Cleveland Sports Forum

unlike the past 2 games the Cavs are barely ahead at halftime tonight vs. Indiana. if they play the 2nd half anything like those 2 nights they will get swamped.

They did not. Nice win.

Looked bad for awhile but late 3rd quarter and early 4th were solid. Got nervous at the end as they missed 4 straight free throws.

Here's Terry Pluto on the Cavs


CLEVELAND, Ohio: Scribbles in my notebook after the Cavaliers defeated Indiana Pacers, 108-104, Sunday night:

1. Not long after writing my column about the Browns being erased from the NFL playoff picture, I turned on the Cavaliers. What a pleasure to watch a team over-achieving after the disappointment of the NFL season for those who follow the orange helmets.

2. The Cavs beat Indiana without any of their top four guards playing in the second half. Ricky Rubio and Collin Sexton are out for the season because of knee surgery. Darius Garland is on the COVID list. Isaac Okoro played only 12 minutes in the first half, then left the game with two points and what seemed to be a very painful elbow injury.

3. Coach J.B. Bickerstaff turned to guards Kevin Pangos, Lamar Stevens and Brandon Goodwin for backcourt help. If you are asking...WHO?...you’re not alone. I love basketball and watch the games. But I had to look up Goodwin, who was picked up a few days ago.

4. Here’s what matters: The Cavs played BIG. That’s BIG as in Lauri Markkanen, Jarrett Allen, Evan Mobley and Kevin Love. I was calling their starting front line of 7-footers Markkanen, Allen and Mobley The Tall Three. But add Love, and now they are the Big Four.
cavaliers vs pacers nba game

5. Kevin Love...Oh my! With the Cavs ravaged by injuries and losses to COVID, the veteran has become the emotional leader of this team. With no experienced guards, he is providing poise on the court. And the 14-year veteran is playing...GREAT. Love delivered 20 points on 13 shots. He had eight rebounds, four assists and probably led the team in High-5s and chest-bumps.

6. In Love’s 29 minutes on the court, the Cavs outscored the Pacers by 13 points. That was the best best plus/minus total of any Cavs player Sunday. In his last 10 games, Love is averaging 20.7 points, 8.3 rebounds and making almost every shot. He’s at .517 from the field and exactly 50 percent on 3-pointers.

7. ESPN ranks the Cavs as the 10th best team in the NBA. Next to the power ranking, David McMenamin wrote: “Much of the talk surrounding Kevin coming into the season regarded how healthy he would be and whether Cleveland would still be a fit for him at this stage of his career. He has proved to be vital to the Cavs’ resurgence. And his 20-point, eight-rebound and four-assist performance in a win over Indiana on Sunday marked his fifth straight 20-point game -- his longest such streak since LeBron James was his teammate.”

8. Confession time: Yes, I’m the basketball bright light who thought it would be wise to buy out Love at the end of last season. He is healthy. He has been revived playing for Bickerstaff, coming off the bench and leading this young team.

9. After the game, Love told the media: “Guys are all stepping up in different ways for us, like Lamar when we really needed it in the third quarter. We scrapped in the second half and we never really stepped back once we got started.”

10. Love was talking about Lamar Stevens, the undrafted small forward from Penn State who moved into the backcourt after the injuries. He scored 15 points, most on fullback-like drives to the rim. He threw his body all over he court defensively. Bickerstaff calls him one of their “dogs” or “junkyard dogs.” Okoro also delivers that kind of physical defense in the backcourt.”

11. Then there was this from Jarrett Allen: “We want Evan to shoot the ball more because we believe it’s going in every time.”

12. Evan is rookie Evan Mobley, who supplied 24 points (11-of-16 shooting) with nine rebounds and four assists. At times he helped out handling the ball. His calm presence on the court is remarkable for a 20-year-old rookie.

13. In four games since returning from the COVID list, Mobley is averaging 21 points, 7.3 rebounds and shooting 63 percent.
Terry’s Talkin’
Why a trade for Ben Simmons is a bad idea for the Cavs; the Browns, Baker Mayfield and 2022

14. While Allen praised Mobley by saying the team believes the rookie’s shots “are going in every time,” that really applies to Allen. He had 18 points and 11 rebounds. For the season, the center is shooting 70 percent from the field. He has tremendous hands, able to catch the ball in traffic, then make a stand-still, straight-up jump for a thundering drunk. He has an old-school big man’s game and wears an old-school Afro.

15. The reason for quoting Love and Allen is how they mentioned their teammates. GM Koby Altman and Bickerstaff are building something special with this group. As Bickerstaff said: “Our guys show up and give you what they’ve got...they do it collectively.”

16. The Cavs fell behind by 11 points in the third quarter (84-73 with 3:04 left). They then outscored Indiana, 35-20, in the final 15 minutes of the game. They slapped down the defense. They hit the boards. Love, Mobley and Allen put the ball in the basket.

17. Bickerstaff said: “We got down a little bit, but we figured out a way...It was through the scrap and (we did it) together. There may be an individual who makes a play, but not one of us can do it by ourselves. Once we see somebody, then everybody jumps on board.”

18. Bickerstaff’s comments sound like coaching cliches, but they are real when it applies to this team. It’s why old-school Cavs fans and young ones who love the game are embracing this team.

Lamar Stevens was a college center, an NBA small forward and did a nice job yesterday in the backcourt. He wont' stay there but Stevens at the 2 gives them 4 Talls and one small.

Cavaliers, GM Koby Altman agree to extension through 2027-28 season

January 12, 2022Updated 2:35 PM MST

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Cavaliers, GM Koby Altman agree to extension through 2027-28 season: Sources. Altman, whose new title will be president of basketball operations, was promoted from assistant GM to general manager in 2017, taking over for David Griffin.
The Cleveland Cavaliers and general manager Koby Altman have agreed to a contract extension through the 2027-2028 season, sources told The Athletic on Tuesday, confirming ESPN's initial report. His new title will be president of basketball operations.

Altman, 39, was promoted from assistant GM to general manager in 2017, taking over for David Griffin. He signed a three-year deal before receiving an extention in 2019. He has been with the organization since joining as a pro personnel manager in 2012.

The Cavaliers are currently sixth in the Eastern Conference standings at 23-18 following Monday night's 109-108 win over the Kings.



Why did Cleveland extend Altman?

Kelsey Russo, Cavaliers beat writer: In the last three seasons, Altman has been at the helm of the rebuild and reshaped the Cavs’ roster through the draft, key trades and signings. Altman drafted key players like Darius Garland, Collin Sexton, Isaac Okoro and Evan Mobley, and traded for Jarrett Allen — who they also cemented as a piece of their future with his five-year contract in the offseason — and Ricky Rubio.

The Cavs’ 23-18 record this season also plays a factor, as the Cavs took the necessary jump in the rebuild where wins mattered more, and now are in the conversation for a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. The Cavs also recently extended coach J.B. Bickerstaff through the 2026-27 season, so Altman’s extension lines up with Bickerstaff. And the two have built a partnership since Bickerstaff became head coach to help get Cleveland where it is today.

Biggest decisions ahead for the Cavaliers
Russo: There are some important decisions that Altman and the Cavs will have to consider, both before the trade deadline and/or again this summer, particularly with their backcourt. The Cavs and Sexton did not come to an agreement on a contract extension before the 2021-22 season began, so Sexton can become a restricted free agent this offseason.

Rubio is in the final year of his contract, and as The Athletic reported on Jan. 10, teams are showing interest around Rubio's expiring deal. Rubio is out for the remainder of the season after a torn ACL; he played a large factor in the Cavs’ early success in the season.

What Altman has meant to the organization
Russo: He’s meant a lot as the GM to help the Cavs through their rebuild. He became GM in July 2017, a year after the Cavs won the NBA title. The past three seasons have had their ups and downs, in terms of win/loss records, multiple coaching changes and struggles with some players not working out in Cleveland. The rebuild took its bumps.

But overall, Altman has helped the Cavs reach this point in their rebuild and the Cavs have turned the corner as their young players have grown and established themselves as key players in their success this season.

Go Deeper
The partnership between Cavs’ Koby Altman and J.B. Bickerstaff continues to thrive: ‘We’re on our way’. 'I have his trust, but I have his support. And he's got my back all the time,' Bickerstaff said of Altman following his long-term extension.
The partnership between Cavs’ Koby Altman and J.B. Bickerstaff continues to thrive: ‘We’re on our way’

Darius Garland’s first triple-double is another sign of guard’s on-court growth



Cleveland Cavaliers guard Darius Garland celebrates after achieving a triple-double during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Utah Jazz Wednesday, Jan. 12, 2022, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Alex Goodlett)
By Kelsey Russo 2h ago 6

SALT LAKE CITY — Darius Garland drove into the paint and to the basket, put the ball up for the layup and watched it go through the net. He raised both his arms above his head as he ran down the floor with a giant smile spread across his face.

He just scored his 11th point of the game, which gave him his first career triple-double in the third quarter. He finished Wednesday with 11 points, 15 assists and 10 rebounds. Garland shot 3-of-11 from the field, 1-of-8 from 3 and 4-of-4 from the free-throw line. His 15 assists and 10 rebounds were also individual career highs.

At that moment, Garland knew he had the triple-double. The smile said it all.

“Yeah, I knew,” Garland said as a smile crossed his face. “Yeah, they just kept coming to me like, ‘We got a triple-double watch.’ So I’m like, what, triple-double watch? So I went out there and got it, I guess.”

It also gave the Cavs a 21-point lead with 48.3 seconds left in the third quarter against the Jazz. Cleveland held on throughout the fourth quarter and beat Utah 111-91.

Garland joined LeBron James as the only Cavalier over the past 25 seasons to record a triple-double through three quarters, according to ESPN Stats & Info. He also became the fourth-youngest player in franchise history to notch a triple-double. He’s behind James, Brad Daugherty and Kyrie Irving on that list.

“He’s the type of person that you root for,” coach J.B. Bickerstaff said of Garland. “He’s the type of person who every day you want to be around. He takes his job extremely serious. But, at the same time, his personality is bigger than himself. And all he thinks about and how the way he carries himself is just about the people that are around him. And it’s not just basketball. Like he doesn’t just show up to work and become somebody else. Like this is the type of person that he is on and off the floor. So when you see someone like that be successful or accomplish a goal, it is that special, like you do pull for people like that. And Darius deserves it.”

Even though his shot wasn’t falling as it typically has this season — Garland is the Cavs’ leading scorer averaging 19.1 points per game — Garland still found ways to be effective. He passed to Jarrett Allen in the paint for a dunk in the first quarter. He stole the ball as the Jazz tried to inbound and scored. Garland got the ball to guys like Cedi Osman or Lauri Markkanen on the perimeter for a 3. He had the hockey assist on a pass to Allen in transition, as Allen then found Evan Mobley for a dunk.

Garland’s activity on the boards also played an important role in limiting second-chance opportunities for the Jazz. The Cavs knew heading into the matchup against Utah that their presence on the boards and grabbing long rebounds would be crucial. The Jazz make the most 3s in the league, averaging 15 made 3s per game. They also rank second in the league in 3-point attempts, averaging 41.6 attempts per game.

There was an added emphasis to rebounding the ball from the perimeter, and Bickerstaff said they needed one or more of their perimeter players to be active on the defensive boards. Garland took that on. All 10 of his boards were defensive rebounds, and it helped start the Cavs’ offense as he brought the ball up the floor.

“The 10 defensive rebounds show that he did that,” Bickerstaff said. “The assists come from him recognizing the game and seeing the plays that are there in advance and not reacting. He’s manipulating defenses because he knows what to expect now. And I think he did that over and over again. And then obviously, the points, I thought he got good looks, had some that didn’t go down for him. But it’s just his ability to impact the game on both ends of the floor from that position.”

Garland’s presence has played a crucial part in the Cavs’ success. He’s found his voice as their starting point guard, and his offense has evolved. He can make plays when it matters in fourth quarters and has developed the confidence to take shots when needed.

Garland is the piece that makes Cleveland’s offense tick, and opposing defenses have to make adjustments to him. Bickerstaff has seen Garland’s growth not only on the physical impact he has on the game but also the mental impact.

“For him to come up with 15 assists, and not shoot it as well as he typically does, like, that shows that this is clicking,” Bickerstaff said. “And that the game is slowing down and he’s figuring it out. Again, understanding that we needed to rebound the ball on the defensive end, especially long rebounds because of the 3-point shot, and then him going to get 10 of them, again, speaks to his ability to take that information and implement it on the floor. So that’s where the greats become the greats is because they can outthink, and it doesn’t always have to just be a physical thing. And you’re seeing Darius be able to manipulate the game with his mind.”

It’s another milestone in Garland’s young career and in a season in which he has taken important strides. Yet, Garland put the praise back on his teammates. They made the shots when he passed them the ball or made the next right pass to the open man for a shot. Garland said Kevin Love was boxing out other people to help him get rebounds.

Markkanen was surprised it was Garland’s first career triple-double. The two had faced each other in games when Markkanen was with the Bulls, so he’d seen Garland’s game up close and said, “He’s been balling his whole career.”

Lamar Stevens asked Garland if he had a triple-double before. While Garland had been close — like earlier this season against the Wizards when he contributed 11 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds — this was the first. And the support from his teammates was abundant afterward.

“DG is my guy, so I was really happy for him,” Stevens said.

The praise for Garland’s milestone night extended to the opposing locker room too.

“Darius Garland deserves to be in the All-Star Game,” Utah’s Donovan Mitchell, a two-time All-Star, said. “I think a night like tonight, he didn’t shoot well, and he still had a major impact on the game. What he’s doing right now is next level, so credit to him.”

Have you fallen in love with the Cavaliers yet? Give it a try – Terry Pluto’s Scribbles

By Terry Pluto, cleveland.com

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Scribbles in my notebook after the Cavs come home with a 5-1 record on their recent trip West:

1. The NBA’s schedule-makers made life miserable for the Cavaliers by having them open the season with eifht of 11 games on the road, I looked at that and even wrote a story under the headline “Why does the NBA hate Cleveland?” Of those 11 games, 10 were against teams that made the playoffs – or at least the “play-in tournament.”


2. The Cavs went 6-5 to open the year. That was the first hint this season would be different. They have endured the COVID roster onslaught, at one point sidelining seven players. Key note: I’m talking about this from a basketball perspective, not comparing it to so many of us who know people who have been severely impacted by the virus. Most Cleveland players had no symptoms, just positive tests. For them, it was a roster problem with guys out for 10 days.

3. The Cavs also lost Collin Sexton and later Ricky Rubio to season-ending knee surgery. GM Koby Altman quickly added veteran point guard Rajon Rondo, whose defense helped them beat Sacramento last week. But Rondo played only two games, then sat out the last two with a strained hamstring.


4. Yet, the Cavs went 5-1 on this recent trip. It’s the first time they’ve had a 5-1 record on a trip since Jan. 6-15, 2016. That was with LeBron James in what turned out to be a championship season. The Cavs are 14-9 on the road. This information comes from the Cavs.

5. Coach J.B. Bickerstaff told the media: “The theme of his trip was how would we react in adverse situations and environments. We showed that grit and toughness get that job done. We battled, didn’t give in.”

BIG TIME GUARD!
Cleveland Cavaliers guard Darius Garland celebrates after achieving a triple-double in Utah. AP


6. The Cavs were down 18 points in the middle of the third quarter in the OKC game before coming back to win 107-102 Saturday. They had played the night before in San Antonio. On the six-game trip, they twice played back-to-back games. Their only loss was to powerhouse Golden State.

7. More Bickerstaff: “These guys don’t see a reason to give in and lay down. The amount of games, the amount of minutes, ending on a back-to-back game...all those things are easy excuses to take...and over the years, we’ve seen them take (those excuses)...Our guys are genuinely looking to build something special and every moment on the floor together matters to them.”

8. The Cavs have a 26-18 record. More than half of the 82-game season is over. Things can always go very wrong, but this looks like a winning team, a playoff team. Or as Utah coach Quin Snyder told the media: “They play collectively. They have an identity.”


9. That is the basketball gospel of Bickerstaff. “Playing collectively” is playing together. It fits his “one more” mantra, meaning make one more pass. It’s five players averaging between 19.7 points (Darius Garland) and 14.1 points (super-sub Kevin Love). It’s nine averaging at least 10 points.

10. As for identity, this team defends. They are No. 3 in the NBA in that department. The defense is how they are winning these road games. They reached another level of defensive determination in the fourth quarter. The Cavs held teams to 22 points in the fourth quarter on his trip. That’s remarkable on the road where the opponent has the home court energy.

BIG TIME ROOKIE!
Cleveland Cavaliers forward Evan Mobley IS averaging 17.4 points and 7.2 rebounds in his last 10 games. AP


11. The Cavs with their size and their defensive determination just wear teams down. Against some teams such as Oklahoma City, Sacramento and San Antonio, the Cavs looked like a high school varsity team playing a group of freshmen. They were so much bigger with their starting 7-foot front line of Evan Mobley, Jarrett Allen and Lauri Markkanen.

12. Underrated is how the shooting guard next to Garland has also become a defensive position. Bickerstaff has two “junkyard dogs,” as the coach calls Lamar Stevens and Isaac Okoro. Both are in the 6-foot-5, 230-pound range. After the victory in Oklahoma City, Bickerstaff praised Okoro for “awesome defense.” The coach can assign Okoro or Stevens to a high-scoring guard and know they’ll make the opponent work for his points. In the past, the Cavs were a soft team where good players knew they could pad their scoring averages,


13. Garland had a remarkable trip, the point guard finding different ways to help the Cavs win. In Utah, it was a triple double (11 points, 14 assists, 10 rebounds). In OKC, it was 27 points and 18 assists. In San Antonio, it was 32 points and 8 assists. He tossed in 26 points at Portland. He has emerged as the leader of this team at the age 21. The 6-foot-1 guard is setting up the big guys for easy layups and dunks with his passing. He should be an All-Star this season.

14. Then there’s Mobley. In 10 games since coming off the COVID list, the 7-foot rookie from USC is averaging 17.4 points, 7.2 rebounds and shooting .558 from the field. He is also a good passer. He’s third in the NBA in “contested shots.” His unselfish defensive mindset is perfect for this team.

15. The Cavs host Brooklyn Monday at 3 p.m. If you like the pure parts of basketball, they are a “must watch” team. This recent trip was another example of that.

Too bad Sinclair and Dish can't/won't agree on something.

Former Finals MVP Chauncey Billups: Brooklyn Nets' Kyrie Irving 'most skilled' PG in history
play

Jan 10, 2022

Nick Friedell
ESPN Staff Writer

PORTLAND, Ore. -- Portland Trail Blazers coach and former NBA Finals MVP Chauncey Billups says he believes Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving is "the most skilled player" ever to play the point guard position.

"Kyrie is just, he's a wizard, man," Billups said before the Blazers' 114-108 win over the Nets on Monday night. "He's must-see TV. I personally think, as somebody that played the position, I think Kyrie's the most skilled player that's ever played that position. Just straight skill. Nothing else. Just straight skill. I think he's the best that I've ever seen at the position, skill-wise. So, obviously, he gives you a ton when he's playing."

Had to post this because if you go back far enough in this folder I think I have said the same thing. Can not stand him but he has unbelievable basketball skills and LeBron should have never been the guy taking the last shots at the end of the game.

Congrats to you rusty for the Cavs rebounding to be this good with NO Lebron!

I am thrilled to see good basketball !

Does beating Nets without Kevin Durant count as a ‘signature’ win? For magical Cavaliers, it may not matter



CLEVELAND, OH - JANUARY 17: Darius Garland #10 of the Cleveland Cavaliers shoots the ball during the game against the Brooklyn Nets on January 17, 2022 at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland, Ohio.

CLEVELAND — No player has ever enjoyed the kind of season Darius Garland is having for the Cleveland Cavaliers, at his age. Not even Kyrie Irving, who is good.

Garland is 21, and as fate would have it, was the Cavs’ top star in what they felt was a big win for them — a 114-107 decision over Irving’s Nets on Monday afternoon. He scored 22 points with 12 assists, on the same day he learned he is the Eastern Conference’s Player of the Week after a brilliant western road trip.

Looking at the bigger picture, Garland is averaging 19.7 points and 7.8 assists per game and shooting 46.7 percent from the field and 91.8 percent from the foul line. If it holds for the entire season, he’d be the first player 22 or younger to post those numbers.

When Irving was Garland’s age, in 2014-15, he was an All-Star and co-piloted the Cavs to the NBA Finals, but he only shot 86 percent from the foul line and averaged just 5.2 assists.

“I mean, he literally controls the game for us,” said teammate Isaac Okoro after Monday’s gem.

The Cavs host the NBA All-Star Game in one month and two days, and there is a real chance they could have two All-Stars — a nearly unfathomable thought at this time one year ago. Jarrett Allen (14 points, 10 boards against Brooklyn) is the other legitimate All-Star candidate, joining Garland. There is still time, but All-Star Weekend is shaping up as a chance to be a celebration for all of the good that’s been happening over the last several months to the host franchise.

In the meantime, the Cavs are winners of five consecutive games and finished off the aforementioned six-game western trip with a 5-1 mark. Impressive, regardless of who is on the floor. They now have 27 wins, which, depending on the Las Vegas sportsbook we’re talking about, was the number of games they were supposed to win all season. They’ve already eclipsed last season’s win total.

To recap, Cleveland has one of the best young players, who is getting hot right now. There could be two All-Stars on the roster, in addition to the early favorite for NBA Rookie of the Year, in Evan Mobley (12 points, six boards on Monday). The Cavs are beating whoever is put in front of them, despite having the toughest schedule in the NBA through the first part of the year.

“In the locker room we consider our team one of the best teams in the East, so getting these big wins, especially at home, it means a lot to us,” Garland said.

If there is something missing to what’s becoming a magical season in Cleveland, it would be that “signature” win. Does beating the Nets count, because Irving and James Harden were on the court? Or does the absence of a legitimate MVP candidate, Kevin Durant, not to mention all the other injuries Brooklyn is dealing with, water down what the Cavs accomplished?

“It’s a signature win,” coach J.B. Bickerstaff reasoned, citing not only the pedigree of the two stars the Nets had in uniform but also the fact that Cleveland was coming off a lengthy road trip and was missing a couple of role players.

Last month, it was Bickerstaff who said a win against an elite team was the one thing the Cavs hadn’t done yet.

Since he said it, Cleveland thumped the defending champion Milwaukee Bucks, but Giannis Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton and Jrue Holiday were among those missing from that game. Last week, the Cavs beat the Utah Jazz … on the road … which never happens. The Jazz, who had the best regular-season record in 2020-21, were missing Rudy Gobert, the NBA Defensive Player of the Year.

The Nets are now the No. 3-seeded team in the East, just a game ahead of Cleveland, but we know what they can be when Irving, Harden and Durant are all out on the court. Only, that almost never seems to happen due to injuries, COVID-19 or rules about vaccine shots. And the Nets’ roster was built with the idea that those three players are supposed to be out there nightly. When one isn’t and there are other injuries, like to Joe Harris and Nic Claxton, Brooklyn slides maybe a peg.

Neither Jimmy Butler nor Bam Adebayo played in either of the Cavs’ wins over Miami, the current No. 2 seed in the East. And on and on.

This is not a knock on the Cavs, as none of this is their fault. Quite the contrary, an admirable trait of this team, one of the many real signs of growth, is rarely does Cleveland suffer what is considered a “bad” loss. The Cavs have shown maturity and focus by beating teams that are either ill, injured or not very good to begin with.

Also, yes, in addition to losing last season’s leading scorer (Collin Sexton) and Ricky Rubio for the season to injuries, the Cavs have had their bouts with COVID-19 and minor injuries that have knocked key players out for small stretches.

A “signature” win was obviously on Bickerstaff’s mind last month, when the Cavs inarguably did not have one, and again Monday after beating Harden and Irving. But there is a constructive discussion over the importance of that win.

If fortune is going to remain on Cleveland’s side and the good teams on the schedule are going to be missing great players, can the Cavs (and the rest of us) get a true sense of how prepared this team is for the playoffs, which is where the Cavs seem to be headed?

“I think what we need is the level of understanding of what we’re capable of,” Bickerstaff said. “And to me, when you play against, you know, teams that are above you in the standings, you need to believe that you’re capable of beating them. And the only way that you do that, you know, is by getting over that hump.”

Naturally, the next team on Cleveland’s schedule is the East-leading Chicago Bulls, who are missing Olympic gold medalist Zach LaVine. The Cavs beat Chicago last month, but likely All-Star DeMar DeRozan was among the cadre of Bulls out. In just over one week, the Bucks will be back in Cleveland, and they should be much closer to 100 percent. So maybe then is when the Cavs can truly scratch this item off their list?

But even if they don’t win that one, what Cleveland is doing is laying an unmistakable foundation, not just for the distant future, but for the spring.

The Cavs know they are going to play big, with 7-footers Allen, Mobley and Lauri Markkanen in the starting lineup. They didn’t swerve from that even after the Nets replaced Durant with … Patty Mills, a third guard who is shorter than Irving and Harden.

The Cavs are a team that defends. Brooklyn scored just 19 points in the fourth quarter. Markkanen found himself on Harden, while Okoro was locked up with Irving. Kyrie scored just four of his 27 points in the last quarter, on 2-of-7 shooting. Harden missed the two shots he took and committed two turnovers.

“I was trying to make life as tough as I could on him,” Markkanen said.

The Cavs also know they can turn the offense over to Garland with the game on the line. This is a significant development because for much of the season he was playing next to Rubio during crunch time. Garland was able to be off the ball and play off the calm Rubio brought to the court.

Rubio is gone for the season, and even his replacement, Rajon Rondo, is out with an injury. But Garland has been masterful at the ends of these games, even without those older players helping him. He went the whole fourth quarter against Brooklyn, producing eight points and four assists in those final 12 minutes.

“Super high,” Garland said, when he was asked for his confidence level entering fourth quarters. “Everybody has that mindset that they want to win. So we put everything together and bring that toughness every night, I’d put us against anybody.”

All of this is to say, the Cavs’ season is so impressive not because of any one win, but because of all of them. And it’s OK if it stays that way for a while.

rusty2 wrote:I am thrilled to see good basketball !

And yes rusty indeed it is fun to watch. I am convinced, by the way, Darius Garland and Ja Morant are the same guy. Such phenomenal point guard talents!!

And old school BIG front line. I knew they got a steal in Jarrett Allen - that guy's motor is relentless. Great pickup in Lauri. And of course Mobley.

A motivated and healthy (fingers crossed) Kevin Love gives the veteran leadership.

This is a bit dated but still relevant.

CLEVELAND — The Indiana Pacers have been in the news lately, and the reason could have an interesting implication for the Cavaliers.

If the Pacers ultimately decide to rebuild and trade veterans such as Caris LeVert, what he does is something the Cavs don’t have at present as a tall guard who can score consistently. Indiana, sources said, likes the Cavs’ injured guard Collin Sexton as a “terrific scorer,” though the Pacers have not yet brought him up in the discussions they’ve had with Cleveland’s executives.

Perhaps a market will develop for the Cavs to be able to move Sexton, who is only 22, is a 20.0 ppg scorer over his career and led the team in scoring his past two seasons. He is out for the season with a torn meniscus.