After losing Darius Garland and Evan Mobley for over a month due to injury, it seemed like the Cleveland Cavaliers were down and out. But fast forward to Cleveland's 118-95 win over the Brooklyn Nets, and there's always been plenty of meat still on the bone for the Cavs. After their season supposedly ended on December 15, Cleveland took that bone home, threw it in a pot, cooked it to a 22-4 record, and now have themselves an elite stew going.
Mind you, that stew isn't always on the pot, and there are times the Cavs will play with their food, with the latest instance being in this win over the Nets. For the better part of the first half, Cleveland maintained a lead, but Brooklyn kept the game competitive, with the Cavs leading the Nets by only eight points at halftime. But, entering the second half, Cleveland flipped a switch, deciding to put Brooklyn away for good and coast to victory.
For the first six minutes, the Cavs erupted on a 21-0 run, totally controlling the Nets with their high-level defense and converting on easy opportunities on offense. Cleveland was ahead by a game-high 31 at one point, and it was fueled by a skirmish between Jarrett Allen and Brooklyn’s Ben Simmons that led to pushing and shoving and double technical fouls.
“The guys love it,” Bickerstaff said. “They love to see the fire that burns within Jarrett. It takes a lot to get him to that point. Jarrett is to himself mild-mannered and all those things. But he is not a punk. You’re not going to put your hands on him or try to bully him. He’s going to stand up for himself and stand up for his teammates. They’ve got his back too.”
That stretch helped the Cavs blow the game wide open and showed what separates them from the pack in the Eastern Conference.
“He got up quick as s—,” All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell said. “I was a little nervous. Not gonna lie. I was like, ‘Uh oh.’ Jarrett pushed me a little bit, and I was like, ‘I’m not even going to get involved, you go do your thing.’ I’ve never seen him do that. It was big time and then for us to respond the way we did as a group, I was happy about it. Don’t condone violence. But in this case, I was happy he got up the way he did and kind of set that tone.”
The Cavs continue to show the qualities of a legitimate title contender
For a team like Cleveland, whose toughness was questioned heading into this season, they're showing all the signs of one of the best teams in the NBA. Sure, they're only 4.5 games behind the Boston Celtics for the best record in the Eastern Conference and the NBA. But, seeing how dominant the Cavs can be at the drop of a hat, whenever they need to be, is encouraging for how the team will stack up come playoff time.
Granted, no one on this roster will call back to the dustup between Allen and Simmons as the catalyst for what got Cleveland to this point. Instead, it can serve as a footnote in the Cavs' continued rise toward becoming one of the best teams in the NBA. Mind you, Cleveland hasn't had the ability to flip a switch like this since LeBron James was last in town. So, seeing this young, up-and-coming squad showing the same ability has to make you feel good about their long-term potential – especially when the kids enter their prime.
Follow Us
Subscribe