The Cleveland Cavaliers continued their historically hot start after a victory over the Nets on Saturday. The Cavaliers, who started the night at 10-0, put on another impressive performance to seal the 105-100 victory and maintain their undefeated season.
The Cavaliers took an early lead in the first quarter before things evened up at half-time. They were on the verge of losing the game after scoring just 13 points in the third frame… until Darius Garland closed the game in the fourth quarter. He finished with 20 points and 6 assists on 8-11 shooting while his backcourt teammate Donovan Mitchell, tallied 22 points, 1 rebound, and 1 assist on 5-12 shooting. Evan Mobley had one of his best games of the season so far with 23 points and 16 rebounds while shooting 90.9% from the field.
The Nets were led by two-way swingman Cam Johnson, who had 23 points, 5 rebounds, and 1 assist on 61.5% shooting. In the backcourt, Cam Thomas contributed 22 points and 5 assists while Dennis Schroder had 22 points, 5 assists, and 2 rebounds on 50% shooting.
While the Nets were able to put up a decent fight in this one, they had no business winning this game against a team that was vastly deeper, more experienced, and just generally more talented. Even after years of playoff disappointments, the Cavaliers’ core group is as lethal as it gets and it’s looking like this may be the season where it all comes together.
Cavaliers Defense Is Real
The Cavaliers have had a lot of success in recent years due to their commitment to defense, which has typically ranked highly in the Donovan Mitchell era. This season they are continuing that tradition and this game was one of their finest displays yet.
They allowed the Nets to shoot just 44.7% from the field and 34.9% from three (on 43 attempts). In the paint, the tandem of Jarrett Allen and Even Mobley controlled everything, limiting the Nets scoring opportunities throughout the game.
Clearly, defense is the recipe for success with the Cavaliers and the fact that they’re doubling down on it only reveals just how important it is to their championship ambitions.
Evan Mobley Is Having A Breakout Season
The Cavaliers have gone to great lengths to establish their current young core with Darius Garland, Donovan Mitchell, Jarrett Allen, and Evan Mobley. Of the bunch, only Allen and Mitchell have been All-Stars but Mobley could be joining those ranks in a few months.
This season, the young star appears to have taken a major step up in his game and his averages are up all across the board. At 17.9 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 2.9 assists per game, Mobley is having a career year and it’s unlocked a whole new level for the Cavaliers.
At 6’11” with a lanky yet strong frame, Mobley is an ideal modern-day big and the Cavaliers think that he can be the factor that puts them in play for the title. Based on how it looked tonight, and so far this season, they may not be too far off.
Impeccable Chemistry Across The Roster
Unlike other contenders in the NBA, the Cavaliers’ core players have been together for a number of years now and their chemistry is seamless. Unlike in years past where Mitchell or Garland would carry the scoring load, it’s been a well-balanced attack for the Cavs and tonight was no exception with three different players scoring 20 or more. They also had 21 assists as a team.
Besides a great start from the core four, the team has benefited from new coach Kenny Atkinson, who has earned full buy-in from his players. They are following his gameplan to perfection and it’s led to smooth, consistent play on both ends of the floor.
More than any other team right now, the Cavaliers are at the absolute top of their game and the players are using their longstanding connections to help iron out any kinks in their system. Of course, without a championship or even a Finals run, there will always be some doubt with the Cavaliers and they wouldn’t expect anything less.
This season, with a healthy core, a new coach, and a revamped supporting cast, the Cavaliers are ready to take a step up in the East and finally bring some glory to the Donovan Mitchell era. After an 11-0 start this season, the Cavaliers are certainly on the right track this season and they’ve given us plenty of reasons to believe that they can pose a major threat for the championship this July.
For now, the Cavs are only looking ahead to their next game, which is on Monday, November 11th, against the Chicago Bulls at United Center at 8:00 PM EST. They play the 76ers on the road two days later before returning home to start the in-season tournament against the Bulls again.
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