CLEVELAND, Ohio – Why are various members of the fading Cleveland Cavaliers preaching time and again about rebuilding them in the right direction despite one of the league’s worst records and unnecessary drama?
Because of games like Tuesday night.
The Cavs put the Phoenix Suns – a final hopeful with the second-best record in the Western Conference and winners of four straight wins – into overtime before being smothered and lost 134-118.
The extension was an absolute disaster. The Cavs collapsed on the offensive and only scored a goal after more than three minutes. On the other end, they had no answers when Phoenix filled in four long-range bombs and turned a highly competitive game into an outlier. The Suns opened extra time with a 15-0 lead, breaking the brilliant stretch with a triplet from Mikal Bridges and a thunderous two-handed slam from Cameron Johnson. Phoenix prevailed 20: 4 against Cleveland.
But those five somber minutes do not accurately portray Cleveland’s night. The game contained 10 leadership changes and 15 draws. Once again under seven players and essentially using two players from the bench, the Cavs gave the Suns everything they could and fought against the demands of coach JB Bickerstaff.
No matter what the suns did in regulation – Chris Paul’s clutch 3-hand that felt like the dagger around the middle of the fourth quarter, or Devin Booker’s go-ahead in the final minutes – Phoenix couldn’t shake the annoying Cavs. Until overtime.
Known for his sturdy defense, Isaac Okoro showed two-way potential, hitting a career high of 32 to 10 of 16 from the field and 3 of 4 to 3 in 47 minutes. It’s the most points a newcomer to Cavaliers has scored since Jordan McRae in 2016. Okoro, who started cramping early in the third quarter and needed an IV after the game, also hit his career high with six assists. He received MVP chants while standing on the free throw line late in the game.
How far did Okoro get on the offensive? The rookie scored Cleveland’s last five points in regulation, including a driving and-1 after a minute. After Booker’s starting shot, Bickerstaff even created a set for his youngster during the timeout, which would not have happened earlier this season. Okoro came through. Then, in the final defensive possession, he forced Booker into a controversial prayer that barely touched the edge.
Collin Sexton, another key piece of this conversion, moved back to point guard in the absence of Darius Garland. Sexton finished with 29 points, seven assists and seven rebounds. He was the second youngest player in franchise history to reach 4,000 points. Only LeBron James managed the feat at a younger age.
Jarrett Allen threw in 17 points, eight rebounds and five assists.
The Suns relied on Paul and Booker, the two players who sparked a Phoenix turnaround and have the franchise ahead of a deep playoff run. Booker scored 31 points. Paul got involved when he was 23. Bridges added 22, including some critical late games.
If at some point the Cavs want to shoot forward and play for something other than ping pong balls, Sexton, Okoro and Allen, and Garland will have to evolve. Nights like Tuesday show this potential.
Coming soon
Fan favorite Anderson Varejao, who has not played in the NBA since 2017, signed a celebratory 10-day contract with the Cavs on Tuesday morning. But he’s not ready to speak after so much free time. Varejao didn’t get dressed Tuesday night and sat on the bench in a claret hoodie. During the first extended hiatus, Varejao was officially welcomed to Cleveland, greeting fans and pulling down his mask to reveal a smile.
“He’s a mentor. I think he has a wealth of experience and knowledge and I think he embodies the things we want to talk about, ”said Bickerstaff before the game. “For him, he can choose to live anywhere in the world. He lives in Cleveland and made Cleveland his home. When I think about how he played the game, we are talking about people competing against each other, we are talking about people who are selfless, and he was those two things personified. Hopefully he can be a role model for these guys and a place they can go and just have conversations and just talk about the game. “
Next
The Cavs will face the Portland Trail Blazers on Wednesday. The tip is set to 7:30 p.m.
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New Cavs Face Masks For Sale: Here, you can purchase Cleveland Cavaliers-themed face covers for coronavirus protection, including a single mask ($ 14.99) and a pack of 3 ($ 24.99). All NBA proceeds are donated to charity.
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