The hottest team in the NBA faced a major test this weekend in their first matchup of the season against Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks. After a hard-fought campaign that was close until the very end, the Cleveland Cavaliers managed to pull out with a 114-113 win to remain undefeated.
As usual, it was a varied scoring display for the Cavaliers, who are one of the only unbeaten teams left in the NBA. At 7-0, this win may have been their best one yet against a star-studded Bucks team. Donovan Mitchell led his team in scoring with 30 points, 4 assists, and 3 rebounds on 44.0% shooting while All-Star big man Jarrett Allen finished with 15 points and 12 rebounds on 6-10 shooting. Young guard Darius Garland completed a triple-double in the match with 11 points, 10 assists, and 3 rebounds on 5-13 field goals.
Meanwhile, in Milwaukee, the Bucks are down to 1-5 this season after the loss. Damian Lillard was on fire in this game with a season-high 41 points on 10-15 shooting from three and he also turned in 9 assists and 4 rebounds. Giannis Antetokounmpo contributed 34 points 16 rebounds and 9 assists on 15-27 shooting.
With the final score so close, the game really could have gone either way and one more mistake here or there could have changed the final result. But in the end, the Cavaliers did just enough to close out the game and stave off a comeback win from Lillard and the struggling Bucks. The game was telling on several fronts and revealed key information about each of the teams involved.
Donovan Mitchell Is The MVP Frontrunner
The Cavaliers had a well-balanced scoring effort tonight with double-digit statlines from six different players. But it was Donovan Mitchell who led the way and consistently bailed out the Cavaliers with his exceptional shot-making. At 28 years old, the young guard is just entering his prime and it’s showing with his recent level of play on the court.
Tonight, Mitchell wasn’t just the leading scorer for the Cavs, he was their closer and he came through for them with an amazing buzzer-beating jumper to win the game (their 7th straight). He was also in his playmaking bag tonight and set up his teammates on various occasions with well-timed passes.
With averages of 23.5 points, 4.3 assists, and 2.7 rebounds per game on 51.4% shooting this season, Donovan Mitchell is seemingly on the verge of another breakout moment and this time it could take his team to the depths of the NBA playoffs.
75 Points From Giannis And Lillard Were Still Not Enough
This matchup was just as much about the Milwaukee Bucks as it was about the Cavaliers. As great as Mitchell and the Cavs role-players were, the Bucks still had a chance to win down the stretch before Mitchell sealed the deal. What’s most surprising from the Bucks’ end is that they lost despite a great game from their star duo.
Together, Lillard and Antetokounmpo combined for 75 points in the game and they both shot around 55% shooting from the field. It was probably their best duo performance of the season so far… and yet it still wasn’t enough to secure the win. Without Khris Middleton, the Bucks just couldn’t find enough offense from the role-players, who only managed to score 38 points in the game.
Of course, without the proper defense to slow down their opponents, the Bucks are having trouble keeping up with the competition and tonight was a perfect example. With no Jrue Holiday or Khris Middleton to build up the defense, the Bucks have been extremely vulnerable with no way to stop the bleeding.
Quality Bench Rotation Made All The Difference
The Cavaliers have arguably one of the best starting fives in the game with Darius Garland, Donovan Mitchell, Dean Wade, Evan Mobley, and Jarrett Allen. Against the Bucks, however, we saw another big factor in their early success: bench play.
The Cavaliers got 36 points from their bench unit tonight, including 17 from Sam Merril and 13 points with 8 rebounds from Isaac Okoro. The second unit thoroughly outplayed the Bucks’ bench and set the stage for them to seal the deal in the fourth quarter.
Coming into this season, the Cleveland Cavaliers weren’t seen as crazy deep by most experts but they clearly have enough firepower to overwhelm even the best of teams.
At this point the biggest question in the East is how the Cavaliers stack up against the Celtics and if their hot start is sustainable for the rest of the season. With a superstar in his prime and a cast of talented/experienced players, the Cavaliers have pretty decent shot to make some noise and shock the world with a championship victory.
But we’re still a long way off from that pursuit and before any team can focus on that run, they must master the regular season and show everyone that they are serious about competing for the title.
Thank you for being a valued reader of Fadeaway World. If you liked this article, please consider following us on Google News. We appreciate your support.
