Recap: Cleveland 114, Portland 96 (Something to be Thankful for)

Happy Thanksgiving, Cavs the Blog! The Cavs gave us all an early Turkey day treat last night with a dominant win over the Blazers. Yeah, Rip City was missing its best player, but the Cavs ripped off a 19-3 run over six minutes spanning the first and second quarters and commanded the game the rest of the way. Yusef Nurkic was able to cut the Cavs’ lead to five early in the third quarter, but the Cavs quickly regrouped, just as they did every time the Blazers made a mini run. By the middle of the fourth, the Cavs were up 20… The Blazers cut it to nine, the starters returned, and the Cavs went up 20 again, riding 82 points from Garland, Allen, and Mitchell.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0GJBYfXnUHY

Darius Garland and Jarrett Allen ran game on the Blazers all night. Portland started out in a goofy ass matchup zone, and DG picked it apart to the tune of 12 assists. Garland’s favorite target: Jarrett Allen, who easily had his best offensive game of the season. Allen was practically automatic every time he got the ball near the rim: lob slams, hook shots, and even a jumper at the free throw line. JA showed off the full offensive repertoire and finished 10-12 from the field with a 24/13/2 night. Mobley did spray the ball around as a passer, as his kickouts routinely missed the mark and led to six turnovers, but as a play finisher, the Fro was thundrous.

Garland did not have the turnover issues that had plagued him previous games, coughing it up just a couple times which is fine when you’re dropping a dozen dimes. The matchup zone Portland launched was bizarre. They routinely guarded wing pick and roll with one defender, giving either Allen or Garland a free run into the mid-range and the ability to finish lobs over the less athletic Blazers. Or… the Cavs’ guards just fed the post and let Mobley and Allen go to work. The funniest play was when the lone p/r defender went with a rolling Allen and Darius calmly dribbled back to the top of key to toss up a triple with no-one within 12 feet him him. Splash.

Garland finished with two dozen points and a dozen dimes and was a sublime +26 on the night. Some of his assists also found Evan Mobley who did most of his damage cutting from the weak side or slamming it at the dunker spot. Mobley was a bit anemic offensively, but he still dropped a double double and rebounded like a fiend, finishing with 10/12/3 and three blocks, helping to lead Cleveland to a 39-32 rebound advantage.

The other Cavs front-court player, Lamar Stevens, didn’t put up big numbers but has been doing enough to keep defenses honest on the offensive end (12 points, 1-2 from deep, 5-5 at the line). Lamar is also reportedly the guy holding his teammates accountable when they blow a defensive assignment, and at least on the radio broadcast, was playing good one-on-one defense.

The last Cavalier starter to mention, Donovan Mitchell was offensively ridonkulous yet again, with 34 points on 18 shots from the field. Mitchell has among the best three-point-shots in the association and trails only Steph Curry as a volume scorer from deep. Mitchell will pull up effortlessly on a ball swing or when people go under a screen-and roll, and is is the “strongest” jump shooter I’ve seen in a Cavs uni since J.R. Smith. Mitchell rippled through a Malik Beasley foul for a four point play in the first quarter, and then ended the game with this masterful play in the fourth: a stack pick and roll with Mitchell and Allen setting dual ball screens for Garland, Allen Rolling, and then Mitchell popping wide open to the left wing. BANG!

The rest of the Cavs got their licks in. Cedi had an off night shooting (1-6), but still brought the energy with boards and dimes. He’s rightfully getting extended run even when he’s not hot, and clocked in 27 minutes Saturday. The Cavs’ bench didn’t score much (just 10 points), but it was good to see Dean Wade get it going with a couple buckets and Okoro fill up the stat sheet with hustle plays. When those three were in, all the minutes were positive for the wine and gold. We even got a Neto and the zoo crew appearance late after the starters pushed the lead out to 20.

Portland’s attack, with Damian ailing, relied mostly on Anfernee Simons and Josh Hart controlling the ball. Justice Winslow was a bit of a disaster as a starting point guard, in lieu of Shaeden Sharpe who was relegated to the bench. Winslow was 2-10 from the field and despite six dimes and no turnovers, just couldn’t hang with Mitchland, finishing a team low -21. After the first quarter, Hart initiated a lot more offense, and thankfully should have had the ball in his hands more, posting a funky 8/3/9 line and a team high +6.

Simons dropped 20, but the Cavs made him work for it on 18 shots, and forced five turnovers. The good guys also did a nice job of keeping the ball out of Nurkic’s hands. Yusef led Portland with 22 points, is burly enough to have guys bouncing off him in the paint, and is absolutely shooting the lights out from deep this year (2-3 this game). Solid work limiting Nurkic to only 14 shots.

Drew Eubanks and Trenton Watford got some run from the deep bench, and combined to go 7-10, but it felt like infantry versus the cavalry.

It’s getting really fun to root for this team because they have the ability to pour it on when they want to, and the game never really feels out of control when they’ve got the lead and their guys are humming. The fun thing is the starters are really learning to play off each other. The Cavs have so many options.

Mitchell is a three level scorer or is getting better playing off the ball with Garland, which is dangerous for opponents, because Donovan is not having to work nearly as hard to get his points when he and Darius are clicking. That stack pick and roll with Mitchell is going to be an absolute witch to guard, and Darius’ chemistry with his bigs is just amazing.

Alternatively the Cavs can just go to the post and let Mobley and/or Allen go to work, or work the high/low action. I do think Allen should be at the dunker and Mobley at the nail more often(instead of the converse), but that’s a quibble. Meanwhile, the Cavs are stashing Stevens in the corners and it’s not hurting them, nor are the Cavs afraid to pass to him. Stevens will launch a three when open (he seems much better from the right corner than the left), and will attack a closeout and get into the mid-range, and can also leak out in transition.

We even saw some Cedi at the three with Mitchland tonight, and it showed some promise. If the Cavs can run that when Love is back, or with Wade, watch out, cause they can play four out. It’s fun to be a Cavs fan right now.

Happy Thanksgiving, Cavs peeps. Please have a safe and happy holiday with your loved ones. I’m truly thankful for this team and for all of you.