It wasn’t pretty, but a strong fourth quarter from Darius Garland helped Cleveland grab their 15th straight victory.
The shorthanded Cleveland Cavaliers had a tough time overcoming the loss of three key players: Donovan Mitchell (groin), De’Andre Hunter (illness), and Ty Jerome (rest). They came out slow but were able to erase another double-digit deficit to pick up their 15th straight win as they defeated the Brooklyn Nets 109-104.
The Cavs, except for Sunday’s victory over the Milwaukee Bucks, have come out completely flat in the last week and a half. That continued on Tuesday. They allowed Brooklyn to get into an offensive rhythm that they used to build a lead that extended to 18 in the third quarter.
Cleveland cut the deficit to single digits by the close of the third quarter, thanks to a near midcourt Craig Porter Jr. buzzer-beater. This set the stage for another Cleveland comeback.
The offense that was lying dormant for 36 minutes finally came alive in the fourth. The Cavs, led by Darius Garland, were able to turn defense into offense. They overwhelmed the Nets as they outscored them 31-18 in the final frame to keep their winning streak intact and secure a division title.
It wasn’t pretty, but all wins look the same in the standings.
The Cavs have incredible depth, that doesn’t extend to playmaking
Cleveland has been winning due to the strength of their depth. They’ve been able to run out varied and versatile lineups all season. That doesn’t work as well when they don’t have the off-the-dribble threats to take advantage of that.
The Cavs went with a starting lineup of Garland, Isaac Okoro, Max Strus, Evan Mobley, and Jarrett Allen. As good as each of those players is, Garland is still the only one you completely trust to create for themselves and others off the dribble. It doesn’t get much better when you go to the bench, either.
The offense has been fueled by three-point shooting all season. The lack of guys who can consistently bend the defense and get two feet in the paint bled over into shot quality. The Cavs weren’t able to generate as clean of looks for their shooters. This led to misses and being hesitant to pull when they did get an opening through the first three quarters.
It’s a make-or-miss league
The Cavs came into this game first in three-point percentage (39.3%), while the Nets were 27th (34.4%). You wouldn’t have known that just watching this game.
Brooklyn kept creating and knocking down clean looks as they went 16-44 (36.4%) from three. Cleveland couldn’t keep up as they connected on just 10 of their 42 outside looks (23.8%).
This is what led to Cleveland falling behind by as much as they did.
The Cavs can win games with their defense
Cleveland’s attack came alive in the fourth quarter, but it wasn’t their typical explosion. Instead, it was their defense that allowed them to come back.
Head coach Kenny Atkinson leaned on some defensive first lineups at the close of the game. Defensive specialists Isaac Okoro and Dean Wade saw plenty of fourth quarter minutes and it worked.
Brooklyn was limited to just 18 points in the fourth quarter which included completing just 6-18 of their attempts from the field (33.3%).
“I feel like we came out with a different mindset,” Atkinson said. “In the first half [you could say], ‘Well they shot it really well.’ I’d argue they had a lot of freedom of moment. In the second half, I felt like we got into a little bit led by JA (Allen) and Ice (Okoro). Ice’s job on Cam Thomas, I know he had 27, but he made him work.”
The Cavs needed to win a game with their defense considering who was out of the lineup. This was a nice reminder that this offensive juggernaut can still turn up the screws on defense when needed.
You can’t count the Cavs out
Is it good that the Cavs keep showing that they can’t be counted out of games? Yes. Is it bad that they keep falling down by this many points so that they need to be bailed out by a great fourth quarter? Also yes.
We’re at an interesting point of the season. The Cavs are in the midst of a rough patch in their schedule. They don’t play consecutive games in the same city until the end of the month. That, and having a lack of things to play for as they came into this contest seven-and-a-half games ahead of the Boston Celtics for the top spot in the East, could lead to apathy.
The Cavs know they will be judged by how they play in the postseason. They have nothing left to prove in the regular season. That is likely leading to the lack of focus in some of these games.
This shouldn’t be a cause for concern long term, but it is something that could continue through the rest of the month as they trudge through a rough portion of their schedule.
Jarrett Allen remains incredibly important for this team
Hunter’s emergence and ability to seamlessly fit into the closing lineup have overshadowed the consistency that Allen can provide. That consistency was much needed on a night like this where the Cavs needed a source of offense during their rough patches through the first three quarters.
“He’s bringing so much energy,” Garland said postgame. “He changed the game for us, to be honest with you, tonight. Just with his energy and his mentality. Just not letting anything come in his paint.”
Allen carried them through three otherwise lifeless quarters. His 20 points on 6-11 shooting in the first three quarters kept Cleveland within arm’s reach when things were slipping away at times.
“I thought JA was player of the game,” Atkinson said afterward.
Allen showed again why he’s so important to this team.
Darius Garland broke out of his funk
Garland has struggled to find his shot since taking a hard fall against the New York Knicks two and a half weeks ago. Coming into Tuesday’s game, he was averaging 16.7 points on 34.4% shooting from the floor and 33.3% from three in his last six outings. It didn’t seem like things were going to look much better after tonight.
The Cavs were desperate for someone to provide a scoring punch tonight. Garland continually created good looks, he just wasn’t able to get anything to fall as he had just 12 points on 4-14 shooting through three quarters.
Unlike earlier in his career, Garland didn’t hesitate to empty the clip. He kept confidentially stepping into shots which is exactly what you want to see from your All-Star guard on a shorthanded night like this.
And then in the fourth quarter, the dam broke.
“Aggressiveness,” Garland credited for his fourth-quarter turnaround. “I was just taking the double team at first. Then in the fourth, I just had to start shooting the ball a little bit more. Being aggressive and trying to make plays for my teammates. That’s the difference.”
The shots that weren’t falling earlier in the evening and the last several days started going in. His shot-making carried the Cavs throughout the fourth quarter as he confidentially probed the Brooklyn defense for shots for himself and his teammates.
Garland has been one of the most clutch players in the league all season. That was on display once again as he put the Nets away with 18 fourth-quarter points on 7-10 shooting.
This led to his head coach calling him the Clutch Player of the Year afterward.
“That’s the DG we all know,” Atkinson said. “That’s been him 95% of the season. Went through a little slump. But [it] was a great game to get him going. With Don out, he knew he had to take more on. I think that’ll spark him and he’ll be on his way to play great basketball again.”
It’s not about how you start. It’s how you finish.