Recap: Cleveland 112, 76ers 109 (OT) (or, Rule No. 1)

The Cavs won this one, but it wasn’t a pretty game, and anyone not named Joel Embiid or Ben Simmons stunk for the Sixers who absolutely played down to the Cavs, like energyless zombies. Fortunately, Rule No. 1 of surviving the undead apocalypse also served the Cavs well: cardio.

Collin Sexton and Darius Garland didn’t play well for four quarters either, but they never stopped coming. Collin Sexton’s superior conditioning took Cleveland to overtime with the Cavs’ last five points in regulation. Darius Garland, drenched in sweat, dragged the Cavaliers across the finish line grinding out ten points in overtime to win a war of attrition against an exhausted Sixers squad.

The Sixers hadn’t had two nights off in a row since Feb. 9th. Joel Embiid carried the fatigue in every labored ministration, but still pushed the stone up the hill with beleaguered resolve. Philly went to him in the post time and again as he ground his way to a 42/13/6 line in 40 minutes with just three turnovers. The dude is the most unstoppable post player in the association. He’s stronger than everyone you could put on him, gets away with hooking his elbows around defenders and jumps into their outstretched arms if they make one false move. He also gets calls like this.

this isn’t basketball pic.twitter.com/B893lrHzd3

— Franklin (@ClappedFranklin) February 28, 2021

Embiid went to the line a staggering 16 times against the Cavs and drained 14 freebies. There were 64 free throws this game, and the Sixers shot 35 of them. The officiating was exhausting as the Sixers baited the officials into foul calls repeatedly, and the Cavs were forced to return the favor with their own exaggeration of every bit of contact. This game was almost three hours long.

Ben Simmons joined Embiid in the positive column for Philly with 24/7/8, repeatedly attacking in transition, off drives, cuts, and post-ups. The pair combined to shoot 24-39 from the field, and 3-4 from deep. (Yep, Simmons hit the fourth triple of his career in late garbage time). Missing third scorer Tobias Harris loomed large for Philly, whose other starters (Furkan Korkmaz, Danny Green, and Seth Curry) combined to shoot 7-31.  Korkmaz was so bad he didn’t even start in the second half, as long time Cavalier nemesis Mike Scott took his place.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SaiOjd1rH1U

Cleveland did a good job of limiting the non-stars to poor shooting. The way the Sixers fed the post, it was almost a juxtaposition of the Andre Drummond Cavs of three weeks ago: the Sixers ran an offense from the 90s and kicked out to clanking shooters while the Cavs’ looked to run at every opportunity. Philly also made the Cavs’ defense look good with a listless offense and poor shooting. The only difference is that Joel Embiid is a damned sight better offensive player than Drummond. Fortunately, the extra day off the Cavs had also gave them the energy edge.

Cleveland started out strong in this one, getting out to a five point lead in the first quarter, then extending it out to 13 in the mid second. Indeed, the Cavs’ first half offense was solid: the rock moved, the Cavs didn’t force passes, and Collin Sexton got out in transition for 16. But you could also tell that the Sixers were on cruise control. The Wine and Gold combined for 13 assists and only six turnovers. Isaac Okoro was fairly active too, dropping eight points, and being unafraid to fire from deep. Ice also guarded Ben Simmons most of the game, and did an admirable job, even though the room left his feet when he shouldn’t have once or twice. Dotson played in the absence of Osman and Prince and got his mojo back a little, digging out of the slump he’s been in lately. A second quarter triple was a sign of things to come. The Cavs finished the first half up 56-47, despite a litany of laughable trips to the line for Embiid and calls like these.

Fix this shit @NBA. This isn’t basketball. He was literally going away from the contact. pic.twitter.com/q1ZbmGthZM

— Jalen Hurts #1 fan (@MarqsJO) February 28, 2021

You could also tell that the Sixers were on cruise control and hoping to be able to turn it on in the second half. With the energy the Sixers started the third quarter with, they started to turn the game around. Cleveland almost went scoreless for the first five minutes behind a bevy of bad Sexland shots that made Austin Carr almost lose his mind. All I could think was “stop with the GD floaters already.” Only a ridiculously good offensive rebound from Okoro and lefty putback saved the Cavs from total ignominy in that stretch. A fiesty Sixers squad had cut the lead to just two before Cleveland finally got going with an oop from Garland to Allen that was barely good enough for Jarrett to convert. Allen then rained a “manna from heaven” triple to somehow keep Philly at at just arms length.

Windler drew a charge in this stretch, and Isaac Okoro continued his assault on the offensive boards, with another putback to keep Philly from the lead. Isaac was answered by Simmons flashing an unguardable sky hook. When a Shake Milton tied it at 65 with 3:16 remaining, the tide was turning for Philly, but Dotson stepped into a fearless 30-footer from the right wing that surprised everyone in the building. It feels like he’s sublimated the hitch in his J.

McGee kept Javaling with a dumb turnover 40 feet from the cup, trying to handle the ball, but somehow Cleveland out-executed the red-white-and-blue to close the quarter. Dotson hit Sexton on a C-cut against tired Philly D to get him a layup, while Shake Milton kept putting in third quarter points, and then Korkmaz did what the Sixers do best. Furkan pump faked in the right corner and launched himself into a kite-like Javale to get three freebies. He only hit one. Dotson grabbed the rebound, and flipped it ahead to Sexton who ran down an easy layup with 1.6 left for the Cavs to close another frame out. Cleveland miraculously maintained the lead at the quarter’s end, 72-70.

The fourth quarter started out ragged when a Furkan trey gave Philly their first lead of the game, and both teams traded turnovers and buckets. A mini battle between Windler and Korkmaz waged on slow burn with dueling layups. Dotson reclaimed the Cleveland lead with another drive, and Javale thumped a DG dropoff, to trigger a time out from Doc at the nine minute mark.

Javale McGee might have the biggest standard deviation from play to play of any player I've ever seen.

— HoopsDogg (@oldseaminer) February 28, 2021

After Garland put Korkmaz on roller skates and stepped  back for a three ball, Embiid decided he’d had enough. The amazing thing about Embiid’s 42 was that half those point came in the game’s final 12 minutes between regulation and overtime. When Joel converted an easy feed from Simmons for the lead, Sexland reverted to elbow floater miss mode, and it looked like Philly might just clamp down for the win, up 84-83 with five minutes to go.

Crunch time started with a bang. Garland got into the flow when he got a little closer to the rim for a floater that dropped. Danny Green countered with a triple, Allen soft slammed a slick little Garland dish, and Embiid went baseline on the left block to slam it home for another 89-87 Sixers lead. JB called timeout after a pair of Sexton fails: a 21-footer eight seconds into a possession, followed by a laughable offensive foul where a little hip check on a screen sent Furkan Korkmaz flying ten feet.

You know those games where you feel like the last team to get the ball is going to win it? Well this game felt like the last team to get a whistle was gonna get the win. The Cavs kept digging in. Dean Wade grabbed a Seth Curry floater miss, and Darius kicked it ahead to Sexton who was the only one on the floor with any turbo button left. He raced ahead drew a foul from a trailing Shake Milton, and hit both freebies to tie it up before Embiid gave Philly the lead on a illegal defense freebie and Curry clanged a trey. Cardio Collin kept outrunning the whole Sixers team. His legs saw no ill effects, when Okoro dribbled in from the left corner, dissected Philly’s matchup zone and kicked it Youngbull at the top of the arc. Collin swished the triple to put Cleveland up two. Alas… Joel Embiid with that damned drop step to the baseline slam. Yet another tie at the 1:38 mark.

Both teams traded amazing defensive possessions, or at least bad offensive possessions. Wade started it off with an open look from up top, Allen grabbed the o-board, Sexton missed an iso-jack trey, Allen blocked a weak Danny Green layup attempt, Darius Garland refused the pull-up three against ice coverage of the right wing p/r and got his floater predictably swatted oob, and Sexton ignored Allen on the short roll to clank a hero-three and give Philly the last shot of the quarter. It was an eventful yet scoreless 80 seconds that left the game still tied.

On the last shot, Philly sent it into Embiid on the left block late, Dean Wade cut off the baseline, and Jarrett Allen played some damned fine defense contesting a turnaround to force…. Ooooovertime.

While Sexton scored the last five for Cleveland, they’d never have gotten to overtime if Damyean Dotson hadn’t give them some insanely productive minutes in the late third/early fourth. He finished the game 10/3/4 with no turnovers in 18 minutes and a game high +9, including an enormous three that broke a huge Cavalier drought. Cleveland also wouldn’t have gotten to the fifth period if Jarrett Allen hadn’t played phenomenal defense on the final two Sixers’ possessions. It also needs to be said that the Cavs had four shots to win it and missed them all. Manufacturing better offense should be a priority.

Doc Rivers after last night's #Sixers loss to the #Cavaliers:

"They were happy to go to overtime and we were not." https://t.co/XKr4qiGq22 pic.twitter.com/A0VIjFTHEc

— Dave Uram (@MrUram) February 28, 2021

Overtime offered plenty of excitement, and plenty of officiating. The unheralded star of this game for Cleveland, Isaac Okoro snuck back door and Sexton found him for a tricky reverse layup Ice wouldn’t have converted a month ago to break the seal for the wine and gold. Then Ice got out in transition after a Sexton steal and split a pair of free throws for a quick three points. Garland stole the next one and pitched ahead to Cardio Collin for two more. Doc rivers threw the controller at the wall before calling a timeout.

Soaked with sweat, Garland was grinning, and I assume hydrating during timeouts. The Cavs weren’t playing smart every play, but they were playing hard in overtime against a shorthanded, road weary team. Embiid came back and converted a three point play after blocking an ill conceived Sexton drive and then trailed Simmons’ break to collect the hoop and the harm. Darius then put the big man cement boots to extend the Cavs’ lead to four.

Okoro picked up two fouls in eight seconds to foul out after a hard fought game. Simmons split a pair, Garland threw another pass away, and Philly was repaid for all their flopping when Dean Wade snapped his head back as Ben Simmons went to set a screen.

I haven’t seen officiating that horrendous in quite some time…

This offensive foul call on Ben Simmons (which erased the game tying 3) is one of the worst calls & flops I’ve ever seen.

Shame on you, @OfficialNBARefs.

PS you & your faux hawk made the list, Dean Wade. pic.twitter.com/LlPGGzWF9Y

— Josh Reynolds (@JoshReynolds24) February 28, 2021

BWAHAHAHAHAHA. I feel not one ounce of sympathy about this after a game full of furkan floppin by Daryl Morey’s divas. Garland followed that up with a slick little flip for two from the right baseline to extend the Cavs’ lead to five with 1:17 to play. Shake Milton split the pair on the ensuing make-up call and Sexton answered with yet another elbow brick. Stevens, who’d come in for Okoro, grabbed the o-board, pitched it to Darius who burned past the ice (not Okoro) coverage on the right wing p/r and snuck in a nifty banker off the glass against a forked and flat-footed Danny Green. Cavs up by six with 42 seconds to go.

You’d think the Cavs would’ve had this one in the bag here, but a dios mio. Garbage time would not end. Embiid drained a triple. Garland canned a pair of free throws. Wade canned a pair. Embiid nailed another triple – all in 13 seconds of game time. Philly tried to steal the inbounds. Sexton fell over for an away-from-the-play foul for one freebie. Then no one came back to the ball and Allen threw it away over Sexton’s head at mid-court, leading to an interminable replay review. Lots of folks on the live thread were calling for a Simmons foul on Sexton. But it was clean. Youngbull just stumbled. If you’re keeping track, the Cavs were up five here, Sixers ball, before yet another play by Embiid. Joel barreled into Stevens and stuck in yet another layup. Before the ensuing inbound, JB smartly used a timeout to get the ball at mid-court.

Six more free throws for the Cavs, over the final 18 seconds, and two for Embiid before our final score. The game was a marathon. Sexland outran the zombies.

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

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hV71WKOlZxk

WHEW

Now I covered the highlights here, but I glossed over a lot of the misses. While Sexland was 11-23 in the first half, they were 5-21 in the second half, and 4-7 in overtime. In case you’re counting at home that’s a sub 40% 20-51. In their defense, they played 86 combined minutes, but they hogged the crap out of the ball in the third quarter and threw a block party for the Sixers who stuffed 10 shots on the night. A lot of this was blamed by Cavs fans on the duo not being able to deal with the Sixers’ length, but the shot chart for team elbow J tells a different story.

Fortunately, GarTon were buoyed by some unexpected heroes: first, the aforementioned Dotson, second Dylan Windler who ahot 0-3 from deep, but 3-3 inside the arc to finish 8/6/0 with three steels. Third, Okoro’s 15/8/3 delivered a critical, unexpected surprise. He had his best rebounding game and maybe mist complete game as a Cav, picking up five offensive boards and looking like a poor man’s Shawn Marion. The rookie also chased Simmons around all night, allowing Cleveland to cover him without doubling, and doesn’t get phased when he gets repeatedly rooked by the officials. When he’s on the ridiculous end of calls he does offer a very bemused look of incredulity that belies a wisdom beyond his years.

Finally, Jarrett Allen was his usual fantastic self, 14/10/3, and tho though he didn’t match Embiid’s production on offense, JA helped Cleveland avoid having to double till the Cameroonian went nuts late. The Cavs’ big man put in 5-11 from the floor, but had to deal with a lot of passes that were off the mark. Many an ill conceived lob should probably have been a chest high pass that would’ve cut down on the back court’s eight turnovers.

A lot of people raved about Dean Wade’s 12 rebounds. Wade was fine, but folks are overrating him. His defense was all right, but mostly unnoticeable, but Philly got little from the four spot. A little more offense from Cleveland at that position, and this game wouldn’t have gone to OT.

I’d like to see the Cavs play smarter and better, but it is good to see them at the very least play hard. I’m reminded of Richard Hamilton who literally used to run like he was training for marathons. Someone on the live thread mentioned Hamilton as an appropriate inspiration for Collin Sexton to emulate. Here’s Rip being interviewed by Charles Butler of Runner’s World all the way back in 2004.

Last year when you won the NBA title, how do you think your conditioning helped with the win?
I think it helped a lot by the simple fact that I was able to still play at a high level so late in the season. A lot of guys get fatigued and get tired and kind of hit a wall. With all the running I did, it kept me playing at that high level. Instead of getting slower, I got faster.

“Don’t confuse winning with playing well.” That’s the number one rule I remember from The Tao of Poker. Winning is great. But what galled us all while the Cavs were on a ten game losing streak, wasn’t that they were losing, it’s that they were playing selfish basketball, taking terrible shots, and defending with all the tenacity of a late career JR Smith. Over the last three games, the Cavs have been marginally better, but the teams they’ve been playing have been significantly worse: the Rockets are an abysmal team, and the Hawks and Wizards regarded their games against the Cavs as a night off. Fortunately, the Cavs’ goal right now has been just competing throughout their games, which they’ve been achieving, despite bad shots, turnovers, and inexplicable possessions. If you can’t play better than another team, if you’re in shape, you can play harder. Some nights, that’s enough.