The Phoenix Suns rode into Cleveland to face the Cavaliers on a 13-game winning streak, so Cleveland knew they would have their hands full Wednesday night.
The Cavaliers battled the Western Conference champions to the end, but they would lose 120-115 at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse.
The Cavaliers(9-10) have lost five straight, while the Suns(15-3) extend their win streak to 14 games.
Here is the Great, Not so Great, and Bottom Line of the Cavs’ loss to Phoenix.
The Great for the Cavaliers:
-Cedi Osman returned Wednesday after missing two games with a back spasms, and he was outstanding. Osman had 23 points off Cleveland’s bench, including a team-high five threes. It was a night of milestones for Osman as he got his 200th career steal and 1,000th career field goal.
=Jarrett Allen is having a great season, and maybe an All-Star caliber season. Allen had 18 of his team-high 25 points(9-10 FG) in the first half against the Suns and collected 11 rebounds. He went head-to-head with Deandre Ayton and was dominant. The 18 points in a half was a career-high for Allen.
-Darius Garland was in foul trouble for most of the night and fouled out in the fourth, but he had another solid night with 19 points and seven assists.
-Second Quarter: Cleveland trailed 36-33 after one but picked things up in the second quarter. They had another 33-point quarter led by Ricky Rubio’s 12 points. In addition, they picked it up on the defensive end as the Cavs held Phoenix to 38% from the field, including 1/6 from downtown. Cleveland would take a 66-61 lead into halftime. The 66 points were the most the Cavs scored in the first half this season.
Grit, Heart, Scrap: The Cavs showed all these things against the Suns. Their grit, heart, and scrap almost got them a victory, but the Suns are so good and know how to make all the right plays down the stretch. However, that does not take away from the effort the Cavs displayed.
Not So Great for the Cavaliers:
-Third Quarter: The third quarter was the worst shooting quarter for the Cavs Wednesday night. They shot 37% from the field, including 1/5 from downtown. Phoenix, who leads the league in team field goal percentage, shot 48 percent from the floor and ultimately took a one-point lead into the fourth. The Suns finished the game shooting 51% from the field.
-Fourth Quarter Defense: The Cavs were not bad in the fourth quarter, but they gave Phoenix too many good looks. Phoenix had their best shooting quarter of the game as they shot 11/18(61%) from the floor; only one of those 11 field goals was a three, so a lot of mid-range jumpers from the Suns, including down the stretch when Chris Paul hit a pull up jumper with just under two minutes left to give Phoenix the lead for good.
Second Half Ricky Rubio: Rubio scored 12 of his 15 points in the first half(4/11 FG). Second half, much different story as Rubio was 1/9 from the field and had three points. On two occasions, with the Suns leading by three late, Phoenix purposely fouled Rubio and would not let Cleveland get off a three-point shot. However, both times Rubio missed the first free throw, and ultimately, the Suns’ plan worked. Rubio finished the game shooting 5/20 from the field.
Bottom Line:
Again, again, again, there are no moral victories in the NBA. Absolutely none! However, the Cavs are building; they were without one of their best players in Evan Mobley, and the Suns have won 14 straight, so give Cleveland credit; they went toe-to-toe with one of the best teams in basketball and did not blink. So, for me, the Cavs get a moral victory against the Suns. Sadly, it does not count in the standings.
“Obviously, was a tough ending for us but for the 48 minutes, we were right there,” Osman said. “We compete.”
What’s Next:
Cleveland finishes off their four-game homestand Saturday night against the Orlando Magic. The Cavs our 0-3 on this homestand.
Best of the Rest:
-Phoenix had six players in double figures as Devin Booker had a game-high 35 points. Paul had 17 points and a game-high 11 assists. Deandre Ayton had 16 points and nine rebounds. JaVale McGee had a double-double with 13 points and a game-high 12 rebounds off the bench.
-Cleveland also had six players in double figures. Lauri Markkanen had a double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds. Kevin Love had 14 points and eight rebounds off the bench. Cleveland had 52 points off their bench.
-Phoenix’s 14-game win streak started on October 30th against guess who? The Cavaliers.
The Dallas Mavericks got their star back in Luka Doncic against the Clippers after he missed the past three games due to ankle and knee sprains, and unlike the first three games of this road trip, they were able to close out the Clippers(10-8) in OT 112-104 on Tuesday night.
The Mavericks(10-7) snap their three-game losing streak, and the Dallas finished their road trip 1-3.
Here is the Great, Not so Great, and the Bottom Line of the Mavs’ win over Clippers.
The Great for the Mavericks:
Kristaps Porzingis has found his groove. The 7-footer had his seventh straight game of 20 points or more as he had a team-high 30 points to go along with seven rebounds. During this seven-game stretch, Porzingis is averaging 26.0 points (.528 FG), 9.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 1.4 blocks a contest.
“He’s playing at a very high level. He didn’t force anything,” Mavs head coach Jason Kidd said about Porzingis. “Sometimes, when a star player comes back, others might change their game, but he didn’t.”
-Doncic almost messed around and had a triple-double. He had 26 points, nine assists, nine rebounds, and two blocks. The Mavericks were happy to have their closer back. Also, according to Mavs PR, Doncic extended his 20-5-5 streak to a 2021-22 NBA-best seven consecutive games.
-Dorian Finney-Smith had 10 of his season-high 17 points in the fourth quarter. Finney-Smith also added three rebounds and three assists.
Third Quarter: The Clippers led by as much as 11 points in this one and by as many as eight points in the third, but Dallas went on a 13-4 run, and during that run, Doncic scored 11 of the 13 points to give the Mavs a one-point lead. Dallas outscored the Clippers 38-28 in the third and took an 80-76 lead into the fourth. Doncic finished the quarter with 15 points
Overtime: Dallas outscored the Clippers 9-1 in the extra session after blowing a 10-point lead late in the game. Porzingis had six points in overtime.
Turnovers: The Mavericks turned 19 Clipper turnovers into 22 points.
The Not so Great for the Mavericks:
The final 3:29 in regulation: Dallas led 102-92 with 3:29 left. Los Angeles went on an 11-1 run to end the game, including Paul George’s corner three at the buzzer to tie things up at 103 and send things into OT. Fortunately, Dallas was able to complete things in OT.
Bottom Line:
Great win for the Mavericks, but they almost blew it. However, a win is a win, especially on the road. Dallas might have had a better road trip if they had Doncic for the first three games. The Mavericks were in all three games against the Suns and Clippers, but they needed that extra push.
What’s Next:
Dallas returns home on Saturday night to face the Wizards.
Best of the Rest:
-Reggie Jackson had game-highs in points(31) and rebounds(10) on Tuesday night; George scored 26 points and dished out six assists.
-Maxi Kleber had a tremendous all-around game with eight points, nine rebounds, six assists, two steals, and a block off the Mavs’ bench.
-Jalen Brunson left the game in first half with a foot injury and did not return. Dallas was also without the services of Frank Ntilikina (Injury/Illness – Right Calf; Strain) and Reggie Bullock(illness).
Listen below as Doncic talks his return from injury:
The Cleveland Cavaliers did something that no team has done to the Brooklyn Nets, and that’s lead by double-digits at halftime.
However, they play two halves in the NBA, and in the second half, Brooklyn(13-5) outscored Cleveland 65-49 and defeated the Cavs 117-112 at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse on Monday night.
The Cavaliers(9-9) have now lost four straight.
Here is the Great, Not so Great, and the Bottom Line of the Cavs’ loss to the Nets:
The Great for the Cavaliers:
-After missing three games due to illness, Cavs C Jarrett Allen had 20 points and a game-high 15 rebounds. Allen played well against his former team and was active on both ends of the court.
-Darius Garland had 16 of his 24 points in the first half, 11 assists, and five rebounds against the Nets, but he did not shoot that great from the field(9/27). However, he made everything go for the Cavs last night. For example, Cleveland was leading 73-64 with just under seven minutes left in the third when Garland, after taking a blow to the face from DeAndre’ Bembry, left the game. The Cavs were outscored 16-7 with Garland off the court, and ultimately, Brooklyn would have the momentum and take a two-point lead into the fourth.
-Lauri Markkanen made his return after missing nine games due to COVID. In his return, Markkanen scored 22 points and added eight rebounds.
-Second Quarter: Cleveland got out fast against Brooklyn and played exceptionally well in the second quarter as they outscored Brooklyn 36-26. The Cavs shot 53% from the floor in the quarter and took an 11-point lead into halftime.
The Not So Great for the Cavaliers:
-Third Quarter: See Garland at the top, but Cleveland was outscored 32-19 in the third. The Cavs shot 24% from the field, including 20% from three-point range. Furthermore, Brooklyn got hot in third and shot 57% from the floor.
Fourth Quarter Garland: The third-year guard shot 1/10 from the floor in the fourth, including 0/3 from downtown.
Referees?: After the game, Cavs head coach J.B. Bickerstaff made it clear that he was not happy with the officiating on Monday night. With Cleveland trailing 106-105 late in the fourth, Ricky Rubio shot a three in the corner but was called for an offensive foul. It was a close call and one that the Cavs tried to challenge, but to no avail, as the referee did not see Bickerstaff calling for a timeout.
Patty Mills would hit a three for Brooklyn on the following possession to put the Nets up 109-105.
According to Cleveland.com, the Cavs were angry about a few calls, including two “phantom” calls on Kevin Durant jumpers — one early and one late. Constant uncalled contact on Darius Garland drives that led to just four free throws and Allen getting mugged in the paint.
“What’s right is right, and I thought there were definitely some calls that were missed, and that is wrong,” Bickerstaff said after the game.
Brooklyn has called for seven more fouls than Cleveland on Monday night.
Bottom Line:
The biggest stretch in this one is when Garland had to leave the game in the third. Cleveland lost their rhythm with him off the court. However, Brooklyn is an excellent team, and you’re going to have to be at your best to beat them. The Cavs are a work in progress, and obviously, this is a game they would have liked to have gotten, but learning how to win these close games consistently takes time.
Back to Bickerstaff’s rant about the refs, he did the right thing, and every so often, even if it cost you money, you have to protect your players, and that is what he did on Monday night.
Watch Bickerstaff’s rant below:
Best of the Rest:
-Cleveland had five guys in double figures, and all five players scored at least 15 points or more for the second time this season. Rubio had 16 points, seven rebounds, and five assists off the bench.
-Kevin Durant led Brooklyn with 27 points; LaMarcus Aldridge added 21 points off the bench, Patty Mills had 17 points, including a game-high five threes, and James Harden had 14 points and a game-high 14 assists. Brooklyn also had five players in double figures.
Without Luka Doncic, it has been a struggle for the Dallas Mavericks(9-7), and the struggles continued on Sunday as Dallas fell to the Clippers(10-7) 97-91 at Staples Center.
Dallas took a 47-46 lead into halftime, but they were outscored by 10 in the third. The Mavs made it close in the end, but it wasn’t enough as Dallas has now lost three straight.
Here’s the Great, the Not so Great, and the Bottom Line of the Mavs’ loss to the Clippers.
The Great for the Mavericks:
-Kristaps Porzingis again scored over 20 points for a career-high-tying sixth consecutive game. Porzingis had 15 of his 25 points in the first half, eight rebounds, two assists, and two blocks. In the last six games, he’s averaging 25.3 points, 9.7 rebounds, and 2.5 assists.
-Jalen Brunson has played well for the injured Doncic(ankle). He shot 7/13 from the floor and scored 20 points to go along with eight assists. In the last three games, Brunson is averaging 18.6 points, 9.0 assists, and 7.3 rebounds. Brunson has shown that he’s a starting point guard in the NBA.
Not so Great for the Mavericks:
-Tim Hardaway Jr. had an off shooting night on Sunday. He was 2/12 from the field and scored only eight points.
-Dallas was not making shots against the Clippers. The Mavericks shot 41% from the field, including 6/30 from downtown.
–Third Quarter: The Mavericks went completely cold in the third. They shot 30% from the floor, including 0/6 from three-point range. Conversely, Los Angeles shot 56% from the field, including 56% from three(5/9) in the quarter.
Bottom Line:
This is a murderous road trip for Dallas, especially without Doncic. Both the Suns and Clippers are outstanding teams, so these are challenging games to win, but as Jason Kidd had said recently, Dallas has to learn to win without Luka. Doncic was a game-time decision on Sunday, so he’s close and may return on Tuesday night. They did get Maxi Kleber back on Sunday, which is huge.
What’s Next:
Dallas, who is 0-3 on this road trip, finishes its four-game trip and two-game set against the Clippers on Tuesday night.
Best of the Rest:
Paul George led the Clippers with a game-high 29 points; Reggie Jackson added 23 points, and Ivica Zubac chipped in with 16 points and a game-high 10 rebounds.
The Dallas Mavericks finished off their two-game set in Phoenix against the Suns(12-3) on Friday night. The Mavericks, who were again without Luka Doncic(ankle/knee sprains), took an 84-79 lead into the fourth but would be outscored 33-20 in the final quarter and fall to Phoenix 112-104.
Dallas(9-6) fell to the Suns 105-98 on Wednesday night.
Here is the Great, Not so Great, and the Bottom Line of Phoenix’s loss to Dallas.
The Great for the Mavericks:
-Kristaps Porzingis continues to play well for Dallas. He led the way with a game-high 23 points, and he grabbed a team-high 12 rebounds. Porzingis shot the ball well as he was 8/13 from the field, including 3/6 from downtown. This was Porzingis’ fifth consecutive game of 20 points or more.
Jalen Brunson in the first three quarters: In his second consecutive start for Dallas, Brunson had a double-double with 18 points and 10 assists. For the first three quarters, Brunson was 6/13 from the floor with 15 points and eight assists, and Dallas took an 84-79 lead into the fourth.
Not so Great for the Mavericks:
Fourth Quarter: Dallas went cold in the fourth. They shot 6/21 from the field and had five of their 10 turnovers in the quarter. Phoenix went on a 17-3 run to start to the fourth, and the Suns shot 65% from the floor, including 5/7 from three-point range. Ultimately, the Mavericks were outscored 33-20.
Fourth Quarter Jalen Brunson: The fourth-year guard struggled in the fourth. He was 1/6 from the floor and scored only two points, but it was not just on him; the team struggled in the final period. Brunson finished the game shooting 7/19.
Defense: Dallas allowed the Suns to shoot 52% from the floor, including 48% from downtown on Friday night. In addition, they allowed Phoenix to score 112 points.
Bottom Line:
The Phoenix Suns are red-hot as they have won 11 straight; they are probably playing the best basketball in the NBA right now. In both games against the Suns, the Mavericks took leads into the fourth, and both times, the Suns outlasted them. Maybe if Doncic was healthy, Dallas could have split the two-game set in Phoenix. Hopefully, they can get Doncic back against the Clippers.
“They’re a good team,” Porzingis said postgame about the Suns. They were in the Finals last year. That says a lot. I feel like we’re not too far off. If we had Luka(Doncic), it would also probably be a different look.”
What’s Next:
Dallas continues their four-game road trip on Sunday in Los Angeles as they begin a two-game set against the Clippers.
Best of the Rest:
-The Suns had six players in double figures. Devin Booker and Mikal Bridges(7/7 FG) had 19 points apiece. Chris Paul added 18 points, 14 assists, and five rebounds; Deandre Ayton had 8 points and a game-high 17 rebounds, and JaVale McGee had 14 points and six rebounds off the bench.
-For the Mavs, Tim Hardaway Jr. added 18 points, and Dorian Finney-Smith chipped in with 12.
On Friday, Dallas announced that Dirk Nowitzki’s number 41 would be retired on January 5th against the Warriors.
Cavaliers guard Collin Sexton is out for the season with a torn left meniscus, the team announced on Friday night.
The fourth-year guard sustained a season-ending left knee injury earlier this month against the Knicks. According to the Cavs, Sexton underwent successful surgery in Atlanta on Wednesday to repair the meniscus tear.
Before the injury, Sexton, in 11 games, was averaging 16.0 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per contest.
Sexton, 22, hoped to get an extension this offseason, but the two sides could not agree. He will be a restricted free agent at season’s end. Hopefully, he can fully recover and put himself in a position to get a new contract with Cleveland or elsewhere.
The Cavaliers were again without many of their key players on Thursday night against the Warriors. They were missing Collin Sexton, Lauri Markkanen, Jarrett Allen, Evan Mobley, Cedi Osman, and Lamar Stevens. Also, they were playing the second half of a back-to-back after losing to Brooklyn on Wednesday night.
Cleveland took a 13-point lead into the fourth quarter but was outscored 36-8 in the final period, and Golden State would defeat the Cavs 104-89 at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse.
The Cavaliers(9-8) have now lost three straight while the Warriors(13-2) have won nine of 10.
Here is the Great, the Not so Great, and the Bottom Line of the Cavs’ loss to the Warriors.
The Great for the Cavaliers:
-Cleveland had five players in double figures led by Darius Garland, who scored 18 of his team and season-high 25 points in the first half. In that first half, Garland was 7/12 from the field, including four threes.
-Kevin Love scored 11 of his 17 points in the third quarter off the bench. Love was on fire in third as he was 3/4 from the field, including 2/3 from downtown. This was his second straight solid performance after he missed eight games due to COVID.
-Dean Wade gave the Cavs 17 points, nine rebounds, and seven assists in 40 minutes of action. He also made three threes.
-Ed Davis got his second consecutive start on Thursday night, and he did a great job on the glass. Davis, who started at center, had seven points, grabbed 13 of his game-high 14 rebounds in the first half, and added two blocks. The 13 rebounds in a half is a career-high for Davis.
Third Quarter: Cleveland had another extraordinary third quarter. After outscoring the Nets 32-19 in the third on Wednesday night, the Cavs outscored the Warriors 27-17 in the quarter. Golden State shot only 41.2% from the field, including 2/8 from three-point range. Love scored 11 points, and the Cavaliers took a 13-point lead into the fourth(81-68). However, the fourth quarter was a different story.
The Not So Great for the Cavaliers:
Fourth Quarter: Cleveland led 81-68 entering the fourth, but the Warriors, mainly Steph Curry, woke up. The two-time MVP scored 20 of his game-high 40 points in the quarter, including four threes. Golden State went on a 17-0 run to start the fourth to take the lead. Cleveland went almost six minutes without a point.
The Warriors outscored the Cavs 36-8 in the final period. Cleveland went cold as they shot 2/14 from the field, including 0-7 from downtown.
Turnovers: The Cavaliers did not take care of the ball against the Warriors, and they finished with 20 turnovers, including seven by Garland.
Bottom Line:
For 36 minutes, it appeared the Cavs could pull off the upset, but the Warriors are one of the best teams in the league for a reason, and it showed. Despite the loss, Cleveland can hold their heads high. They battled two of the best teams in basketball, with 80% percent of their opening-day starting lineup in street clothes. Now, they get three days off, which will give players time to get healthy.
“Stephen Curry is a hell of a basketball player,” Cavs head coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. “The shots he was making weren’t easy.”
What’s Next:
Cleveland will continue their four-game homestand on Monday against the Brooklyn Nets.
Best of the Rest:
-Curry was 9/14 from three-point range. Draymond Green had four points and 14 assists; Nemanja Bjelica scored 14 points off the bench, and Andrew Wiggins added 12 points.
-Ricky Rubio had 10 points and five assists; Isaac Okoro chipped in with 10 points, seven rebounds, and three assists.
Listen Below as Garland and Wade react to the loss to Warriors:
The Brooklyn Nets are one of the best teams in basketball, so even with a healthy roster, the Cavs would have a hard time beating them at Barclays Center.
Cleveland, who were without four of their five starters(Collin Sexton, Jarrett Allen, Lauri Markkanen, and Evan Mobley), trailed by as many as 23 points before trimming the lead to seven in the fourth. However, they would fall short and lose to the Nets(11-5) 109-99 on Wednesday night.
The Cavaliers(9-7) have now lost two straight.
Here is the Great, Not so Great, and the Bottom Line of the Cavs’ loss to Brooklyn:
The Great for the Cavaliers:
Cavs’ Backcourt: Ricky Rubio(25 points, five assists, and four rebounds) and Darius Garland(24 points, six assists, and five rebounds) combined for 49 points, 11 assists, and nine rebounds on Wednesday. These two scored half of Cleveland’s points against Brooklyn, but it wasn’t enough.
Second-Half Garland: Garland was sizzling in the second half. He scored 20 points in the second half, including 13 points in the fourth. He finished the half 8/14 from the field, including 3/7 from downtown. After struggling early, the third-year guard kept on shooting, and the shots started to fall. Garland ended the game 10/26 from the floor.
Third Quarter: Cleveland trailed 62-41 at halftime. However, they finally woke up in the third. The Cavs outscored the Nets 32-19 in the quarter, and Garland and Rubio had seven points apiece. Ultimately, the Cavs got within striking distance as they trailed 81-73 after three.
“There was so much we did better in the second half (and) really started to make (the Nets) feel us,” Kevin Love said postgame.
Love is in the Air: Love returned after missing eight games due to his bout with COVID-19. He was solid on Wednesday as he had 11 points and nine rebounds off the bench.
“The first four or five days were pretty tough,” Love said. “All the usual symptoms that I think people might get. Crazy muscle aches, sensitive skin, can’t smell, taste, muscle spasms, fatigue. Then just chest and head got hit pretty tough as well. Definitely don’t wish that on anybody.”
The Not so Great for the Cavaliers:
First Half: In the first half, the Cavaliers were ice-cold as they shot 33.3% from the field, including 4/24 from three-point range. Brooklyn was moving the ball in that half as they had 17 assists on 20 made field goals.
First Half Garland: Garland shot 2/12 from the field, including 0/4 from downtown, and finished with four points, two assists, and two turnovers. He struggled, but as we all know, he turned it around in the second half.
Bottom Line:
We all knew Cleveland would have to play out of their mind to beat Brooklyn, and they still might have lost. This would be a tough stretch for the Cavaliers with all their players, but it becomes even more difficult without their key players. After the Warriors, who have the best record in basketball, they have the Nets again on Monday and the Suns on Wednesday before ending their homestand on Saturday against the Magic.
What’s Next:
On Thursday night, the Cavs return home to start a four-game homestand against the Warriors.
Best of the Rest:
Brooklyn had four players score 20 points or more on Wednesday night led by James Harden’s 27 points; LaMarcus Aldridge added 24 points off the bench, Kevin Durant had 23 points, and Patty Mills chipped in with 21 (six threes).
Ed Davis got his first start of season for Cleveland. He was effective in 24 minutes and finished with six points and a game-high 11 rebounds.
Listen below as Love and Garland react to Cleveland’s loss to Brooklyn:
The Dallas Mavericks(9-4) have now won two straight and five of their last six after defeating the Denver Nuggets(9-5) 111-101 at American Airlines Center on Monday.
The last time these two teams faced off was a few weeks ago in Denver, where the Nuggets routed Dallas 106-75.
Dallas got revenge on Monday night! After trailing most of the second half, Dallas went on a 19-5 run to start the fourth to take control of the game.
Here is the Great, Not so Great, and the Bottom Line of Dallas’ win over Denver.
The Great for the Dallas Mavericks:
-Kristaps Porzingis has been great after missing five games with a back injury. On Monday, he finished with 29 points (5-8 3FG), 11 rebounds, three assists, two steals, and a block. In the last five games, Porzingis is averaging 23.2 points and 9.0 rebounds per game.
“KP was great again on both sides of the ball,” Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd said postgame. “We asked him to not just score for us, but we also asked him to play defense on the MVP (Nikola Jokić) tonight — and he did his best. When you look at KP at the 5, we don’t want to have him out there for 40 minutes at the 5. I think for the journey of this season, that’s just too many minutes at the 5. For us to get him at the 5, tonight was good, and we’ll continue to get him at the 5.”
The Mavericks improved to 13-5 all-time when Porzingis goes for 25-plus points and 10-plus boards.
-Luka Doncic finished with 23 points, 11 assists, eight rebounds. Doncic has now recorded at least 20 points, five rebounds, and five assists in each of his last six games. It is now the longest streak of 20-5-5 across the NBA this season. Tonight was his seventh double-double of the season and his fourth game with 10-plus assists.
Doncic did leave late in the game with a lower leg injury, and according to the team, will be out Wednesday against the Phoenix Suns with left knee and left ankle sprains.
-Tim Hardaway Jr. had 19 points for Dallas tonight, which included 13 points down the stretch in the fourth quarter. Hardaway Jr. added a season-high seven rebounds and a season-high-tying four assists for the Mavs. The Mavericks are now 6-2 when Hardaway Jr. goes for 15-plus points.
-Jalen Brunson had 17 points and six assists off the bench for the Mavericks. This is Brunson’s seventh consecutive game, scoring in double figures, and he is averaging 18.9 points per game on 57.5% shooting from the field in that stretch. The Mavericks bench outscored Denver 27-16 tonight. Dallas improved to 6-0 when the bench unit outscores the opponent’s bench unit.
Fourth Quarter: Dallas outscored the Nuggets 32-16 in the fourth quarter, led by Hardaway Jr.’s 13 points. The Mavericks were sizzling in the fourth as they shot 59% from the floor. In addition, they held the Nuggets to 32% from the field, including 1/8 from downtown. Dallas went small in the fourth as Dorian Finney-Smith got some run at center, and it worked.
The Not so Great for the Mavericks:
Second Quarter: Dallas was outscored 26-14 by Denver. They shot 22.7% from the field in the quarter, and ultimately, the Nuggets took a nine-point lead into halftime.
Bottom Line:
You have to be happy about the play of Porzingis. If he continues to play at this level, the Mavericks are going to give teams fits.
“It is all about confidence for KP,” Hardaway Jr. said. “Just knowing him personally, on and off the floor, he needs to stay active. When he is active in the pick-and-roll situations, picking-and-popping, taking the ball off-dribble off his rebounds, posting up and doing the little things like blocking shots and talking on defense, when he is engaged like that, we can be a dangerous team.”
However, Dallas is hoping Doncic’s injuries are not severe, which according to reports, it’s not.
“Luka walked off on his own power,” Kidd said. “I think he got rolled up on his lower left leg.”
The Mavericks have struggled with teams above .500 this season(1-3). Monday’s win over Denver was their first win against a team above .500.
What’s Next:
Dallas begins a four-game road trip with a two-game set in Phoenix against the red-hot Suns, who have won nine straight.
Best of the Rest:
-Nikola Jokić led Denver with a season-high 35 points, 16 rebounds, and six assists tonight; Monte Morris (17), Aaron Gordon (14), and Austin Rivers (12) all started and scored in double figures for Denver.
Listen below as Kidd and Porzingis talk win over Denver:
Beating a team twice in a two-game set is very difficult, and it becomes even harder when you are down many of your key players. That is what the Cavaliers had to do on Monday at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse as they concluded their two-game set against the Boston Celtics.
Coming into this game, Cleveland had won two straight and six of their last seven.
Cleveland, who overcame a 19-point deficit to beat the Celtics on Saturday night, was already missing Lauri Markkanen(Return To Competition Reconditioning), Kevin Love(Return To Competition Reconditioning), Collin Sexton(knee), Lamar Stevens(Ankle), and Jarrett Allen(Illness). They would also lose rookie Evan Mobley(elbow) early in the fourth.
The Cavaliers(9-6) trailed by as much as nine points in the fourth and got within one late in the game, but Boston’s Dennis Schroder hit two big shots and stretched the Celtics lead to five, and Cleveland would fall to Boston(7-7) 98-92.
Here is the Great, Not so Great, and the Bottomline of the Cavs’ loss to Boston:
The Great for the Cavaliers:
-Cedi Osman scored 12 of his 26 points, including four of his game-high six threes in the fourth. He also dished out five assists off the Cavaliers’ bench. The five-year veteran is giving the Cavs great minutes off the bench this season, and he is shooting a career-high 42% from three-point range.
-Ricky Rubio scored 26 of his game-high 28 points in the second half, including 14 in the third quarter. Rubio got the start for Cleveland. He also added six rebounds and two assists on Monday. He, like Osman, kept the Cavs in this game, and was making array of shots off the dribble.
The Not so Great for the Cavaliers:
-Evan Mobley: Mama said there would be days like this, and Mobley, who started at center for the injured Allen, had an off day for the Cavs. He was 0/11 from the floor and scored only two points, but he did have nine rebounds, five assists, and two blocks. Mobley will learn from this one as Boston’s Al Horford defended him very well.
On Tuesday, the Cavs announced that Mobley would be out 2-4 weeks after an MRI confirmed that he had a sprained right elbow. According to the team, Mobley will now undergo a period of treatment and rehabilitation.
Shooting: Cleveland shot 38.6% from the field on Monday night, but they did shoot 40% from downtown, so it wasn’t all bad.
Bottom Line:
Both teams were playing their third game in four nights on Monday, and it showed.
Cleveland would’ve had to play better than they did on Saturday night to get this one, and without their key players, including Mobley, defeating Boston was going to be tough.
Mobley going down is a significant loss for the Cavaliers. He was playing so well. Hopefully, they can get Markkanen and Love back soon. Cleveland battled injuries all last season and is struggling with injuries now, but this is a resilient bunch, so expect this team to fight.
“Hopefully, the guys who are out get healthy and recover fast,” Rubio said postgame. “We are who we are. Tonight, nine players played. If we have to play with five players we will. We can’t be complaining about this guy being out or that guy. At the end of the day, everybody goes through a lot of stuff.”
What’s Next:
Cleveland, who went 2-2 on their four-game homestand, goes to Brooklyn to battle the Nets before returning home for another four-game homestand.
Best of the Rest:
-Darius Garland had 17 points, including three threes on Monday night; Isaac Okoro had a bounce-back performance for Cleveland as he had 12 points, five rebounds, and three assists. On Saturday, Okoro was 0/7 and finished with two points.
-Boston’s Jayson Tatum scored 23 points, and in his return from a back injury, Horford added 17 points and nine rebounds.
Watch below as Osman and Rubio react to Cleveland’s loss to Boston:
