unfortunately, Mobley and Niang both missed outside shots and a Donovan turnover meant they had not scored on their first three possesions to start the quarter. On the defensive end, they played with heart and hustle. This included a Mitchell loose-ball win and an instance where all four guys boxed out and secured a rebound. No team had scored through just under two minutes.
This changed when Portis made a fade-away jump shot off a double-team, using the glass at the end of the second minute. After this, Atkinson went to a Mobley high screen with Merrill ghosting a back-pick underneath the action. This worked perfectly, forcing a switch and an eventual Niang made open corner three. The next play, the Bucks penetrated through the defense, forcing a difficult contest for an unathletic Georges leading to free-throws where the Bucks went 1 for 2. Jackson picked up Jerome full-court, but Ty played strong, driving and converting an and-one off a tough float shot. Then, Milwaukee had a sneaky put-back for two which was proceeded by a Mobley missed three and a Portis made mid-range. A score-stop-score sequence for the Bucks - all with Dame on the bench. After Merrill was blocked inside, Green (7-9 3PT in the game) pulled the trigger on a catch-and-shoot from way outside giving the Bucks a 7 point lead. Cleveland was going to have to step up their defensive intensity.
Garland and Allen now got their shift, which started with a missed Merrill three. Luckily, Niang forced a Portis turnover, giving the Cavs possession of the basketball back. Allen then found Merrill back-door, resulting in a bucket after a goal-tend. Portis continued to carve the Cavs defense inside, scoring 21 on the game but Allen pumped and dunked at the other end. Next time around, Okoro dribbled into no-mans land and turned it over trying to find the cutter. The Bucks were able to capitalize with another Green make from beyond the arc. But, a Garland three off the dribble made it a 106-101 game with less than 6 to play.
The next couple minutes get hectic. Portis backed-down Allen coming out of a Milwaukee time-out, but Jarrett was able to get a good contest, preventing a made mid-range. After Garland was way off on a floater, the Bucks threw the ball around, almost turning it over but were able to retain possession. Though the next time they were sloppy with it on the other end, Garland came out with the ball - a great hustle play from an engaged Darius. This meant Donovan would get an open three in rhythm, but his miss led to an Okoro save, who swung it back to Mitchell, all well Garland was floating to the corner. He got a wide-open three there, and was off the mark. Though they missed 2 open threes on that possession, Mobley had an important block on the other end. Donovan then took it the length of the court, but could not score through contact at the cup. Afterwards, Lillard found a cutting Portis, but Bobby could not convert over Okoro. Then, Garland found Mobley under the rim, but he was fouled. Punches were being thrown by both teams, but neither squad had scored in the last 2 minutes and change.
This time, when Garland found Mobley off a pocket-pass, he was fouled again, hung in the air, and made the basket - and-one. The next run down the floor, Mitchell stole the ball, pushed it ahead to Garland, and he scooped and scored. Tie game. 8-0 run. The Rock was deafening.
A long Lillard step-back two was no good, but so was a Garland corner three. Doc Rivers then went to Spain pick and roll, but after it broke down, Green took a long three that missed. It was a Garland shake and bake, leading to a floater that gave him 34 points and had the Cavs leading by 2. Portis then tied it up off a Lillard assist and Cleveland took a low-quality shot on their next possession: an Okoro contested corner three. Garland and Lillard had been duelling all night, and when Dame took him for an iso, he sinked a step-back three, giving the Bucks a lead once again. But, Darius said it was his turn, making a tear-dropping floater over Lopez. Garland was great all game, but an Okoro-Mitchell double-team forced an over-and-back with less than a minute to go in the contest.
Darius Garland is a man on a mission this season, and we got another signature moment as he swished a step-back three with only 45 seconds to go. Cavs lead 113-111. After Lillard forced a fadeaway three that missed, the Cavs could ice the game on the next possession and that's exactly what they did.
I believe that bigs should be good at the 4 R's: rebound, run, reject and roll. When Allen came downhill off a screen set for Garland, he was rewarded with the ball and converted with his go-to hook shot (roll). But, when the Bucks came out of the ATO in a do or die possession, he blocked Lillard's shot inside, sealing the Cleveland victory (reject). This team is special.
8-0.
Final Score: 106-104 Cavs
Player of the Game: Darius Garland (39 points, 8 assists, 7 3PT)
Junkyard Dog: Jarrett Allen (14 points, 15 rebounds, 6 assists)