The Cleveland Cavaliers came into Sunday’s game against the Pacers at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse on a three-game losing streak.
Early In the fourth, with the game tied at 90, Cleveland went on a 7-0 run and never looked back as the Cavaliers defeated the Pacers 108-104.
Cleveland(21-16) snapped their three-game losing streak, while the Pacers(14-23) have lost four straight.
The Great for the Cavaliers:
-Evan Mobley is a special talent. He had 24 points(11-16 FG, 2-2 3pt FG), nine rebounds, four assists. This is Mobley’s third 20-plus point game in the last four.
-Kevin Love again brought instant offense off the bench. Love scored 10 of his 20 points in the third quarter. He had three threes, added eight rebounds, and four assists. Love is 27/51(52%) from downtown in the last five games.
-Jarrett Allen added a double-double with 18 points, 11 rebounds, and three blocks. Allen is eighth in the NBA in double-doubles(18).
-Lamar Stevens had a career-high 15 points, to go along with three rebounds and two assists.
15-0 run in the third quarter: Cleveland trailed 84-73 with just over three minutes in the third, but they went on a 15-0 to end the quarter, and eight of those 15 points came from Love.
The Not So Great for the Cavaliers:
Three-point Shooting: Again, Cleveland struggled from deep as they shot 6/26 from three-point range. The Cavaliers are 36/120 from downtown in the last four games, and not having Darius Garland is definitely impacting that number.
Bottom Line:
It’s great for the Cavaliers to get back in the win column after losing three straight. With their upcoming six-game west coast trip, which includes games against the Jazz and Warriors, it will be important for Cleveland to get the final game of their three-game homestand against the Grizzlies.
“If he keeps being aggressive, we believe that’s going to help us keep winning games,” Allen said about Mobley. “We really needed this tonight to give us a boost.”
What’s Next:
Cleveland finishes up their three-game homestand against the Grizzlies Tuesday night.
Best of the Rest:
-Indiana had five players in double figures led by Domantas Sabonis, who had 32 points, 13 rebounds, and seven assists. Duane Washington, Jr. had a career-high 20 points.
-Lauri Markkanen added 12 points and six rebounds for the Cavs. Isaac Okoro left in the second quarter with a left elbow injury and did not return.
Garland and Cedi Osman were out again due to health and safety protocols, and for the Pacers, Goga Bitadze Malcolm Brogdon, Chris Duarte, Isaiah Jackson, Jeremy Lamb, Caris LeVert , Kelan Martin, T,J, Warren were all out due to health and safety protocols.
Watch below as Mobley, Allen, and Stevens react to win over Pacers:
