The Cleveland Cavaliers have defeated the San Antonio Spurs 113-101; Donovan Mitchell had just 10 points. After the Knicks stole Christmas, the Cavs needed to leave San Antonio with a win.
Jarrett Allen stepped up in a major way. Allen had 27 points and 10 rebounds. Allen seemed to do everything correctly tonight. Yes, he shot 11-21 from the field, but outside of that, he was just about perfect. With Victor Wembanyama anchoring the defense, it was difficult to find quality inside shots, but Allen was completely unafraid. Allen was the physical force the Cavs needed for the win tonight. He kept attacking Wemby in the post, and he was able to make the most of the good looks he got. However, he could not do it alone.
Evan Mobley played exceptional defense on Wemby tonight. Although Wemby had 26 points, he was not efficient. He shot less than 50% from the field, and he shot 2/6 from beyond the arc. As everyone across the association knows, Wemby is an alien, but Mobley was able to disrupt multiple shots, including a late-game block. Also, he was able to consistently attack the paint, which has been difficult against the Spurs all season long.
Darius Garland did not shoot the lights out tonight, but his playmaking is what made his night so special. His ability to break down the defense and make the right pass was exceptional. Garland had 11 assists and he was able to collapse the defense and get Allen and Mobley open shots inside. As of late, Garland may not be shooting the way he was, but his offensive impact cannot be undermined.
One interesting development in tonight’s game was the benching of Lonzo Ball. Finally. Lonzo Ball started the season off strong, but the Cavs are beginning to look like the fools of the trade. While Isaac Okoro continues to make an impact for the Bulls, Lonzo has been terrible shooting the ball, a defensive question, and his playmaking abilities have not been up to par. Especially on a team with Garland, Mitchell, and even Craig Porter Jr., Lonzo seemingly has been phased out of the rotation.
The Cavaliers were able to get a much-needed win on the road in San Antonio. The team is only getting healthier, and the team is starting to go in the right direction. Currently, there are eight in the East, and they need to get hot in order to avoid the play-in.
Is this the game that gets the Cavs back on track?
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