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[Cleveland Cavaliers]

Evan Mobley is a no-brainer for DPOY

Photo by Rich Storry/Getty Images

Mobley has emerged as the favorite.

The NBA awards are largely narrative-driven. By this point in the season, those narratives have already been formed. The 2025 Defensive Player of the Year award is one exception. The media has been left searching for a new favorite with previous frontrunner Victor Wembayama suddenly dropping from the race due to a season-ending injury. The baton is now up for grabs — and Cleveland Cavaliers forward Evan Mobley is in the best position to sprint for it.

Mobley was drafted as a potential multi-time Defensive Player of the Year contender. He’s lived up to that promise, reaching All-Defensive First Team as a sophomore and finishing as a finalist for DPOY that same year. His path recently has seemed blocked by Wemby. But now, only Jaren Jackson Jr. stands in his way.

Jackson won the award in 2023 and stands as the only other contender in this year’s two-man race. Mobley and Jackson are the betting favorites by a good margin — with Mobley moving into first place after Cleveland’s recent win over the Grizzlies. That’s because that game provided all the information you need.

Jaren Jackson: 3 rebounds, 3 stocks, 5 fouls
Evan Mobley: 13 rebounds, 3 stocks, 1 foul

I know my DPOY...

— moose / lebron is 1st-team all-nba (@roadto80pct) February 24, 2025​

The Cavs pummeled Memphis on the glass for a season-high 22 offensive rebounds. Mobley was a bruiser, collecting 4 offensive boards to go with 25 points and 13 rebounds overall. His Cavaliers overcame a poor shooting night by scoring 48 points in the paint. Jackson Jr. could offer no resistance as he picked up more fouls (5) than rebounds (3).

Mobley vs the Grizzlies:

25 PTS
13 REB
8 AST
3 BLK

The first Cav since LeBron to reach those numbers. pic.twitter.com/GRpvBwNXAF

— StatMuse (@statmuse) February 24, 2025​

Finding a way to differentiate between two of the best defenders in the world should require some digging. But for as great of a defender as Jackson is — Mobley clears him in very simple terms. Mobley provides all of the same rim protection with more versatile coverage and far more production on the glass. As the cherry on top, he does it all without fouling.

Mobley has 84 blocks to just 107 fouls this season. Meanwhile, Jackson has committed 198 fouls (most in the NBA) on 97 blocks. That’s more than 2 fouls for every block from Jackson.

Jackson’s 3.5 fouls per game put him in perpetual trouble. He’s fouled out of as many games this season as Mobley has in his entire career (four). Not being available to play in key moments has to be a major stain on Jackson’s bid for DPOY.

This isn’t the only area that gives Mobley the edge. He ranks in the 73rd percentile for defensive rebounding percentage while Jackson places in the 17th percentile. This means that 83% of Jackson’s peers are outrebounding him while only 27% are ahead of Mobley. Both are worse on the offensive glass — but even there, Mobley stands in the 49th percentile while Jackson is way below in the 13th.

Jackson’s raw counting stats made him the DPOY in 2023 when he led the league with 3.0 blocks per game. Those numbers are no longer so heavily in his favor with Jackson averaging 1.7 blocks to Mobley’s 1.6 blocks. Mobley has narrowed the gap and even surpassed Jackson in advanced analytics. He ranks in the 77th percentile for block percentage while Jackson is slightly behind him at 76th.

Evan Mobley will win Defensive Player of the Year this spring pic.twitter.com/iMFfOgAlFb

— jack (@TheCavsJack) February 26, 2025​

The one area that Jackson excels at is generating turnovers. He’s in the 86th percentile in steal percentage and racking up a career-high 1.3 steals per game. Even then, Jackson’s aggression on the ball is a likely reason he is constantly in foul trouble — and Mobley is only 0.5 steals per game behind him.

Any other way you cut it, this race is close. Mobley and Jackson post an almost identical impact on their team’s defensive metrics with both registering in the mid-90th percentiles for defensive on/off rating. Both of their teams hold opponents to roughly 2.5% worse shooting when they are on the floor. As I said, these are two of the best defenders on the planet.

Yet, Mobley offers the complete package with no discernible downsides. He protects the rim without allowing free throws — and he completes defensive possessions by securing rebounds. These aren’t cherry-picked stats. They are tangible factors that showed themselves in Cleveland’s win over the Grizzlies last week. Mobley dominated JJJ in that matchup and it should be the catalyst for winning his first DPOY.

Source: https://www.fearthesword.com/2025/3...avaliers-evan-mobley-is-a-no-brainer-for-dpoy

 

[Cleveland Cavaliers]

Evan Mobley to miss game vs. Bulls

Photo by Jeff Haynes/NBAE via Getty Images

The Cavaliers are trying to stay playoff ready, while getting through a tough March stretch.

Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson has talked about wanting to find the right balance between staying ready for the playoffs, which start in just over a month, while also being well-rested. He’s used the 2014-15 Atlanta Hawks, a team that he was on the coaching staff for, as an example of what not to do. That team took their foot off the gas before the playoffs. Atkinson has felt that they weren’t ready for the postseason.

That said, there’s still good justification for resting players when it makes sense. The first night of a back-to-back is one of those instances. As such, the Cavs will be without Evan Mobley for Tuesday’s game against the Chicago Bulls. He’s missing the game due to rest.

This is likely similar to what the Cavs did with Donovan Mitchell on Sunday. He missed that game due to a scheduled rest day as well.

“We planned it,” Atkinson said about Mitchell’s day off vs. the Portland Trail Blazers.

“I always say, I put my hand up first. I’m the first one to push it. And you know, March is a beast. Sixteen games in 29 days. And if our number one goal is to stay healthy coming into the playoffs. We have to be strategic in what we’re doing.”

The Cavs have the luxury of doing this. They don’t have anyone currently out of the lineup with an injury. They also have a healthy seven-and-a-half game lead over the Boston Celtics for first place in the conference.

It stands to reason that another one of their core players could miss Wednesday’s game against the Miami Heat for rest as well. The Cavs want to keep their foot on the gas, but they also know that they have to keep the end goal in mind.

The Cavaliers have a road-heavy schedule in March. Only six of their 16 games are at home. This includes a nearly month-long stretch where they don’t play in the same location twice in a row until March 30.

While the Cavs will miss Evan Mobley, the only other guys they will be without on Tuesday are their three two-way players.

The Bulls are not as fortunate. They will be without Ayo Dosunmo (shoulder), Nikola Vucevic (calf), and Patrick Williams (quad) for Tuesday’s game. Additionally, Lonzo Ball (wrist), Josh Giddy (quad), and Kevin Hurter (knee) are all listed as questionable.

Source: https://www.fearthesword.com/2025/3...cavaliers-nba-kenny-atkinson-donovan-mitchell

 

[Cleveland Cavaliers]

Cavaliers at Bulls preview and gamethread

Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

Can the Cavaliers keep rolling?

The Cleveland Cavaliers are currently an immovable object riding a double-digit win streak for the third time this season.

Who: Cleveland Cavaliers (50-10) vs Chicago Bulls (24-37)

Where: United Center - Chicago, IL

When: 8:00 p.m. EST

TV: FanDuel Sports Network, NBA League Pass

Line: Cavs -12.5

Expected Cavs starting lineup: Darius Garland, Donovan Mitchell, Max Strus, DeAndre Hunter, Jarrett Allen

Cavs injury report: Evan Mobley - OUT (rest), Emoni Bates - OUT (two-way), Luke Travers - OUT (two-way), Nae’Qwan Tomlin - OUT (two-way).

Expected Bulls starting lineup: Josh Giddey, Coby White, Dalen Terry, Matas Buzelis, Zach Collins

Bulls injury report: Ayo Dosunmu - OUT (shoulder), Nikola Vucevic - OUT (calf), Patrick Williams - OUT (quadricep), E.J. Liddell - OUT (two-way), Lonzo Ball - OUT (wrist), Josh Giddey QUESTIONABLE - (quadricep), Kevin Huerter - QUESTIONABLE (knee), Emanuel Miller - QUESTIONABLE (two-way), Jahmir Young - QUESTIONABLE (two-way), Coby White - PROBABLE (thumb)

What to watch for​

Friendship always wins​

When the Cavaliers added De’Andre Hunter, they didn’t just add a key piece for a postseason run, but they also added someone very familiar to Ty Jerome. Hunter and Jerome share history as they were both on the 2019 National Championship for the Virginia Cavaliers.

Not only did the Cavaliers reunite two best friends, but they now possess two of the candidates to win the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year award. Both players are in the midst of career years and constantly show their potential for impacting a game.

In the Cavaliers' latest win on Sunday, the Portland Trail Blazers discovered how powerful friendship can be. Jerome and Hunter were the ignitors of the Cavaliers comeback win combining for 57 points. It’s not hyperbolic to say that the tandem can swing an entire game on its head. The Blazers were in the driver's seat until the bff’s got rolling.

Having two players at your disposal who can step into a game and flip the script is something that teams would trample over each other to possess. Jerome has turned heads, including his own teammates and coaches, all season. Now with Hunter in house, the Cavaliers felt like they caught two players at the peak of their powers. This is not only helpful for a deep postseason run, but also gives them flexibility in a plug-and-play situation when the opportunity arises.

The Cavaliers feel like they are truly a team with 10 players who can play on any postseason roster. Depth is something that can make or break championship runs. With the Cavaliers taking turns resting their stars, plugging in players like Jerome and Hunter lessens the blow by a significant margin.

Source: https://www.fearthesword.com/2025/3...njury-report-how-to-watch-cleveland-cavaliers

 

[Cleveland Cavaliers]

Cavs use big fourth quarter to pull past Bulls

Matt Marton-Imagn Images

Cleveland outscored Chicago by 20 points in the final frame to win their 11th-straight game.

The Cleveland Cavaliers, once again struggling to put away a lesser team, used a big fourth quarter to power past the Chicago Bulls 139-117 for their 11th win in a row. After trailing at halftime, the Cavs outscored the Bulls by 23 points in the second half and went on a 32-10 run with just under seven minutes left in the game.

Cleveland played without star forward Evan Mobley (rest), but it still should have been more than enough anyway. Darius Garland and Donovan Mitchell struggled out of the gate, but they picked it up in the second half to help secure the win. It was a sluggish game once again for the Cavs, who needed to come back against an opponent that they should not have any issues with.

With Mobley sitting out, De’Andre Hunter picked up the start at power forward and had a relatively quiet game - especially compared to his total takeover against the Blazers on Sunday. Javonte Green played some meaningful minutes for the first time as a member of the Cavs, putting together an effective 11 points, six rebounds, and two assists in 18 minutes of court time. As far as bench players go, Green was the best of the bunch.

The real MVP of the night goes to Allen, who had a monster double-double with 25 points and 17 rebounds, imposing his will on the undermanned Bulls who were without starting center Nikola Vucevic. Mitchell led all scorers with 28 points on 7-17 shooting, but converted 13 of his 14 free throw attempts.

Weird stat of the night: Sam Merrill led both the Cavs and Bulls in blocks with two.

It's hard to get too terribly distraught over the Cavs being unable to thoroughly crush a lesser team like the Bulls, but the early game woes are worth monitoring. They started very slow against the Blazers, at home, and obviously fell down 25-3 against the Celtics. Both of those games turned out well in the end, but the poor showings in the first quarter are not something to ignore. Still, it's hard to fault a team that is 51-10.

Coby White led the battered Bulls with 25 points while rookie Matas Buzelis had 17 points, seven rebounds and three assists. Talen Horton-Tucker had a big game off the bench with 22 points on 9-18 shooting and was getting to the rim with relative ease.

The Cavs next game will be Wednesday, March 5 at home against the Miami Heat as they welcome back Kevin Love. Tip is at 7:00pm on ESPN.

Source: https://www.fearthesword.com/2025/3...donovan-mitchell-jarrett-allen-darius-garland

 

[Cleveland Cavaliers]

Player Grades: Cavs at Bulls

Photo by Jeff Haynes/NBAE via Getty Images

Allen dominated in Chicago.

It was a slow start for various players but the Cleveland Cavaliers gradually ramped it up as the game went on to beat the Chicago Bulls 139-117.

Grades are based on our usual expectations for each player.

Donovan Mitchell​

28 points (7-17 shooting), 7 rebounds, 5 assists

Mitchell has done a brilliant job of choosing his spots all season. He didn’t force the issue even when the Cavs fell down early tonight. He continued to probe and find openings for his teammates. And even with his three-point shot absent, he forced his way to the foul line 14 times to compensate. Mitchell’s steady approach added up to 28 points and eventually, a win.

Grade: A​

Darius Garland​

19 points (7-22 shooting), 7 assists, 3 rebounds

Garland was in a funk to start this game. His poor shooting from Sunday carried over into the first quarter and a half of this one. He began 1-12 from the floor before burying a pair of three-pointers at the break and ending the night on a high.

You’d like Garland to be more efficient. And for most of the season, he has been. but while this was an out-of-sorts shooting night — I’ll always appreciate DG unloading the clip and staying confident despite a cold spell. It paid off in the end with Garland drilling another pair of threes in the fourth quarter as the Cavs took control.

Grade: B+​

Jarrett Allen​

25 points (10-11 shooting), 17 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals

Allen was key to keeping the Cavs within striking distance when Chicago pulled away by 15 points early in the game. He mailed home a pair of hook shots from the middle of the floor and kept the Bulls fighting for opportunities in the paint even without Evan Mobley to watch his back. The Cavs' defensive effort wasn’t great overall but Allen’s deterrance was a saving grace.

Allen's sequence here:

-Catches lob
- Blocks Shot
- Makes Transition Layup
- Get Def. Board
- Assist to Green
- Steal
- Assist to Green And-One

FEAR THE 'FRO!!!!

— Fear the 'Fro: A Cleveland Cavs Podcast (@FeartheFroPod) March 5, 2025​

Then in the fourth quarter, Allen led a min-Cavalanche behind his defense, interior scoring and... playmaking? Allen scored or assisted on nine straight points to blow the game open. This was one of the best sequences of his entire career and it spurred a massive 32-8 run to end the night.

Grade: A+++​

Max Strus​

11 points (3-6 shooting), 5 assists, 3 rebounds

It’s hard to lose when Strus shoots the ball well. His three-point shooting gives the Cavs a cushion that puts everyone else in position to close the deal. Strus has been an all-around helpful player ever since joining Cleveland but he’s still most effective when he’s knocking down deep balls. Strus was a team-high +26 tonight.

Grade: A-​

Javonte Green​

11 points (4-5 shooting), 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 block

Kenny Atkinson finally pushed the Green button when the Cavs began this game at a lackluster pace. We saw the immediate benefits of Green as he jumped off the bench, grabbed a rebound, and ran the full length of the floor to draw a foul.

Green isn’t an offensive spark like Jerome but he’s a bolt of electricity that can change a game with his defense. His activity on the glass and switchability make him a useful depth piece to turn to when the game isn’t going as planned.

This was Green’s first meaningful minutes as a Cavalier and they couldn’t have gone better. He turned this game on its head by running the floor and even knocking down multiple three-pointers in the fourth. If this continues, Atkinson will have another player who deserves consistent minutes.

Grade: A+​

De’Andre Hunter​

6 points (2-7 shooting), 5 rebounds, 1 block

Without Evan Mobley, De’Andre Hunter was inserted into the starting lineup once again. The defense suffered without Mobley but Hunter proved that even with some weaknesses, he’s a positional upgrade from what Cleveland previously had. His screen navigation and point-of-attack pressure aren’t elite but his size still made a difference throughout the game.

Hunter scored 32 points in his previous game. This time around, he shot 0-2 from deep and scored just 6 points. It happens to everyone, this wasn’t his night.

Grade: C​

Ty Jerome​

16 points (3-10 shooting), 3 rebounds, 2 assists

Jerome’s floater is one of the best in the league. Seriously. He carved Chicago’s defense at a pivotal moment of the game in the third quarter with numerous floaters that deflated an attempted rally. Even with a 3-10 shooting night, the pressure Jerome puts on a defense sent him to the free-throw line nine times.

There’s nothing new to talk about. Jerome is relentless with his attack and has continued to score in bunches any time the Cavs need him. He’s gaining momentum for Sixth Man of the Year and another strong performance like this will only further increase steam.

Grade: B​

Sam Merrill​

11 points (4-6 shooting), 2 rebounds, 2 blocks

Merrill hit some huge momentum shots in his previous game. Tonight, he replicated that. It wasn’t a ridiculous shooting performance but it’s what the Cavs are paying him for. Merrill’s timely shot-making is something few teams can find on their deep bench.

Also, two blocks for Merrill? That’s huge for a guy who had 13 career blocks entering the night.

Grade: A​

Dean Wade​

6 points (2-7 shooting), 4 rebounds, 1 block

Wade had a sequence in the first half where he put a lid on the basket for Chicago by contesting multiple attempts at the basket in the same possession. That’s why even when Wade struggles to shoot the ball — he’s too valuable to keep off the floor. His defensive versatility is one of the more underrated storylines of the season. This game wasn’t enough offensively to gloat but it’s another strong defensive performance from Wade.

Grade: B-​

Isaac Okoro​

4 points (2-4 shooting), 1 rebound, 1 assist

Okoro will rarely stuff the stat sheet. This game was no exception. He hardly put numbers on the board but still — this wasn’t last year’s Okoro. He was cutting to the hoop and creating in the short roll while handling the ball above the break on occasion. Okoro isn’t standing around waiting for the rock anymore. It hasn’t translated to a statistical leap but it sure feels a lot better to watch.

Grade: C+​

Source: https://www.fearthesword.com/2025/3...avs-at-bulls-jarrett-allen-leads-a-cavalanche

 

[Cleveland Cavaliers]

Cleveland Cavaliers announce they will retire Kevin Love’s jersey

Photo by NBA Photos/NBAE via Getty Images

Love’s #0 will hang in the rafters.

Tonight, Kevin Love played his first NBA game in Cleveland since February 2023. It began with a tribute video and ended with an announcement that Love would eventually have his jersey retired by the Cleveland Cavaliers.

“I look in the mirror and think, where’d the time go?” said Love after the game. “Eight and a half great years in Cleveland. My number will, because I’ve been told, will eventually go up there next to Nick Gilbert.”

Love played nine seasons with the Cavaliers, joining the franchise in 2014. He wasn’t the biggest addition of that summer (LeBron James took the crown) but he was certainly an important one. Love gave up his All-NBA status in Minnesota to become the third banana next to James and Kyrie Irving.

This transition wasn’t easy. There were plenty of growing pains along the way. but Love’s sacrifice eventually led to the first championship in franchise history. Through the ups and downs, Love averaged 16.3 points and 9.4 rebounds while adding two more All-Star Games to his resume in Cleveland.

Love’s fit next to the big three was seamless, at times. His ability to clean the glass and stretch the floor made him a modern big to pair with the two. Of course, Love slinging outlet passes to a sprinting James never got old, either.

Once James and Irving left, it was Love who stood as the final member of the Big Three. While he was often visibly frustrated with the rebuilding process — Love blossomed into the savvy veteran once Darius Garland, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen began to make their rise. Love ended as a Sixth Man of the Year finalist in his last full season with the Cavs.

The ending of this marriage wasn’t pretty. Love’s production tanked as did his playing time. By February of the 2022-23 season, a buyout was necessary. Love joined the Miami Heat and soared to another NBA Finals appearance. But since then, the Cavs have catapulted into a 52-10 record while Love finds himself at the tail end of a defunct Miami squad.

It’s no surprise Love’s jersey will be retired. One would imagine Kyrie Irving and potentially even Tristan Thompson will join him. Of course, James will have a jersey and statue, at some point. But even now, it’s important not to overlook the contributions Love gave to Cleveland. He was a joy to watch for nine seasons and without his defensive stop, there would be no championship banner for him to hang next to.

“We [the 2016 team] have a group chat that we speak to every single day. You say the word brotherhood? You win together. That’s what it creates,” said Love. “And what it meant to the city after 52 years without having a major sports team win a championship. It’s tough to put into words what that means to all of us — and we’re coming up on 10 years now. It’s just crazy.”

Source: https://www.fearthesword.com/2025/3...l-retire-kevin-loves-jersey-cavs-nick-gilbert

 

[Cleveland Cavaliers]

Watch NBA League Pass on Playback

Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images

Watch the games with us tonight!

You can watch tonight’s slate of games on NBA League Pass with us tonight on Playback. Tony Pesta will start the stream at 7:30 with the Indiana Pacers and Atlanta Hawks.

We will keep an eye on the other games starting around this time. Including:

• Bulls at Magic at 7 pm
• Warriors at Nets at 7:30 pm
• Celtics vs 76ers at 7:30 pm
• Rockets at Pelicans at 8 pm

If you want to watch the games live with us, you only have to make a free account on Playback.

• Head over to playback.tv and create an account with your email address
• Connect and select your NBA League Pass login as your streaming account (sign up for League Pass here first if you don’t have it)
• Go to https://www.playback.tv/fearthesword and hit the JOIN button
• Make sure to activate push notifications so you know when we’re going live

Source: https://www.fearthesword.com/2025/3/6/24379359/watch-nba-league-pass-on-playback-march-6-2025

 

[Cleveland Cavaliers]

Cavs have another game flexed to national TV

Russell Lansford-Imagn Images

Cleveland and Orlando replace Dallas and Philadelphia on ABC and ESPN’s Sunday matinee on March 16.

The NBA-leading Cleveland Cavaliers will have yet another game on the national stage. ESPN announced that the Cavs will host Paulo Banchero and the Orlando Magic on Sunday, March 16 as part of ESPN’s NBA Sunday Showcase. The start time has been changed from 6 PM to 1 PM.

Programming Update: ESPN platforms will present an 'NBA Sunday Showcase on ABC' matchup between the @OrlandoMagic & the @cavs

Sunday, Mar. 16 | 1p ET | ABC, ESPN+

Details: https://t.co/Rb30ytMSoh pic.twitter.com/RNVMstBpby

— ESPN PR (@ESPNPR) March 6, 2025​

This game replaces the previously scheduled national game between the Dallas Mavericks and the Philadelphia 76ers. Arguably, two of the three most disappointing teams in the league do not make for quality viewing, it would appear.

The Eastern Conference-leading Cavs have had a few games pushed to national broadcasting. Back in December, the NBA pushed two matchups against the Oklahoma City Thunder to ESPN and TNT. That adjustment came with what seemed like a week of analysis and discussion of the two teams - rare for two small markets. That trend continued in January, as the NBA again flexed two Cavs games - against the Atlanta Hawks and the Boston Celtics - to TNT.

Coming into the season, the Cavs only had a total of eight games on either ESPN or TNT. That number has continued to climb given the success they have had this season, a well-deserved nod from the NBA and its media partners. The Cavs, at 52-10, are on pace for one of the best seasons in league history and should be recognized as such. Regardless of market size and star power, putting the best product on the national stage should be a bigger priority.

With the regular season nearing its conclusion, the Cavs are slated to have three more national-televised games: Sunday, March 9 against the Milwaukee Bucks (ESPN), the aforementioned matchup against Orlando on March 16 (ABC, ESPN+), and April 10 against the Indiana Pacers (TNT).

Source: https://www.fearthesword.com/2025/3...ave-another-game-flexed-to-national-spotlight

 

[Cleveland Cavaliers]

Cavs at Hornets preview and gamethread

Photo by Nick Cammett/Getty Images

Cavs have a chance to tighten a few things up and keep the streak going.

The Cleveland Cavaliers look to keep their streak alive on the road against the Charlotte Hornets.

Who: Cleveland Cavaliers (52-10) at Charlotte Hornets (14-47)

Where: Spectrum Center - Charlotte, North Carolina

When: 7 pm EST

TV: FanDuel Sports Network, NBA League Pass

Line: Cavs -16

Expected Cavs starting lineup: Darius Garland,Donovan Mitchell, Max Strus, Evan Mobley, Jarrett Allen

Cavs injury report: Luke Travers - OUT (G League), Emoni Bates - OUT (G League), Nae’Qwan Tomlin - OUT (G League)

Expected Hornets starting lineup: LaMelo Ball, Nick Smith, Miles Bridges, DaQuan Jeffries, Mark Williams

Hornets injury report: LaMelo Ball - PROBABLE (illness), Josh Green - PROBABLE (illness), Brandon Miller - OUT (wrist), Jusuf Nurkic - PROBABLE (back), Josh Okogie - OUT (hamstring), KJ Simpson - OUT (G League), Nick Smith - PROBABLE (quad), Grant Williams - OUT (knee), Mark Williams - OUT (foot)

What to watch for

The Cavs streak has fallen into jeopardy recently. They trailed by 15 or more points against Boston, Portland and Chicago before rallying back. Then at home versus Miami, it was a dogfight for 48 minutes.

Their matchup with the Hornets is the easiest of the bunch, at least, on paper. While the Blazers, Bulls and Heat have all had moments to hang their hats on this season — the Hornets are... well, they’re bad. There isn’t much reason to think Charlotte will do anything other than spin their wheels in the final month of the season.

That doesn’t mean the Cavs can sleepwalk to victory. The last week of basketball has pushed that experiment to the bring and I don’t think anyone should expect this to keep working in their favor. With that said, they’ve played with enough intensity to win each of those previous games.

I’ll be watching for Darius Garland to snap out of his slump. He’s shooting 16/54 (29%) from deep over his last seven games. This is a rare cold spell in a season where Garland is shooting a career-best from three and overall. Let’s get back on track with a big game against Charlotte, shall we?

You can watch the game live with us on Playback. Sign up with a free account and say hello in the chat!

Source: https://www.fearthesword.com/2025/3...y-report-how-to-watch-cleveland-cavaliers-nba

 

[Cleveland Cavaliers]

Player Grades: Cavs at Hornets

Photo by Jacob Kupferman/Getty Images

Hunter continues to show why he was brought to Cleveland.

Playing three games in four nights is difficult, but that doesn’t entirely excuse the Cleveland Cavaliers' poor performance. Their effort level shouldn’t have led to a win. Fortunately for them, they were playing the 14-win Charlotte Hornets.

Cleveland escaped with a narrow 118-117 victory. That extends their winning streak to 13 games.

Grades are based on our expectations for each player.

Donovan Mitchell​

24 points (6-19 shooting), 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 3 turnovers

Mitchell had an up-and-down outing. On one hand, the Cavaliers desperately needed the energy and scoring punch he provided. The offense was stuck in the mud all night. His ability to continually force the issue and get to the foul line was much needed.

At the same time, his six missed free throws (12-18 from the line) nearly cost the Cavs. This included two straight in the closing moments that gave Miles Bridges a chance to win the game.

On top of that, this was only a close game after De’Andre Hunter’s put-back layup with 43 seconds left because Mitchell couldn’t corral a defensive rebound after a Nick Smith Jr. miss. This led to a Bridges three to make it a one-point game. He doesn’t have a chance to miss those clutch free throws if he comes up with that rebound.

Grade: C-​

Darius Garland​

20 points (4-10 shooting), 2 assists, 1 rebound, 1 steal

Garland had an odd game. He came out of the gates hot, hitting two threes early on. It felt like he was going to have a special night after that moment, but it never materialized. Foul trouble got in the way and Garland wasn’t the dynamic scorer this team needed.

The ball seemed to stick for most of the night. That isn’t something we’ve said about this team often. Charlotte’s constant fouling led to that feeling, but Garland not being able to set up teammates or create off the dribble is part of that as well. This is reflected in his and the team’s low assist totals (16).

Grade: C​

Evan Mobley​

19 points (6-13 shooting), 10 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 blocks

This wasn’t a great Mobley game. Charlotte was missing starting center Mark Williams and was forced to play Jusuf Nurkic and Moussa Diabate inside. Mobley and Jarrett Allen should’ve feasted on this frontcourt offensively but weren’t able to do so to the degree expected.

That said, Mobley’s late shot clock fourth-quarter three that tied the game with two minutes left changed everything.

Evan Mobley with a TOUGH sidestep triple to tie the game in the 4Q pic.twitter.com/XqcKiGoYtS

— NBA TV (@NBATV) March 8, 2025​

He was 0-4 from beyond the arc until that point, but that didn’t deter him from taking that three. This is the level of growth and confidence you want to see from Mobley.

Grade: B+​

Jarrett Allen​

14 points (4-10 shooting), 11 rebounds, 5 steals, 1 block

It felt like Allen and Mobley could’ve done more inside offensively. That said, Allen was a force to be reckoned with defensively and on the glass.

Allen’s five steals and one block were huge. His defensive impact allowed Kenny Atkinson to close with an imposing frontcourt of him, Mobley, and Hunter. The pressure that Allen had on the rim as an offensive rebounder allowed Hunter to get the rebound and putback that sealed the game.

Grade: B+​

Max Strus​

3 points (0-3 shooting), 3 rebounds, 1 assist

Strus struggled to make a positive impact on Friday. He couldn’t find his shot and felt like a non-factor when he was on the court. This led to him playing just under two minutes in the fourth quarter.

Grade: D+​

De’Andre Hunter​

15 points (4-6 shooting), 6 rebounds, 4 assists

Hunter continues to be exactly what this team needs, especially late in games. That proved to be true once again as he made a putback layup to give Cleveland a lead with 43 seconds left. Hunter followed that up by forcing a turnover on Bridges on the ensuing possession.

The Cavs don’t win this game without those clutch plays,

Hunter’s versatility stands out late in games. He’s spent the last several contests closing as the power forward alongside Mobley. On Friday, his ability to play the three allowed the Cavs to close with both Allen and Mobley as well. Their frontcourt length proved to be overwhelming.

The optionality that Hunter can bring remains his best asset. Well, that and being a flat-out good, well-rounded scorer.

Grade: A​

Ty Jerome​

6 points (2-4 shooting), 5 rebounds, 3 assists

It’s not often we say that Jerome is a non-factor. Even in his bad games, he’s still noticeable in his activity. That wasn’t so on Friday.

Grade: C-​

Sam Merrill​

12 points (4-4 shooting), 1 rebound

The Cavs needed a scoring punch off the bench, and Merrill provided that. He hit all four of his triples to help kick-start a struggling offense.

Merrill had a tough time finding his shot at the start of the season, but he’s turned it around of late. He’s connecting on 42.9% of his triples in his nine appearances since the All-Star break.

That’s a good sign for him and the Cavs.

Grade: A​

Dean Wade​

0 points (0-3 shooting), 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 11 minutes

Wade has struggled to find an offensive rhythm since returning from injury. That happened again as he was hesitant to pull from deep when he had openings.

This seemed to bleed over into the defensive side of the ball where he was caught out of place more times than we usually expect.

This wasn’t his best showing.

Grade: D+​

Isaac Okoro​

5 points (2-4 shooting), 2 rebounds

Like Wade, Okoro has struggled to make his usual impact since he’s returned from injury. Having his minutes cut to accommodate Hunter probably doesn’t help.

Grade: C​

Source: https://www.fearthesword.com/2025/3...-mitchell-evan-mobley-cleveland-cavaliers-nba

 

[Cleveland Cavaliers]

Watch Lakers vs. Celtics on Playback

Photo by Harry How/Getty Images

Luka takes on Boston for the first time as a Laker.

It’s always a big deal when the Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics face off. Tonight has some added weight as this will be the first time Luka Doncic takes on Boston since the trade. Additionally, for the first time in years, both teams have a legitimate shot of getting to the NBA Finals.

This game also has some importance for the Cleveland Cavaliers. Cleveland is eight games up on the Celtics for the first spot in the conference. Each Boston loss brings the Cavs closer to securing that position.

It’ll also be interesting to see how the Lakers, a potential Finals opponent, handle a team as good as the Celtics. The Lakers have looked good recently, but there’s a difference between defeating good teams like the Los Angeles Clippers and New York Knicks, and beating an elite team like the Celtics. We’ll see if they can do that tonight.

We will also be keeping an eye on the rest of today’s slate of games. That includes:

• Pelicans vs. Rockets
• Wizards vs. Raptors
• Pacers vs. Hawks
• Bulls vs. Heat
• Magic vs. Bucks
• Pistons vs. Warriors

If you want to watch the games live with us, you only have to make a free account on Playback.

• Head over to playback.tv and create an account with your email address
• Connect and select your NBA League Pass login as your streaming account (sign up for League Pass here first if you don’t have it)
• Go to https://www.playback.tv/fearthesword and hit the JOIN button
• Make sure to activate push notifications so you know when we’re going live

Source: https://www.fearthesword.com/2025/3/8/24380808/watch-lakers-vs-celtics-on-playback

 

[Cleveland Cavaliers]

Nae’Qwan Tomlin’s 33 points lead Charge to victory

Photo by David Liam Kyle/NBAE via Getty Images

The newest Cavaliers two-way player continues to impress.

The Cleveland Charge rebounded nicely from a poor performance last night to defeat the Maine Celtics 127-123 in overtime. Strong outings from all three of the Cleveland Cavaliers’ two-way players, which included a game-winner from Luke Travers, allowed the Charge to split the two-game set with the Celtics.

Nae’Qwan Tomlin helped the Charge get out to a strong start. His 11 first-quarter points on 5-6 shooting helped fuel a Cleveland lead that ballooned to 11 in the opening frame.

This was a much-needed departure from yesterday’s loss, where the Charge fell down by double digits early.

Maine closed the quarter on a 12-5 run. This made it a one-point game after the first.

Neither team could create separation in the second and third quarters. A buzzer-beater sidestep three from Jules Bernard made it a tie game going into the fourth. Bernard provided 18 much-needed bench points for Cleveland.

That shot seemed to kickstart Cleveland’s offense. They started the final frame on a 15-4 run to take another 11-point lead.

The Celtics didn’t go quietly from there. They fought back to tie things up with under a minute left due in part to two late missed free throws from Emoni Bates. Tomlin had a chance to win the game at the end of regulation but couldn’t connect on a midrange jumper.

Bates opened the scoring in overtime for Cleveland by draining a deep three. Tomlin added a transition layup off of a nice feed from Travers. Travers then ended the game with a 14-foot floater to reach the target score and secure the victory.

Luke Travers hits the overtime game winner for the Charge. pic.twitter.com/jCBHpimm15

— Jackson Flickinger (@JacksFlickinger) March 9, 2025​

“We believe in Luke,” said Bates to Fear the Sword postgame. “We trust him to take that shot.”

Defense was an issue on Friday against Maine. The Charge couldn’t get stops which caused them to fall down by as many as 32 before starting their failed comeback.

On Saturday, they resorted to a 2-3 zone which did a better job of slowing the Celtics down. This kept them out of fastbreak situations with the exception of the third quarter.

Cleveland’s better defensive execution allowed them to use Tomlin’s 33-point performance to the fullest.

Tomlin was phenomenal. He displayed all the skills that made the Cavs believe in his upside. He displayed good off-the-dribble creation, finishing around the rim, and a deadly three-point shot. His offense carried the Charge for large portions of the game, specifically at the start of the first and third quarters.

“That’s why he got what he got,” ates said afterward referring to Tomlin’s recently signed two-way deal with the Cavs.

It’s not too often you see someone put up 33 on just 16 shot attempts and only one free throw. Tomlin simply couldn’t miss as he went 14-16 from the field while providing 11 big rebounds.

Simply put, it was an all-around outstanding performance. And also one that we’ve come to expect from Tomlin.

“I always knew Qwan could hoop,” Bates said. “I even told [head coach Chris Darnel] that because people didn’t know that before the season. At the beginning of the season, he wasn’t even playing for real. He was getting DNPs. I mean, he worked for that.

“You don’t see a lot of people going from not playing to playing 30 to 40 minutes a night. He just stayed down and got rewarded.”

Bates left Friday’s game with a lower-body injury. That didn’t seem to affect him on Saturday, as he put together a solid game.

This was one of the better offensive outings from a process perspective that I’ve seen from Bates. He didn’t have his outside shot falling early but was able to get two feet into the paint and playmake from there. Bates had multiple finishes through traffic and made the right reads when the defense collapsed.

that's all you no. 21@BatesEmoni | #ChargeUp pic.twitter.com/h8cxgK6A1H

— Cleveland Charge (@ChargeCLE) March 9, 2025​

This was the type of improvement you want to see.

“I work on it,” Bates said when asked about attacking the paint. “The coaches tell me to get downhill. Beginning the season, I was hurt, so I wasn’t trusting my knee that much. ... I’m starting to feel comfortable.”

Bates’s 13 points in the fourth quarter and overtime helped the Charge seal the win. He finished the game with 24 points on 9-18 shooting, which included going 4-12 from three, to go along with eight rebounds and five assists.

“I just stayed level-headed,” Bates said. “I mean, shots weren’t really falling for me. Missed free throws, which was a big one for me, but my teammates just kept me going. Just told me, ‘We need you.’”

Travers struggled to get into a rhythm but still almost finished with a triple-double. That speaks to how his skill level stands out at this level.

The rookie wasn’t able to consistently finish the decent looks he generated for himself around the rim early on. That, and not getting his outside shot going, led to an inefficient night by Travers’s standards. He provided 16 points on 7-18 shooting to go along with ten rebounds and eight assists.

Still, Travers was able to come up big when they needed him to.

Maine was led by JD Davison. He supplied 36 points on 12-25 shooint go go along with 10 assists. Tristan Enaruna had 26 points on 8-16 shooting.

The win improves the Charge to 11-16 in the regular season. Their next game is Wednesday at 7 PM when they host the Rip City Remix.

Source: https://www.fearthesword.com/2025/3...n-emoni-bates-luke-travers-cavaliers-g-league

 

[Cleveland Cavaliers]

Cavs at Bucks preview and gamethread

Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

Can Evan Mobley have a statement game against Giannis?

The Cavaliers are looking to extend their second-longest win streak of the season to 14 games.

Who: Cleveland Cavaliers (53-10) at Milwaukee Bucks (36-26)

Where: Fiserv Forum - Milwaukee, WI

When: 8 pm EST

TV: FanDuel Sports Network, NBA League Pass

Line: Cavs -7

Expected Cavs starting lineup: Darius Garland, Donovan Mitchell, Max Strus, Evan Mobley, Jarrett Allen

Cavs injury report: Luke Travers - OUT (G League), Emoni Bates - OUT (G League), Nae’Qwan Tomlin - OUT (G League)

Expected Bucks starting lineup: Damian Lillard, Taurean Prince, Kyle Kuzma, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Brook Lopez

Bucks injury report: Giannis Antetokounmpo - PROBABLE (calf), Kyle Kuzma - PROBABLE (ankle), Gary Trent Jr. - PROABLE (knee), Pat Connaughton - OUT (calf), Bobby Portis - OUT (suspension), Pete Nance - OUT (ankle)

You can watch the game live with us on Playback. Sign up with a free account and say hello in the chat!

What to watch for​

Mobley vs Giannis​

While Evan Mobley is in the midst of a phenomenal season, it appears there are still certain matchups that have been able to minimize his impact. One of those teams is the Bucks and more specifically Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Mobley is averaging 18.6 points, 9.4 rebounds, and 3.1 assists per game. In his three matchups against the Bucks this season, Mobley is averaging 15.3 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 4 assists per contest. This narrative is not new for Mobley. The Bucks have hindered his ability to thrive in the paint, something that, for his first few seasons, is where he gets the bulk of his points from.

This season should produce different results as Mobley’s offensive repertoire has significantly expanded. To draw Giannis out of the paint and force him to defend on the perimeter not only should benefit himself but the Cavaliers in general.

Mobley had a 38-point game against Milwaukee back in 2023 (in a game that Giannis didn’t play in), but that was the only time he registered over 20 points in a game against them. He hasn’t had the success that he’s had against other teams against Milwaukee.

In a defining season where Mobley has shown immense growth, one would hope that Mobley will have his fingerprints all over a game where he is matched with one of the more disruptive players in the league.

Source: https://www.fearthesword.com/2025/3...y-report-how-to-watch-cleveland-cavaliers-nba

 

[Cleveland Cavaliers]

Player Grades: Cavs at Bucks

Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images

Allen fought hard tonight.

The Cleveland Cavaliers rolled to their 14th straight win behind a strong defensive effort. They were locked in from the jump to defeat the Milwaukee Bucks.

Grades are based on our expectations of each player.

Donovan Mitchell​

15 points (4-15 shooting), 6 assists, 5 rebounds, 4 turnovers

It used to be rare for the Cavs to win a game when Mitchell wasn’t scoring. But this season, it’s become commonplace.

Mitchell didn’t have it going at any point tonight (and he wasn’t alone). His three-point shot was absent (1-7 shooting) and he didn’t make up for it by getting to the rim. A night this quiet from Mitchell would rarely mean good in the past. Yet Cleveland’s depth has allowed them to coast this season even when Mitchell is having an underwhelming game.

Grade: C-​

Darius Garland​

13 points (4-13 shooting), 5 assists, 5 rebounds, 3 turnovers

Surviving a poor shooting night from Mitchell or Garland alone would be one thing. Overcoming a bad performance from both — on the road against a genuinely competitive team — is something else.

Garland has been in a rut since taking a hard fall against New York weeks ago. He’s hovering around 30% from the floor over his last few games and could really use a get-back game before entering this West Coast road trip. Tonight wasn’t that — but I don’t have any long-term concerns. Garland’s commitment to keeping the Cavs' offense running smoothly hasn’t changed. He just isn’t scorching hot from every spot on the floor right now.

Grade: D+​

Jarrett Allen​

11 points (5-6 shooting), 6 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals

Here’s the thing. Allen got pushed around, ran through and dunked on a handful of times tonight. You know what he didn’t do? Fold. Allen continued to fight against Giannis Antetokounmpo and won the war in the end. Giannis put up an impressive 30 points but it took him 24 field goal attempts to get it.

You’ll never fully stop a player of Antetokounmpo’s caliber. But Allen showed that you can make them work for it — just as he did against Nikola Jokic earlier in the year. Allen’s defensive effort was one of the differences in this game. This is the type of “put your head down and work through it” performance that you’ll need from Allen in the playoffs.

Grade: A​

Max Strus​

17 points (6-11 shooting), 9 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal

This game could have been a dogfight with Cleveland’s offense struggling to find a rhythm. It was Max Strus who delivered 11 straight points in the second quarter and gave his team a cushion to work with that allowed the Cavs to maintain control.

Strus was red-hot from deep in the first half. He buried four of his five threes in the opening quarters and chipped in nine huge rebounds to make the difference.

Grade: A+​

Evan Mobley​

13 points (5-10 shooting), 7 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 steals, 1 block

This game began like it was going to be Mobley’s night. He scored 10 points in the first half and seemingly had no concerns about stretching the floor. Mobley nailed two three-pointers in the first quarter but didn’t make another for the rest of the game.

Milwaukee’s defense is a major concern for them, but Brook Lopez is still a quality rim protector. The Bucks worked to keep Mobley away from the paint and ultimately succeeded after the opening half. It was, however, too little too late as Mobley had already given the Cavs a boost — just as Strus would give them in the second quarter. Cleveland has won games by committee all season and this was another example of it.

Grade: B​

De’Andre Hunter​

6 points (2-6 shooting), 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 block

Hunter has been super impactful since landing in Cleveland. Tonight, he wasn’t.

The outside shot wasn’t falling for Hunter and this matchup didn’t call for him to attack the rim. Hunter’s defense and contribution on the glass were meaningful, though. It’s another sign that even on an off-night, Hunter is a game-changer for Cleveland.

Grade: B-​

Ty Jerome​

9 points (3-9 shooting), 1 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal

Jerome didn’t shoot the ball well either but he always manages to score at the right times. His few field goals came at momentum-shifting moments and the pressure he provides as a ball-handler ensured that Cleveland’s offense never felt like it was stuck in the mud.

Grade: B-​

Sam Merrill​

9 points (3-6 shooting), 2 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal

Merrill turned in another great shooting game, going 3-5 from deep. He’s shooting a combined 7-9 over his last two games. The Cavs' offense is already so loaded that a barrage of threes from Merrill can be a backbreaker for most teams.

Merrill also played sound defense tonight. He’s always active and engaged but his efforts actually led to missed shots this time, which is nice.

Grade: A​

Dean Wade​

9 points (3-3 shooting), 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal

The Cavs used to rely a fair amount on Wade to play like this consistently. His defense and floor spacing were a necessity in the past. Now? It’s a knockout blow whenever Wade fills this role.

He hit three three-pointers tonight, something that feels almost insurmountable for opponents even when the rest of the Cavs are struggling. Wade didn’t have as much luck defending Giannis — but his timely shooting kept Cleveland in a comfortable position.

Grade: A-​

Isaac Okoro​

5 points (2-3 shooting), 1 rebounds, 1 assist

Okoro’s involvement on offense continues to look more natural. He buried a quick-trigger three in the second half and then rolled to the rim for an acrobatic layup only moments later.

Most importantly, Okoro dominated his minutes on Damian Lillard. He spent this time draped all over Lillard, forcing him into a turnover and suppressing him from seeing daylight from three.

Grade: B+​

Source: https://www.fearthesword.com/2025/3...rett-allens-effort-leads-to-14th-straight-win

 

[Cleveland Cavaliers]

Allen’s defense on Giannis is Cavs biggest advantage vs. Bucks

Michael McLoone-Imagn Images

Allen once again showed he can be a good defender against Giannis.

The Cleveland Cavaliers could take on the Milwaukee Bucks in the second round of the playoffs. The Cavs have been far and away the better team all year and swept the season series with their win on Sunday. That said, you can’t count out a team with Giannis Anetetokounmpo.

If you’re going to defeat the Bucks, you will need to contain Giannis. Jarrett Allen may be better suited than anyone in the league at doing that.

A quick look at Sunday’s box score wouldn’t make you believe that were so. Giannis compiled 30 points on the night. He was able to bully his way to the basket and free-throw line with Allen as his primary defender.

That said, if you take a closer look at the above video, you might see something different than typical Giannis highlights. The Cavs weren’t overly shading their defense to stop Antetokounmpo. They simply trusted Allen to do the job. That is their advantage.

Giannis said back in December that the Cavs presented a unique challenge for him due to their size inside.

“It’s harder for you to get in the paint to finish,” Antetokounmpo said after their last meeting. “They show a lot of crowds, it’s hard for you to drive and kick.”

Being able to stop the drive and kick game is where Allen’s defense has helped most.

Antetokounmpo is such a difficult player to contain for a variety of reasons. His ability to continually get to the rim and draw contact is most obvious. He’s been in the 76th percentile or higher in his field goal percentage at the rim since the 2016-17 season. He does this at an incredibly high volume. Sixty-two percent of his field goal attempts have come in the restricted area this season (71st percentile).

This causes defenses to collapse and send help to try and stop him. When they do, Giannis is able to easily find shooters on the perimeter for wide-open triples.

As a result, he’s assisting on four made threes and passing to 9.5 three-point attempts per contest this season.

That same source of offense wasn’t there against the Cavs. Antetokounmpo didn’t assist on a single three-pointer all night. That’s 12 points saved from a typical Giannis performance, which coincidentally, was the Cavaliers' margin of victory on Sunday.

This has a cascading effect. If Antetokounmpo isn’t able to generate three-point looks, then their overall shot quality as a team goes down. Milwaukee took just 31 threes all game. This was their ninth fewest attempts of the season.

While Allen struggled to contain Antetokounmpo when he was able to get to the basket, his presence deterred him from getting to the rim as often as he’d ideally like to. Giannis went 9-13 in the restricted area but just 4-11 on shots outside of it.

via NBA.com
Antetokounmpo’s shot chart vs. Cavs 3/9/2025

The midrange shot isn’t Giannis’s first choice in any of the clips below. Allen’s physicality at the point of attack kept Antetokounmpo from getting all the way to the rim. He did this while still being balanced enough to give a decent contest on the jumpers.

Even if Giannis makes them, which he’s going to do because he’s a good midrange shooter, you’d prefer him to take a shot he hits 45% of the time instead of one at the rim he completes at a 74% clip.

Allen wasn’t successful because he held Antetokounmpo to 30 points. It was his ability to play one-on-one and force him into midrange shots that was the difference. You simply can’t allow Giannis to have his cake and eat it too.

The Bucks are only going to advance as far in the playoffs as Antetokounmpo carries them. As we saw in the NBA Cup, Giannis is capable of dragging them to a trophy if he’s able to be the best player on the court on any given night.

The Cavs, with Allen as the primary defender, can neutralize that advantage better than anyone else in the league. That should help them if both teams meet in the playoffs this spring.

Source: https://www.fearthesword.com/2025/3...tokounmpo-milwaukee-bucks-cleveland-cavaliers

 

[Cleveland Cavaliers]

Cavs vs. Nets Game Preview: Finding ways to keep digging

John Jones-Imagn Images

The Cavaliers aim to tie a season high winning streak at 15

The Cavaliers are looking to extend their winning streak to 15 with a win over the Nets.

Who: Cleveland Cavaliers (54-10) vs. Brooklyn Nets (22-42)

Where: Rocket Arena, Cleveland, OH

When: 7 pm EST

TV: FanDuel Sports Network, NBA League Pass

Line: Cavs -17.5

Expected Cavs starting lineup: Darius Garland, Donovan Mitchell, Max Strus, Evan Mobley, Jarrett Allen

Cavs injury report: Emoni Bates - OUT (G League), Nae’Qwan Tomlin - OUT (G League), Luke Travers - OUT (G League)

Expected Nets starting lineup: D’Angelo Russell, Keon Johnson, Zhaire Williams, Cam Johnson, Nic Claxton

Nets injury report: NOT YET SUBMITTED

You can watch the game live with us on Playback. Sign up with a free account and say hello in the chat!

What to watch for​

Finding reasons to win​

The Cavaliers are dominant. Plain and simple. The team is a two-way buzz saw tearing through its second stretch of winning 14 or more in a row. While fans get spoiled at this point, pointing out narrow (wins) results against the Blazers, Heat, and Hornets as warning signs of a post-season demise. The Cavaliers themselves have to find reasons to be engaged during the doldrums of the season.

The human element of basketball is something that gets lost in the discourse of talking heads and fans alike. While on the surface it’s easy to say how the Cavaliers should beat the likes of the basement dwellers in the league. It is extremely challenging to show up night to night with the same fire. While the Cavaliers have been sluggish, had poor shooting nights, and looked mentally tapped out of some games recently, the results show that this team is still hungry to walk away with as many wins as possible.

The Cavaliers have proven to the league that they are not satisfied with simply clinching a postseason berth or the league’s best record to date. They’re not even to have players in the MVP, DPOY, Sixth Man, and Coach of the Year conversations. Their goal is to win a title. They’re putting themselves in a position to do that with their problem-solving skills.

The hope is that with this most recent stretch, the Cavaliers have found new ways to win. Take Sunday’s win over the Bucks as an example. Kenny Atkinson relied on a lineup of Darius Garland, Isaac Okoro, Dean Wade, Max Strus, and Jarrett Allen down the stretch. A lineup that has not seen much run and was chosen to be the Giannis stopper in closing time. The Cavaliers, even in close games, don’t stick to their morals and instead decide this is the time to get creative to see what sticks. This approach is something that will pay dividends as April approaches and the stakes significantly ramp up for everyone.

Source: https://www.fearthesword.com/2025/3...y-report-how-to-watch-cleveland-cavaliers-nba

 

[Cleveland Cavaliers]

Donovan Mitchell’s injury ‘not a huge deal’ will miss game vs. Nets

Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

The Cavs are taking the cautious approach with Mitchell ahead of the playoffs.

Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell popped up on the injury report Tuesday afternoon before their matchup against the Brooklyn Nets with left groin soreness. That will keep him out of Monday’s game. However, according to Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson, this isn’t a long-term concern.

“In Charlotte (where they played last Friday) there was a little bit of soreness,” Atkinson said before Tuesday’s game. “I think that’s when it started. Definitely not something huge...not a huge deal. But I think we err on the side of caution, but he always wants to play.”

Always wanting to play is something that has caught up to Mitchell in the past, specifically at this point of the season. Mitchell injured his knee at the end of last February. He attempted to come back a few weeks after but he wasn’t himself. This led to him needing to miss additional time before the playoffs and kept him out of the final two games of last season’s second-round series against the Boston Celtics.

The Cavs are hoping to avoid history repeating itself this time around.

Cleveland has proved everything they need to in the regular season. How this historically good regular-season team will be remembered depends entirely on how they finish in the playoffs.

They know that as well.

“I was just thinking the other day about the Detroit Lions (who lost their first playoff game after going 15-2 in the regular season),” Atkinson said before playing the Nets. “They had a great year, then they lose in the playoffs. ... It was a disappointment. We don’t want to be there, so we’re focused. We’re locked in.”

They will need Mitchell at full strength throughout the playoffs.

This injury seems to be nowhere near as serious as last year’s knee injury. But it’s safe to assume they will be overly cautious with this, considering how important he is to the Cavaliers' success.

Cleveland will also be without De’Andre Hunter (illness) and Ty Jerome (rest) for their matchup against the Nets.

Source: https://www.fearthesword.com/2025/3...kenny-atkinson-injury-cleveland-cavaliers-nba

 

[Cleveland Cavaliers]

Six takeaways from Cavs’ 109-104 comeback win over Nets

David Richard-Imagn Images

It wasn’t pretty, but a strong fourth quarter from Darius Garland helped Cleveland grab their 15th straight victory.

The shorthanded Cleveland Cavaliers had a tough time overcoming the loss of three key players: Donovan Mitchell (groin), De’Andre Hunter (illness), and Ty Jerome (rest). They came out slow but were able to erase another double-digit deficit to pick up their 15th straight win as they defeated the Brooklyn Nets 109-104.

The Cavs, except for Sunday’s victory over the Milwaukee Bucks, have come out completely flat in the last week and a half. That continued on Tuesday. They allowed Brooklyn to get into an offensive rhythm that they used to build a lead that extended to 18 in the third quarter.

Cleveland cut the deficit to single digits by the close of the third quarter, thanks to a near midcourt Craig Porter Jr. buzzer-beater. This set the stage for another Cleveland comeback.

The offense that was lying dormant for 36 minutes finally came alive in the fourth. The Cavs, led by Darius Garland, were able to turn defense into offense. They overwhelmed the Nets as they outscored them 31-18 in the final frame to keep their winning streak intact and secure a division title.

It wasn’t pretty, but all wins look the same in the standings.

The Cavs have incredible depth, that doesn’t extend to playmaking​

Cleveland has been winning due to the strength of their depth. They’ve been able to run out varied and versatile lineups all season. That doesn't work as well when they don’t have the off-the-dribble threats to take advantage of that.

The Cavs went with a starting lineup of Garland, Isaac Okoro, Max Strus, Evan Mobley, and Jarrett Allen. As good as each of those players is, Garland is still the only one you completely trust to create for themselves and others off the dribble. It doesn’t get much better when you go to the bench, either.

The offense has been fueled by three-point shooting all season. The lack of guys who can consistently bend the defense and get two feet in the paint bled over into shot quality. The Cavs weren’t able to generate as clean of looks for their shooters. This led to misses and being hesitant to pull when they did get an opening through the first three quarters.

It’s a make-or-miss league​

The Cavs came into this game first in three-point percentage (39.3%), while the Nets were 27th (34.4%). You wouldn’t have known that just watching this game.

Brooklyn kept creating and knocking down clean looks as they went 16-44 (36.4%) from three. Cleveland couldn’t keep up as they connected on just 10 of their 42 outside looks (23.8%).

This is what led to Cleveland falling behind by as much as they did.

The Cavs can win games with their defense​

Cleveland’s attack came alive in the fourth quarter, but it wasn’t their typical explosion. Instead, it was their defense that allowed them to come back.

Head coach Kenny Atkinson leaned on some defensive first lineups at the close of the game. Defensive specialists Isaac Okoro and Dean Wade saw plenty of fourth quarter minutes and it worked.

Brooklyn was limited to just 18 points in the fourth quarter which included completing just 6-18 of their attempts from the field (33.3%).

“I feel like we came out with a different mindset,” Atkinson said. “In the first half [you could say], ‘Well they shot it really well.’ I’d argue they had a lot of freedom of moment. In the second half, I felt like we got into a little bit led by JA (Allen) and Ice (Okoro). Ice’s job on Cam Thomas, I know he had 27, but he made him work.”

The Cavs needed to win a game with their defense considering who was out of the lineup. This was a nice reminder that this offensive juggernaut can still turn up the screws on defense when needed.

You can’t count the Cavs out​

Is it good that the Cavs keep showing that they can’t be counted out of games? Yes. Is it bad that they keep falling down by this many points so that they need to be bailed out by a great fourth quarter? Also yes.

We’re at an interesting point of the season. The Cavs are in the midst of a rough patch in their schedule. They don’t play consecutive games in the same city until the end of the month. That, and having a lack of things to play for as they came into this contest seven-and-a-half games ahead of the Boston Celtics for the top spot in the East, could lead to apathy.

The Cavs know they will be judged by how they play in the postseason. They have nothing left to prove in the regular season. That is likely leading to the lack of focus in some of these games.

This shouldn’t be a cause for concern long term, but it is something that could continue through the rest of the month as they trudge through a rough portion of their schedule.

Jarrett Allen remains incredibly important for this team​

Hunter’s emergence and ability to seamlessly fit into the closing lineup have overshadowed the consistency that Allen can provide. That consistency was much needed on a night like this where the Cavs needed a source of offense during their rough patches through the first three quarters.

“He’s bringing so much energy,” Garland said postgame. “He changed the game for us, to be honest with you, tonight. Just with his energy and his mentality. Just not letting anything come in his paint.”

Allen carried them through three otherwise lifeless quarters. His 20 points on 6-11 shooting in the first three quarters kept Cleveland within arm’s reach when things were slipping away at times.

“I thought JA was player of the game,” Atkinson said afterward.

Allen showed again why he’s so important to this team.

Darius Garland broke out of his funk​

Garland has struggled to find his shot since taking a hard fall against the New York Knicks two and a half weeks ago. Coming into Tuesday’s game, he was averaging 16.7 points on 34.4% shooting from the floor and 33.3% from three in his last six outings. It didn’t seem like things were going to look much better after tonight.

The Cavs were desperate for someone to provide a scoring punch tonight. Garland continually created good looks, he just wasn’t able to get anything to fall as he had just 12 points on 4-14 shooting through three quarters.

Unlike earlier in his career, Garland didn’t hesitate to empty the clip. He kept confidentially stepping into shots which is exactly what you want to see from your All-Star guard on a shorthanded night like this.

And then in the fourth quarter, the dam broke.

“Aggressiveness,” Garland credited for his fourth-quarter turnaround. “I was just taking the double team at first. Then in the fourth, I just had to start shooting the ball a little bit more. Being aggressive and trying to make plays for my teammates. That’s the difference.”

The shots that weren’t falling earlier in the evening and the last several days started going in. His shot-making carried the Cavs throughout the fourth quarter as he confidentially probed the Brooklyn defense for shots for himself and his teammates.

Garland has been one of the most clutch players in the league all season. That was on display once again as he put the Nets away with 18 fourth-quarter points on 7-10 shooting.

This led to his head coach calling him the Clutch Player of the Year afterward.

“That’s the DG we all know,” Atkinson said. “That’s been him 95% of the season. Went through a little slump. But [it] was a great game to get him going. With Don out, he knew he had to take more on. I think that’ll spark him and he’ll be on his way to play great basketball again.”

It’s not about how you start. It’s how you finish.

Source: https://www.fearthesword.com/2025/3...garland-jarrett-allen-cleveland-cavaliers-nba

 

[Cleveland Cavaliers]

Watch Celtics vs Thunder on Playback

Photo by Martin McGrew/NBAE via Getty Images

We’ll be live at 7:30 pm.

The Boston Celtics will have their hands full with the Oklahoma City Thunder. We’ll watch the game live on Playback, starting at 7:30 pm.

OKC is the favorite to win the Western Conference while many people continue to give Boston the benefit of being reigning champs in the East. This could be an NBA Finals preview — unless the Cleveland Cavaliers have something to say about it.

We will watch this marquee matchup and more.

• Hornets at Hawks
• Raptors vs 76ers
• Mavericks at Spurs
• Heat vs Clippers
• Suns at Rockets
• Jazz vs Grizzlies

If you want to watch the games live with us, you only have to make a free account on Playback.

• Head over to playback.tv and create an account with your email address
• Connect and select your NBA League Pass login as your streaming account (sign up for League Pass here first if you don’t have it)
• Go to https://www.playback.tv/fearthesword and hit the JOIN button
• Make sure to activate push notifications so you know when we’re going live

Source: https://www.fearthesword.com/2025/3...-celtics-vs-oklahoma-city-thunder-on-playback

 

[Cleveland Cavaliers]

Nae’Qwan Tomlin leads Charge to second straight win

Photo by David Liam Kyle/NBAE via Getty Images

The short-handed Charge were able to grind out another victory.

The Cleveland Charge picked up their second straight win as they defeated the Rip City Remix 120-113. This wasn’t a pretty game, but Cleveland did enough to grind out a win thanks another strong showing from Cleveland Cavaliers’ two-way player Nae’Qwan Tomlin.

The Charge came out of the gates strong fueled by two quick threes from Emoni Bates. They used this to jump out to a quick 11-point advantage.

That lead didn’t last long. The Remix proceeded to go on an 8-0 run to close the gap. Neither team was able to create separation throughout the remainder of the first half.

Nae’Qwan Tomlin got the Charge offense going in the third quarter to push the lead back to nine. But again, they couldn’t sustain it.

Foul trouble forced Tomlin to the bench midway through the third quarter. The offense fell apart from there which allowed Rip City to turn defense into offense and create easy looks from there.

It seemed like the lead was going to fall apart completely, but it didn’t. Feron Hunt helped keep the offense afloat with some much-needed off-the-dribble attacking. This allowed the Charge to take an eight-point lead into the fourth.

“It’s just a credit to our guys for staying ready,” said Charge head coach Chris Darnell. “I know it’s cliche to say, but it’s really the next man up mentality. I thought that’s what we had tonight when we needed it.”

The Remix quickly cut into the deficit and made it a two-point game, but the Charge never let Rip City get closer than that.

“There was a time out in the fourth quarter that we felt the energy was a little bit low,” said Luke Travers afterward. “Feron was a big driver of that to get back to the next play. I think it showed at the end of the game.”

It certainly did.

The Charge were finally able to create separation in the final three minutes. They continually attacked the paint and turned defense into offense. This was spearheaded by Tomlin who provided 11 fourth-quarter points.

Jules Bernard put the game away with a deep three in the final minute. It was a much-needed confidence boost for someone who's still finding his rhythm after missing most of January and February.

“He’s starting to shoot the ball with a bit more confidence,” Travers said. “He was huge for us.”

Speaking of confidence, Tomlin has elevated his game since receiving that initial ten-day contract from the Cavs. In the five games since, he’s averaging 19 points and 5.8 rebounds on 59% shooting from the field and 42% from three.

This is quite the progression from someone who wasn’t expected to make this kind of jump coming into the year.

“I was thinking about it the other day, like the first two games, he was playing garbage time in G League games, which is insane to think of,” Travers said. “When you get these opportunities, you got to make the most of it. I think he really has done that. So it’s really cool to see.”

His off-the-dribble skills stand out. There simply aren’t players at this level with his size and talent. The scary thing is that he’s still discovering just how good he can be.

“He just continues to get better and better,” Darnell said. “It’s almost like he doesn’t know how good he is or how good he can be. He’s such a unique player with his size and athleticism and skill set that I still think he’s just scratching the surface.”

Travers has received valuable reps at point guard which has led to inconsistent results on the court. The Charge’s lack of a true point guard has foisted those responsibilities onto Travers who’s better as a secondary creator as opposed to a primary one at this point in his career.

Rip City’s defense was aggressive at the point of attack. They picked up full court and just across the timeline. Travers struggled with turnovers as a result. This has been a recurring trend as he’s now turned it over three or more times in seven straight games.

“Dealing with pressure is still something I need to work on,” Travers said. “When guys are full-court pressing, it’s not so much happens in the NBA, but you know, if you see a 6’7”, 6’8” guy that’s dribbling the ball up, you’re always going to kind of try and pick on him a little bit. So, getting better with that is something I still need to work on, and it has gotten better.”

This is a developmental league. Often, you need to make mistakes to grow. We’ve seen Travers take steps as an off-the-dribble creator throughout the season. This will help him in his NBA career, even if it leads to uneven performances in the present.

“I think [playing this much point guard] is going to be good for me,” Travers said. “At the next level, you got to be able to make those decisions, reading guys off the ball. And it’s been a lot of fun, something that I’ve always enjoyed doing, but maybe not at this magnitude of having the ball just about every possession.”

Bates buried two threes early but wasn’t able to build off of them. He struggled to find his shot from there on out and couldn’t establish himself as an inside scorer.

The Charge head on the road to take on the Wisconsin Herd on Friday. They will return home for their final homestand of the season on Saturday, March 22.

Source: https://www.fearthesword.com/2025/3...ravers-emoni-bates-final-score-rip-city-remix