On Friday night time, the Cleveland Cavaliers have been trying to end out taking two of three video games on their newest road journey.
Cleveland had cut up the journey to that time, and coming into the sport versus the Oklahoma City Thunder, was seemingly in first rate form after dismantling the Houston Rockets on Thursday night. Even with it being the second night time of a back-to-back, the Cavs did cruise the night time prior, and within the contest had a stable first half additionally, and have been up by seven heading into the break.
Unfortunately, although, the second half was a special story, as regardless of good video games from Evan Mobley and Darius Garland, the Thunder outscored Cleveland by 21 factors after halftime, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was so troublesome to account for all night.
SGA had 35 factors, eight assists and 5 rebounds, and OKC was capable of get a scoring raise from Jalen Williams (17 factors) and Josh Giddey (15 factors), specifically.
Now, the Wine and Gold was once more with out Donovan Mitchell, which didn’t assist their trigger after the break, however the group simply wasn’t capable of pull forward by almost sufficient within the first half and within the second half, the upstart Thunder largely managed issues.
The Cavs will hope to get again on monitor after this one; even nonetheless, that second half was particularly tough, with the fourth quarter being lower than stellar, to say the least. This group wants to wash issues up on the road, the place they’re now 10-16 on the season.
More Cavs news
On Thursday, it was introduced that Donovan Mitchell goes to be an All-Star starter. Others Eastern Conference starters included Kyrie Irving, Jayson Tatum, Kevin Durant and Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Mitchell is amid a career year with the Cavaliers, following his commerce acquisition from the Utah Jazz final offseason, and to this point, he’s amassed 28.3 factors, 4.8 assists and 4.0 rebounds per sport. He’s had a career-best three-point taking pictures clip at 39.6 p.c and true taking pictures charge, too, at 62.0 p.c.
Mitchell has been unbelievable for the Wine and Gold, and lately in an interview with reporter Serena Winters of Bally Sports Ohio, he expressed how he appreciative he was for followers serving to him to be named a starter.
50 p.c of the voting for the starters comes by the use of followers, 25 p.c consists of votes from NBA gamers and the remaining 25 p.c consists of votes from a media panel. Still, based mostly on what Mitchell has achieved this season so far, he’s greater than worthy of his first All-Star beginning nod, in his fourth All-Star look. He ought to obtain a heat welcome again, once more, in Utah.
Throughout this season, we’ve once more seen how the Cavaliers are a group that’s pushed by their defense. After that they had a resurgent marketing campaign final yr sparked by that finish of the ground, and the Mobley-Allen duo, the Cavs have adopted that up this season. Currently, the Cavs defense ranks first within the Association.
In his newest set up of the ten issues he likes and doesn’t like, Zach Lowe of ESPN (subscription required) highlighted how the Cavaliers defense has once again been a stingy bunch in 2022-23. In his Cleveland shoutout, he emphasised how Mobley and Allen’s size and mobility smothers passing lanes and performs an enormous function in closing gaps for opponents, however in the identical breadth, Lowe detailed how Cleveland’s backcourt defenders have helped them rotationally off-ball as properly.
Make no mistake, the Cavs are at their finest once they’re feeding off their defense, and Lowe’s piece drove that dwelling. As the membership will get close to full-strength, hopefully we see that on show increasingly more because the season nears February.
NBA news
Based on how robust the play has been leaguewide this season, there are of course going to be some notable All-Star snubs altogether, and there have been certain to be some for All-Star starter nods. In what was probably the one which jumped out probably the most, Joel Embiid, who’s undoubtedly within the thick of the MVP race as soon as once more, was the highest All-Star starter snub.
Embiid has had 33.4 factors, 9.8 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 1.7 blocks and 1.1 steals per sport this season for a surging Philadelphia 76ers squad that’s at the moment second within the Eastern Conference. There was going to be anyone that was a major snub heading into it, however Embiid must be the title that rose above the remainder in that realm. He’ll be among the many high All-Star reserves from both convention.
Another news/related story that popped up from Friday concerned extra deadline discuss. In that spectrum, Sam Quinn of CBS Sports ranked the 20 best players who could change teams in February.
Quinn talked about names resembling Russell Westbrook, the Cavs’ personal Caris LeVert, and an oft-rumored commerce candidate in John Collins, amongst others. As Quinn alluded to within the piece, this could determine to be an energetic deadline; we’ll see what transpires from now by way of Feb. 9.
Next up: The Cavaliers will face the LA Clippers again at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse on Sunday night time, within the first outing of a three-game homestand.
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