The Cleveland Cavaliers entered action on Wednesday shorthanded, dressing only 10 players. The Cavs were without Darius Garland as he rested ahead of the team’s back-to-back. With his absence amongst others, in stepped rookie Jaylon Tyson and second-year man Craig Porter Jr, helping the team to a win. Tyson played over 20 minutes for the second time in his career, while Porter notched 20+ minutes for the fourth time this season. Following the game, head coach Kenny Atkinson was glowing about the two.
Cavs Youth Shines in Win Over Heat
“Really good,” Atkinson said in a postgame press conference speaking on Tyson. “We put him [Tyson] out there for defense and rebounding and task accomplished. Played his role perfectly.”
Tyson finished the night with four points, five rebounds, and four assists doing a little of everything for the team. He was tied for second on the team in +/- at a +15 and grabbed three huge offensive rebounds. His impact is felt everywhere on the court. Tyson was tasked with guarding Heat sharpshooter Duncan Robinson who was held in check, shooting just 3-9 on the night.
The Cavs’ first-round selection from the 2024 NBA Draft has been in and out of the lineup. He has spent part of the season with the team’s G League affiliate, the Cleveland Charge. Coach Atkinson believes his individual success and team success go hand in hand.
“Winning, that sounds silly,” Atkinson explained. “But for him, it’s not you got to hit three threes. I think it’s defense first and then his rebounding obviously, offensively it’s cutting and offensive rebounds. He’s the perfect role player.”
Tyson’s teammate, Donovan Mitchell also had words of encouragement for the rookie after the game.
“You got to remind him sometimes he’s a rookie,” Mitchell said. “He’s going to make mistakes, things are going to happen. But for him to not be frazzled, to believe in himself, believe in what he’s been doing. That’s huge… But credit to him, he’s worked his butt off and continued to want to be this guy.”
Porter Jr.
Porter Jr., another player with limited playing time this season, also delivered a strong performance. The former Wichita State Shocker played in 51 games for the Cavs last season. Due to the team’s early season success, Porter has found it tough to get minutes, but nights like Wednesday are huge for his development.
“Really good,” Atkinson said. “He’s guarding [Tyler] Herro there for a while and did a darn good job. He got out in transition. CP can rebound too, he’s a good rebounder for his size. We needed those two guys [Porter and Tyson] to get this win.”
Porter finished with nine points, four rebounds, and two assists. The 6-foot-2 guard also notched a steal and a block. Having players like Porter and Tyson to inject youth into the lineup is huge during an 82-game season, and it paid off for Cleveland.
The Last Word
The NBA season is a marathon, not a sprint. The depth of every team is tested regularly, and Wednesday night was no exception for the Cavs. The contributions from the youth and bench are major reasons the Cavs won on the night and are 38-9 on the season. Porter and Tyson could certainly earn rotation spots moving forward with similar performances.
Photo credit: © Jim Rassol-Imagn Images
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