Recap: Hornets 122, Cavs 132 (2OT), or The Longest Time
2022-11-19Despite some road weary legs, the Cavs have finally put an end to their five game losing streak with an epic double overtime battle against the pesky, undermanned Charlotte Hornets 132-122. The Cavs obviously enjoyed a massive lift from their spiritual leader Jarrett Allen and their young stars Darius Garland, Donovan Mitchell, and Evan Mobley. Despite blowing a 10 point lead with 1:45 left in regulation due to two brutal turnovers (one clearly due to an uncalled Hornet foul), a slew of missed rebounds, and the villainy of Terry Rozier, Cleveland guttet out a win. After a sketchy first overtime capped by heroics from Darius Garland just to tie it up, Cleveland poured it on in the second OT to back door cover the spread. Let’s dive into last night’s takeaways…
1. The Stars Align
The Cavs quartet of Darius Garland, Evan Mobley, Jarrett Allen, and Donovan Mitchell all put in masterclass performances to pull this game out. Starting off with DG, he had his most complete performance of the season with 41 points, six assists, six stocks (including a block???!!!), while posting a +21.3 net rating for the game which led all starters. His ability to take over the game in the fourth quarter and OT was nothing short of special. He hit the game tying three to send the game into the second overtime after a brilliant offensive rebound from Mobley and dominated both overtime periods to will his team to the win. It’s clear DG has finally reached a turning point in his season after his brutal eye injury and looks poised to take the league by storm. Just sit back and enjoy the ride:
Evan Mobley must’ve been reading CtB’s recaps because he silenced the doubters and haters with an MVP-level two way masterpiece with 21 points, 18 rebounds, five assists, three stocks, and a +16.5 net rating in 45 minutes of action. It was clear there was something different about Mobley’s approach last night when he recorded five rebounds and three assists in his first nine minutes on the court. It was easy to tell he came out with an intent to dominate the boards and he did his part, nearly reaching the iconic 20/20 double double. When Mobley’s on his game defensively, the Cavs are impossible to beat, and if he’s boarding like this (career best!) the Cavs’ ceiling just got a lot higher. His offensive rebound and kickout to Garland with 13 left in OT1 was a essential to the win. The next step in the process is consistency, and there’s no way yours truly will bet against Evan figuring it out:
The lift that Jarrett Allen’s return provided was palpable, especially on the defensive end as the Cavs recorded an elite 105.4 defensive rating while JA was on the court. Even better, JA’s offensive efficiency came back to its usual elite self, with an 8-11 shooting performance. There’s no Cav that typifies the “junkyard dawg” mentality better than JA, which is why yours truly calls him the spiritual leader of the team. He does all the dirty work, setting screens, scrapping for rebounds, putting his body on the line to challenge all comers who dare him at the rim. His willingness to do the little things sets the table for others to shine.
Last but not least, Donovan Mitchell posted another “ho-hum” 30+ point performance with some nice playmaking on the side. The thing that stands out about Spida’s game last night was his ability to cede to DG when DG had the hot hand in overtime. His ability to blend and play the team game and choosing his spots to dominate makes him a unique superstar in today’s NBA. Above all, Mitchell’s a very smart man… he knows there’s a golden career opportunity here in Cleveland and he’s seizing the moment. He’s just got to stop the late fourth quarter turnovers.
2. Caris LeVert rises to the occasion
It would be easy for a player such as Caris LeVert to take his “demotion” from the starting lineup with a bad attitude and selfishness. He did the exact opposite, providing timely plays and uplifting the Cavs when they needed it the most down the stretch as Lamar Stevens floundered late in the game and Isaac “Ice” Okoro unable to guard without fouling. Caris rose to the challenge and provided lock down defense as the Cavs posted an insanely good 88.1 defensive rating last night with Caris’ 30-plus minutes on the court.
It’s funny watching some Cavs fans sour on him so quickly when he’s been one of highest winning impact players on the team this season (+6.7 net rating this season in 15 games). He was put in a worse position by the coach through no fault of his own. Now that he’s coming off the bench it’ll be much easier for him to get him the ball and make plays, which he’s doing at an elite level this season (25.3 assist ratio, NBA average is 17.9). Such is the curse of lofty expectations I suppose…
After a wide open missed triple by starting SF Lamar Stevens during the Cavs’ collapse in regulation, Caris re-entered and played both OTs giving the home team some needed offense and defense (even though he struggled from the field). LeVert coming off the bench, but finishing with the starters feels like it could be the norm at least until Rubio’s return.
3. JB’s Thibs bit is wearing thin
Didn't know Thibs coached here. pic.twitter.com/vUR558zoCr
— Spencer Davies (@SpinDavies) November 19, 2022
This tweet is funny because Cavs’ beat writer Spencer Davies is a very positive guy who is one to never criticize. When Davies finally calls you out for something, the situation has approached painful obviousness. Apropos, Cedi Osman posted a team high +23.1 net rating in his scant seven minutes on the court, yet somehow found himself riding the pine most of the night. It’s just outright disrespectful of J.B. to yank minutes from a guy in Cedi that’s been instrumental off the bench (+11.3 net rating on the season) especially when the team was doing great when Cedi was in. Someone should send out a search crew for Raul Neto, who’s apparently gone missing, never to return. It’d be nice if someone, anyone, from the media was curious enough to ask about the short rotations even if J.B.’s reply is something pithy such as “they’re all young they’ll be fine.”
4. Quick note on Charlotte
Michael Jordan’s Charlotte Hornets ran a disaster class in the off-season, with guys getting hurt or arrested left and right to the point where many NBA observers thought the Hornets’ best course of action this season was to stealth tank and reload the roster with another elite talent to pair with LaMelo Ball. Despite Terry Rozier’s typical Cav killing moments late in the game, that plan appears fully intact with exception of the re-hiring of Coach Steve Clifford, who’s got his guys playing hard even if the end result is a bunch of futility. One move that Coach Clifford needs to make however is benching the washed Mason Plumlee for Nick Richards, who absolutely rose to the occasion and competed his ass off against the Cavs’ Tower City. There’s been years of trash center play in Charlotte, maybe they’ve found a diamond in the rough.
5. Next up, the Miami Heat
The Cavs welcome the Miami Heat to the shores of Lake Erie for a Sunday evening Eastern Conference showdown. The Heat have stumbled out of the gate this season and are looking to build some confidence towards the future, which a win on the road in Cleveland would surely accomplish. For the Cavs, it’s a chance to build some positive momentum, keep a good team buried in the standings, and try to survive a brutal stretch of games that includes the Hawks, the Blazers, and the Bucks. Hopefully, “James” Dean Wade is on the mend as well, Go Cavs!
6. For your listening pleasure…
Shoutout to Billy Joel for this banger, have a great Saturday Commentariat!!!
LT up!
Cavs are top 3 in net rating, but outside the top 5 in best record.
This suggests some poor coaching… JB should be catching more heat than he is.
Yeah there is zero set offense besides give ball to dg or dm. Set high screen. Hope one of those two scores or decides the pass the ball and manage to find someone. Hardly any concurrent off ball action.
And of course his in-game tactical management is pretty bad too.
My main beef is his Thibs-level rotations and how he’s played politics with Okoro, although he’s gotten better in that regard.
He’s a young coach, he’s gonna get better… but he’s under-achieving right now we have an embarrassment of riches in talent. Even last year the Cavs underperformed compared to net-rating, but injuries/trade were definitely legitimate excuses. IDK….
We have 3 10 pt wins in overtime.
And save for the Bucks game, all the losses are close.
The net rating is misleading.
??? the evidence you provided suggests the opposite.
why is that?
Pythagorean win expectancy… Cavs are playing like a top 3 team without the top 3 record… we’re probably off by only a game or two ultimately, but those matter for the good team.
” RIGHT BACK AT YOU ” CLF –WITH YOUR GOOD POST —–YOU COULD ALMOST SAY WE TRADED SPIDA FOR LAURI STRAIGHT UP—–WHO IN THE HELL WOULDN’T MAKE THAT TRADE ………………..” MORE BEER PLEASE ” AND THE CARIS DOUBTERS NEED TO LOOK AT HIS OVERALL GAME AND ” SACRIFICING ” HE IS MAKING FOR THE TEAM—PLAYING OUT OF POSITION —WILLING TO GO TO THE BENCH—BE MORE DEFENSIVE MINDED THAN OFFENSE
Yup… Cavs got Donovan for less than it cost Minnesota to acquire Gobert, yet somehow the Cavs got ripped off????! LMFAOOOOO MORE BEER PLEASE!
HERO/ DEDMON/BUTLER/ABEDANO ALL OUT TONIGHT FOR THE HEAT—-GO CAVS !!
WBF—-WOULD HAVE TO THINK LAURI HAD TO BE INVOVED IN THE TRADE OR THERE WAS NO TRADE TO BE MADE —-WITHOUT TRADING OF DG/MOBES/ ALLEN —-I AM NOT GOING TO 2ND GUESS THE TRADE—- VERY HAPPY WE HAVE SPIDA AND HAPPY LAURI IS HAVING A GOOD SEASON WITH THE JAZZ ——ALSO HAVE TO REMEMBER WE WERE ABLE TO UNLOAD SEXTON /// WHICH WE PROBABLY WOULDN’T HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DO WITHOUT “JUST GIVING HIM AWAY ” OR ELSE RETAIN HIM AND LOSE HIM TO FREE AGENCY AND GET NOTHING
good post NOMAD, Cavs fans are truly insufferable sometimes LMFAOOOO crying over fringe 1st round picks so we can take another Windler or KPJ SMFH
agree
I hear you on the metrics on Caris and maybe I’m a fool but he’s still not meeting the eye-test for me. Moments like his excruciating attempt at a poster dunk where he somehow managed to both be out of control and get blocked are tough to watch. They make him seem frail exactly where we need to be able to impose ourselves on other teams. Watching teams with tough, athletic muscular SF’s,I always get jealous of their ability to put defenses on their heels more… which leads to better ball movement and less hero ball. As amazing as Spida… Read more »
If you think he’s supposed to be a wing, then of course you’re gonna be disappointed.
If you realize he’s a 3rd option ball guard, then you realize that he’s a great option for a contending team.
Cavs are apparently 10 point favorites tonight, so I’m guessing Miami is missing some starters.
hell yeah hope we beat the crap out of them!
ARCH WAS THINKING THE SAME —WE GO 2-2 IN THE NEXT STRETCH OF GAMES — WILL CONSIDER THAT A POSITIVE // VICTORY
Jazz beat the Blazers. They are not a fluke! Ainge hosed us.
you need a nap
You do have to wonder if there was any version of the trade Ainge would have done that didn’t include Lauri (while obviously leaving DG/EM/JA out of it). If so, Kobe can’t be thrilled he didn’t take it. Part of what made Tower City work so well last year was that even with injuries we could always have at least two seven-footers protecting the interior. And that’s to say nothing of the leap Lauri made and how excited he was to be in Cleveland.
0% chance it wasn’t including Lauri LMFAOOO he was the only good asset they got.
right. and Kobe should have traded Caris for Luka.
Exceptional recap to a game moat fans seemed frustrated watching in real time, Chris. You have my almost (not Sarcastic) a caris believer. I have noticed his d has been not just effective…but focused. Those arent mutually inclusive. He has made a legit impact defensively. His fg % has been ridiculous tho. We cant have two Okoro types on the court for 50-60 mins a game right now. Caris needs to find his shot again or we need to move okoro to the charge for a while. Losing love and wade will make levert’s life pressure filled for a bit.… Read more »
Hell yeah Scotch lets gooooooooooo
yeah, Caris is what he his on offense, which is why he’s probably best suited for the bench or playing alongside a dominant guard like DG or DM. But his passing and defense can make him a playable guy in the playoffs.
I did some digging, his usage rate is 20% in wins, 16.7% in losses, when he looks for his shot, the Cavs win.
Cavs have a rough stretch of games: Heat, Hawks, Blazers, Bucks. Hoping we can go 2-2, at least, during this week.
agree
3-A-KITE—–SO SMOOTH —SO MUCH MORE SKILLED THAN ICE AND EVEN STEVENS —CONSITENTLY HIT THE 3 AND CAN “HANDLE THE ROCK ” DRIVE// PENETRATE TO THE BASKET —-JB THIS KID NEEDS SOME MIN’S UP WITH THE CAVS
LOVE IT!!! THIS HAS BEEN YOUR CHARGE REPORT!
he should be in the rotation by now
JB getting forced to find mins for the bench now. Oy. This could get really ugly
WATCHING ME SOME CHARGE TONIGHT—-3-A-KITE HAVING A NICE GAME ALONG WITH “ELDER ” MOBLEY —-TUNING UP FOR POSSIBLE MIN’S IN TOMORROW NIGHTS GAME —–” MY MAN MERRILL ” STROKING SOME MORE 3’S TONIGHT
nice, not devastating but definitely a tough blow Love has been outstanding for the most part this season.
GOOD JOB CLF——-WHEW THE BUCKEYES ALMOST MADE MY “AGONIZING “WEEK MORE PAINFUL—–WE CAN SAY IT IS ” TIME FOR WAR ” ( NEED SOMEBODY TO CALL THAT SONG UP FOR ME )——POSSIBLY 3-A-KITE OR “ELDER ” MOBLEY GETTING SOME PT TOMORROW // MONDAY—–HOPING WE ARE NOT GOING TO EMBARK ON A 2 GAME LOSING STREAK ——WE NEED ” EARLY ” SEASON CEDI BACK ASAP !!!——WATCHED CARIS IN LAST NIGHTS GAME—YES HE DIDN’T PUT UP EYEPOPPING OFFENSIVE STATS BUT HE IS HUSTLING HIS ASS OFF ON DEFENSE AND BEING DISRUPTIVE !!——–NEED TO CURTAIL THE TO// TRANSITION / 2ND CHANCE PTS ASAP… Read more »
THANKS NOMAD!!! HEAL UP MY BROTHER!
DIAKITE HIVE RISE UP!!!!
Yes I’m down!
CAVS NATION LETS RIDE
Caris + Spida +15.5 in over 200 minutes
DG + Spida +9.7 in 50 minutes
Caris + DG +7.8 in 50 minutes
Caris by himself +8.4 in 88 minutes
season starting to take its toll
Nice recap. Didn’t realize Caris has been so impactful defensively. Agree on Cedi and Neto. My only explanation is that JB is trying to get his core players to mesh and maybe that’s why he’s shortened the rotations? And I don’t agree with that strategy in mid-November. With Love likely missing some time, maybe Cedi will get some of his minutes. I’d like to see Neto and LeVert run the second unit for some stints without Spida or DM. I feel like it’s led us into this sort of hero ball mentality, and it’s reflected in these games lately. Miami… Read more »
Good post Arch, yeah I think Caris can really guard guards, but has trouble with length and strength (obviously who wouldn’t).
Yeah for sure, JB trying to accelerate the growth with the core guys… just overkill IMO.
Good question on Miami, bet they rested to be prepared for the Cavs.
I could see Love missing a couple of weeks with this injury
Oh shit, that really sucks, WTF.