Recap: Cleveland 109, Utah 100 (or, The First Cedi)

There was so much to like from Cleveland’s nine point victory over the Utah Jazz. First among them was Cedi Osman’s career high in points with 11 on 4-5 shooting from the floor to go along with his +13, four rebounds, and game sealing steal. To say I preferred the First Cedi (in the NBA) to the Last Jedi (movie I may ever watch) would be a massive understatement. Cedi replaced a gimpy Dwyane Wade in crunch time, and was ridiculously active the entire game. Osman used his force powers to grab three offensive rebounds he had no business getting and continually reminds me of a young Anderson Varejao with his relentless hustle and frenetic offensive game.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iI96KilQM7c

Padawans aside, LeBron James played like a Jedi Master. He messed around for his second triple double in as any games with 29-11-10 points, rebounds, and assists to go along with 9-15 shooting and a perfect 10-10 at the free throw line. In addition, the play of the night came, after Tristan Thompson picked Ricky Rubio’s pocket, and LeBron raced ahead for a steal in the first quarter and pitched ahead to Jeff Green. LeSkywalker levitated to grab an oop that was deflected by Joe Ingles, and it seemed that James was going too fast to finish, so he adjusted t0 complete the high hand off with his left hand. ‘Bron stared at his hand for three seconds after the flush, worried that the dunk was so filthy, his appendage might have turned to the dark side.

As for the game flow, it was a pretty pitched battle from the start. As they’re wont to do, Cleveland started out slow, spotting Utah a 10-2 head lead behind Joe Ingles and five quick points from Donovan Mitchell (more on him later). Ekpe Udoh started for the injured Rudy Gobert and Derrick Favors. The Cavs were content to frequently leave the offensively challenged Udoh, and as such he finished 4-6 from the floor for an unexpected nine points. Cleveland made up the difference to take the lead after one. Highlights included a K-Love banker, LeBron’s aforementioned ambidexterity, and two oops to Tristan Thompson who came off the bench to give a nice first quarter spark.

A Sefolosha three and an Alec Burks triple helped Utah take a brief one point lead in the second, but two points from Frye quickly gave Cleveland back the edge, which they never relinquished again. Though the lead never got out of hand, the Cavs maintained a solid margin throughout, and came away with a victory with superior shotmaking and execution on both sides of the ball.

Both teams’ benches gave their squads big contributions with the Jazz just edging out Cleveland 48-45 in bench scoring. Jeff Green was especially brilliant for Cleveland, as he contributed his best shooting game of the season for the Cavs, going a perfect 3-3 from downtown (most coming at the ends of shot clocks), adding four assists, and contributing a game high +18. Kyle Korver came off screens, back door cuts, and pulll-ups to rip the nets to the tune of 12 points.

Dwyane Wade added seven, six boards, and five dimes in 20 minutes, but he missed a lot of shots around the basket and went 3-11 from the from the floor. Cedi replaced him in crunch time, as Wade seemed pretty gimpy. Cedi scored by picking up some trash and launching a couple beautiful parabolas in from the corner. After the game he called Mike Fratello to say, “Yes. I can shoot.”

For the starters, Jae Crowder had another nice game going 4-5 from mostly by cutting from the weakside and being a safety valve while adding three boards and a couple steals to add nine points.  Kevin Love added 14 on 50% shooting despite going 0-3 from deep and added five boards and four dimes. Honestly, Cleveland should’ve posted him more. As a team, Cleveland made it to 30 dimes for the third game in row. Jose Calderon added four himself to go along with six timely points, all from taking advantage of a lack of defensive attention as he slithered into ten-footers, and a couple sneaky layups.

Utah was paced by Donovan Mitchell who looked like anything but a rookie. After beating Boston with 17 and nine dimes Friday, Michell scored in about every way possible for the Jazz on his way to 26 points on 11 shots. He scored on dribble drives, open threes, put-backs, monster slams, and ridiculous floaters. The kid is slowly scoring his way into the discussion for rookie of the year after Ben Simmons seemed to have an impossible stranglehold on it. If Mitchell can keep this up, and help lead Utah to a playoff berth, he absolutely should be in the conversation.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3IaBL1mSKo

But this game was won by the brilliance of LeBron James that we take for granted on a nightly basis. Despite Utah cutting their deficit to five with 3:24 left, James rescued a possession after Korver saved a ball from going out of bounds as he slung a beautiful pass to a cutting King at the top of the key who scored with an effortless drop step drive with his left hand. The cut was brilliant as Joe Johnson had turned his head, and so was the finish. 37 seconds later James broke down Mitchell from his favorite spot, the left wing, bulled his way to the to the basket and warded off Mitchell with his enormous shoulder and layed it in with his right hand to put the Cavs to put the Cavs up eight.

After an impossible Mitchell putback at the 1:10 mark, and a missed J by Bron, Cedi picked Mitchell’s pocket to basically seal the deal.  Donovan was forced to foul another impossible-to-stop drive by the King who nailed in the coffin with free throw makes nine and ten.

James had a “quiet” triple double tonight, as it was so easy to take so many of his buckets as foregone conclusions.  But he still contributed brilliant passes, unstoppable drives, and an ability to control the moment that is unmatched. He’s a perfect mentor to teach the First Cedi. Absorb much, young apprentice.