The Cleveland Cavaliers(1-1) had their home opener on Friday night as they hosted the Oklahoma City Thunder(2-0).
In this contest, Cleveland was again with starting center Jarrett Allen(ankle), and he was joined by starting point guard Darius Garland(hamstring).
OKC would lead most of the game, but the Cavs would take over late. Unfortunately, Cleveland would fall apart down the stretch and fall to the Thunder 108-105.
Here’s the Great, Not So Great, and the Bottom Line of the Cavs’ loss to OKC.
Great:
Donovan Mitchell was once again big-time for Cavs, as he had game-high 43 points(15/27 FG, 4/11 3-point FG), including 14 points in the fourth quarter. He also added eight rebounds, five assists, and three steals. Mitchell was rolling in the fourth and Cleveland had their largest lead of 10 point in that quarter.
Evan Mobley got the start at center, and recorded his first double-double of the season with 14 points, 15 rebounds, and two blocks.
Third Quarter: Cleveland trailed 52-42 at halftime, and they trailed 58-48 with just over nine minutes left in the third, but Cleveland turned things around and went on a 14-4 run to take their first lead since the second quarter. Caris LeVert scored 12 of his 17 points in the quarter, and Mitchell also had 12. However, the Cavs trailed 79-75 heading into the fourth.
Not So Great:
Shooting: Cleveland shot only 41% from the field, including 27%(12/45) from deep. Without Garland and Allen, these numbers are not surprising.
Final 2:37 of the Game: The Cavs led 100-90 with 2:37 left in the fourth; however, the Cavs could not seal the deal. The Thunder outscored the Cavs 18-5 the rest of the way. Chet Holmgren’s three with just over a minute to go tied the game at 102, and OKC would take the lead for good on a driving layup from Lu Dort with 28.6 seconds left.
With Cleveland trailing 105-102, they had one last chance to tie, but Mitchell would have a costly turnover, which led to a Shai Gilgeous-Alexander steal.
Bottom Line:
The Cavs stole a game from the Nets in the season opener, and the Thunder took it right back in the home opener. Cleveland should have won this game for sure. This game was winnable on all levels. However, again, the Cavs could not close the show.
What’s Next:
Cleveland plays the second half of a back-to-back as they host the Pacers on Saturday night.
Best of the Rest:
Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder with 34 points, 11 rebounds, four assists, and five steals. Dort added 25 points and six rebounds.
Isaac Okoro added 10 points and seven rebounds for the Cavs; Dean Wade made his season debut and got the start; he added eight points, five rebounds, and two steals.
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