Recap: Cleveland 129, Brooklyn 123 (or, Everybody Eats)

The Cavs and Nets combined for 252 points Tuesday on a night that saw little defense, and a buffet of buckets. After another slow start in the first quarter for Cleveland, that Brooklyn led throughout, the Cavs retook the lead on a Clarkson pull-up in transition at the 9:08 mark of the second. After that, there were 25 lead changes and nine ties in this back and forth affair. That’s a lot of trips to the buffet.

The first half saw a 24-7 free throw advantage for Brooklyn, which was unfair, but was aided by a pile of inexplicably dumb fouls by the likes of Rodney Hood and J.R. Smith. Things evened out in the second half as Cleveland became the aggressors and outpaced the Nets 20-6 in attempts. But Cleveland was abysmal from the line until making seven straight to close the game. Despite that, they still shot 63% from charity on the night.

It was the kind of game that takes years off your life as a Cavs fan, as eating from buffets is apt to do. As soon as the wine and gold would get a comfortable lead, the Nets would counter with a 6-10 point run.

Cleveland had stretched the lead to 98-91 to start the fourth quarter, after a pair of Rodney Hood jumpers, before Brooklyn countered with a 10-1 run of their own, in large part because Cleveland consistently went under the screen on D’Angelo Russell who buried three after three in the final quarter. Cleveland (and especially LeBron) consistently failed to close out shooters properly, and their sloth led to a ton of looks for the Nets, who buried more than their share, especially since they’re one of the league’s worst shooting teams.

But the fourth belonged to LeBron and the probable new crunch time rotation guys as Hood, Nance, and Korver played 11 minutes with Hill and Clarkson adding almost nine a piece. Clutch buckets by Hood, Nance, Clarkson, and Korver overcame Cleveland’s often laughable defense. Check the 2:05 mark below where Nance and LeBron both drop with Jarrett Allen to give D’Angelo a ridiculously easy triple.

A pair of layups by James sandwiched around a Russell three ping ponged the lead until the two minute mark. And things looked dark until a 14-footer by Nance tied the game again at 117. 16 seconds later Jarett Allen calmly drained two free throws to push the lead out again.

Jordan Clarkson spun home a ridiculously clutch three out of a LeBron double team and great swing pass by George Hill to put the Cavs up 120-119. Allen Crabbe feathered in a ridiculous runner over Cedi to take the lead again, before Rodney Hood canned a 13-footer plus the foul over Jarrett Allen to put the Cavs up for good. Cleveland finally got a stop when George hill trapped D’Angelo Rusell in the right corner. Rusell heaved up a shotput and hoped for a foul call which did not come. The Cavs hit all their freebies to end the game.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=efiTP2ABp9c

It was an exciting if not maddening game for the good guys and there were many many things that weren’t sustainable.

Rodney Hood played the final 18 minutes of tonight's game. While it's nice that he closed the game, that's not a repeatable strategy. Same with Nance–who played the final 16 minutes

— Mike Zavagno (@MZavagno11) February 28, 2018

Still, everyone ate their fill, the Cavs won, and guys like George Hill and Rodney Hood got it going on the offensive end, which needed to happen. Let’s give out some player grades.

George Hill, needed this game in the worst way. He started looking for his shot, getting his confidence in the fist half (nine points) before going off for 14 in the third quarter behind an array of floaters, foul line Js, layups, and threes. More importantly he got some confidence back from behind the arc, shooting 3-4 on the night. He added five dimes and just one turnover and three steals. He had a couple big steals in the game and looked like a confident poised player. Grade: Fibre Choice Flavor Drops. Stay juicy and regular my friend, and you can eat at the buffet whenever you want.

Speaking of old men, Kyle Korver –  minutes after he dribbled off his knee and I pronounced him geriatric –  got open looks after a couple broken plays absolutely went off from three. Mr Second Korver told those kids to get off his lawn and dropped 14 in the secondsframe, including 4-6 from three. Brooklyn was late getting to him around the wing screen and he absolutely made them pay. He was on fire and a posted aawhopping +14 in the period and led the team at +15 for the game.

The wine and gold would’ve been booed off the court at halftime if not for Kover’s heroics in the second. Then, the Cavs used his gravity in the fourth to set up LeBron and Co. Grade: Mountain Dew. You shouldn’t depend on it for a pick-me-up often, but sometimes you need to belly up to the soda fountain for a little fuel and refreshment, plus the Dew’s been around forever.

Kyle played most of the fourth, but he was replaced in key defensive substitutions by Cedi Osman, whose D was on point but who could get no love from the refs on offense or defense early. Cedi finished with seven, three boards, two dimes, and five fouls in 17+ minutes. He offered a pivotal three in the second, and some decent D throughout. Grade: Yoda stew

Rodney Hood got it going in a big way with 11 fourth quarter points and 9-17 shooting. He attacked the basket and got it going from mid-range to give the Cavs some much needed scoring when J.R. disappeared. Grade: Sokalowski’s Salsbury Steak – it should be a buffet staple.

J.R. Smith was 2-9 with four points in 22 minutes and had some awful fouls in the first half. He’s looking increasingly like sushi at the Asian buffet on a Sunday night: not worth the risk of trying, even if you have the munchies.

Tristan Thompson has lost so much explosiveness. As noted on the live thread, he’s not an above the rim player anymore. He did finish with 13 rebounds, but was mostly hapless on D and 1-5 from the line and 2-5 from the field with three turnovers. They need him to board right now, but he’s doing nothing else. Grade: rice. It’s just kind of there. There’s nothing extreme about rice.

Larry Nance Jr. was as abused by the officials in the first half. I saw him whistled for being tall at one point. Still he was super active in the fourth and provided more help D than anyone. He also controlled the d-Boards.

In Larry Nance's 26 minutes played, the Brooklyn Nets had ZERO offensive rebounds

— Mike Zavagno (@MZavagno11) February 28, 2018

Nance finished with 10 boards, 10 points, a dime, a block, no turnovers, and four fouls in 25 minutes. Junior finished fantastically, hit a huge jumper, rebounded, contested shots, ran the floor started the break. If he could just stay out of foul trouble, he’d be the perfect center. Until he can, he’s a super bench sub. Grade: Satay Chicken Skewers with spicy peanut sauce.

Jordan Clarkson has so much upside, and this game he really put it together offensively. He dialed down the relentless chucking a bit and went 5-10 from the field and 2-4 at the free throw line. But he looked for his shot when his team needed a bucket, and JC3’s triple late was crucial to the win. He went for 14-3-3 with zero turnovers in 21 minutes that’s productivity my friend. Grade: schwarma platter, the best mix of delicious and nutritious.

D’Angelo Russell owned the fourth for Brooklyn, and had me screaming “STOP GOING UNDER THE SCREEN!” all night. The former second pick of the Lakers dropped 25 and six dimes in 32 minutes and was a team high +10 for the Nets in his third game back. His J was legit, and he canned it all night. That’s borderlibo terrifying for Guffman (the Brooklyn pick). Grade: quadruple double shot of espresso latte. He’ll keep you up all night shaking.

Spencer Dinwiddie make me so angry. I wanted the Cavs to get him so badly after the Bulls dropped him two years ago. But instead the Cavs were giving roster spots to killer shrimps and Jordan McRae. I must keep repeating “Do not change a thing about the Cavs’ championship roster.” Anyway, since he’s almost single handedly hobbled Guffman, Dinwiddie is averaging 13 and seven dimes this year and leading the NBA in crunch time clutch shots.

Thankfully, the Nets haven’t quite managed to figure out how to balance Spencer and D’Angelo yet. Spencer for scored 11 with 11 dimes this game, but he was quiet late from the scorer’s column (thank God). Hopefully he gets a nice extension this summer, but I’ve not had something I wanted so much make me so ill since the peppermint schnapps incident of 1995. I think I’ve been allergic to mint ever since. Grade: thin mint ice cream.

Jarrett Allen: the talent is there, he’s tall, can block shots, moves well, and can shoot free throws. Thank god he missed so many wide open layups in the second and third quarter though. He should’ve been 8-8 with the looks he was getting. He still finished with 13 and five. Grade: fried mushrooms.

Live look-in as Tyronn Lue goes after the officials when his star player, LeBron James, is elbowed in the throat with no call or review. pic.twitter.com/MGlXsrQBHs

— HoopsDogg (@oldseaminer) February 28, 2018

Tyronn Lue’s passiveness when LeBron got elbowed in the throat by Dante Cunningham was insane. Lebronless crouched  holding his neck forfaFogiid four minuminu, and Ty didn’t even make the refs look at it. The game went on as if nothing had happened. Otherwise, the game was a work in progress for Lue. He figured out how to stick TT and J.R. on the bench in the fourth, and how to sub offense/defense with Cedi for Korver late, but his team was also hapless defending simple pick and rolls, and could not figure out how to switch or cover roll men. If you’re going to switch, the guard has to chuck the roller to impede progress to the rim, and the guys have to communicate. Apparently the Cavs were “Trying some new things” defensively, so, whatever. This game was two steps forward offensively and a step backwards defensively. Grade: acceptably cooked hamburger with a soggy bun.

Caris LeVert and Rondae Hollis-Jefferson combined for 32 points and 10 rebounds off the bench and looked electric doing it. Caris has a great shot and a good enough floor game to put it on the deck and get to the rack and the line. Hollis Jefferson is a ball of endless energy who never seems to stop grinding and bouncing around the rim. Both guys have good futures and represent a positive core for the Nets (who sadly aren’t running Jahlil Okafor anymore). Grade: fresh made Jalepeno Poppers.

LeBron James averaged a triple double for February, became the first player to score 30,000, grab 8,000 boards, and dish 8,000 assists, and finished the night with 31-12-11 with one turnover in 38 minutes. His offense was sublime as he attacked, pulled up, played in the post, dropped floaters and dimes in the p/r, attacked in transition, and rarely let the ball stick too long.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QOJyOPFI-w8

As amazing as his offense was, he played some bad defense. He hung inside a lot and went for rebounds (seemed like a team strategy, as the Cavs only gave up three o-boards on the night), but he absolutely stunk at challenging outside shooters and closing out on the line. He rarely got a hand up and got blown by a couple of times (as did many Cavs). Grade: The Samundari Khazana (meaning “seafood treasure”). At $3200 a plate, it’s the world’s most expensive curry. It contains Devon crab, white truffle, Beluga caviar, gold leaf, a Scottish lobster coated in gold, four abalones and four quail eggs. It’ll give you heartburn. It’s unsustainable. But oh my god, is it delicious. (I mean it has to be, right?)