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[Cleveland Cavaliers]

Cup of Cavs: Reasons for optimism during a rough stretch

Good morning. It’s Wednesday, November 26. The Cleveland Cavaliers are 12-7. Let’s find something to feel good about.

The First Sip​

Listen, I don’t want to keep talking about last season. But it’s impossible not to compare the impeccable vibes from a year ago to the murky waters the Cavs are currently treading. Everything feels different, and the preseason expectation of competing for a title is starting to seem like wishful thinking.

But it isn’t doomsday yet.

Losing is never fun. The Cavs have already lost seven times this season. For reference, they didn’t lose their seventh game until January 22nd last season. That stat on its own means nothing. But it is pretty remarkable how much of a difference one year can make.

Of course, Cleveland has been riddled with injuries this season. Darius Garland has hardly played. Max Strus hasn’t played at all. And, the rest of the roster has been sprinkled with setbacks all throughout. Their most recent loss came with seven rotational players on the sideline. And yet, the loss still stung.

So, what’s there to feel good about?

Other than assuming the team will look radically different when (if ever) they are healthy — there are still a handful of encouraging trends. First, Donovan Mitchell is having one of the best seasons in Cavaliers history. He’s averaging a career-high 29.9 points even after his stinker versus Toronto. If this holds, he’ll have the third-highest scoring season the franchise has ever seen.

Other standouts include Sam Merrill’s hot start to the year, Craig Porter Jr’s noticeable improvements, Jaylon Tyson’s developmental leap, and other two-way players like Nae’Qwan Tomlin looking better than expected. These are all the diamonds in the rough of Cleveland’s season so far.

Finally, there’s one more reason for optimism. The 40-20 rule.

If you aren’t aware, winning 40 games before you lose 20 is the golden standard for championship teams. Since 1980, all but four championship teams accomplished this feat. Dominating the regular season is still the ultimate indicator of playoff success. Basically, if you’re a real contender, you’ll more than likely win 40 games before you lose 20.

At their current rate, the Cavs will fall just short of reaching that mark. They need 28 more wins and can only afford 12 more losses. With a win percentage of 63%, they’ll have to win at least 70% of their games moving forward to follow the 40-20 split.

If you’re wondering, last year’s team won 78% of their games. That means even an 8% regression from last year would still be enough for them to get over the hump again this year, if they can turn things around.

We assume they will look better once they are healthy. If that ever happens. Furthermore, Cleveland has had the 9th toughest schedule so far. They have the 10th-easiest strength of schedule remaining. So, if given a healthy roster and an easier schedule, we may look back at the season and remember November as the lowest point of an otherwise triumphant campaign.

The Cavs understand more than anyone that regular season success is no guarantee of anything. But, it’s far worse to enter the playoffs as a team that has been flailing around for seven months. Hitting your stride at the right time is important. The Cavs peaked too early last season. Maybe this time, they’ll overcome early struggles and find their groove later in the calendar.

So, I’m not telling you to place all of your faith in the 40-20 rule. I’m only saying I would hold off on counting this team out before they fall below that mark. There’s plenty of time for things to change for the better.

Links of the Day​

• How Toronto exposed a stylistic issue for the Cavs
• Cavs boosted by Nae’Qwan Tomlin, Luke Travers and Tyrese Proctor
• This MVP race could be historic

Source: https://www.fearthesword.com/cup-of...s-reasons-for-optimism-during-a-rough-stretch

 

[Cleveland Cavaliers]

Player Grades: Cavs at Raptors – Evan Mobley fades into the background

CLEVELAND — A shorthanded Cleveland Cavaliers fell 110-99 to Toronto.

Grades are based on our expectations for each player.

Donovan Mitchell​

17 points, 8 assists, 1 rebound

This was a roller coaster game from Mitchell. He opened by being a distributor, handing out 6 assists in the first half but shooting 3-14 from the floor. Then, all at once, he was in the middle of a fourth quarter heat check to bring the Cavs back into the game. It was over almost as soon as it began.

Grade: D+

Lonzo Ball​

8 points, 7 assists, 7 rebounds

Ball was the quarterback tonight. He had his finger on the pulse of Cleveland’s offense and helped them navigate a handful of cold spells by making the right pass, and of course, holding them afloat on defense. If it weren’t for his horrific shooting (3-15), this would have been a quality performance.

Grade: C-

Evan Mobley​

14 points, 4 assists, 5 rebounds

The Cavs needed an aggressive version of Mobley tonight. In part because of all of the injuries. But more importantly, because Toronto is a team full of wings that Mobley should be able to score over. He wasn’t aggressive enough tonight despite having the advantage.

Mobley had made 5 of his first 6 attempts entering the fourth quarter — but took just one shot in the final frame. This grade might feel harsh considering his box score, but this just can’t happen anymore. Mobley is too important to disappear in the fourth.

Grade: F

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Larry Nance Jr.​

6 points, 2 assists, 1 rebound

Nance felt a step too slow when trying to keep up with Toronto’s pace. This led to numerous defensive breakdowns and transition opportunities for the Raps. That said, Nance knocked down a pair of triples to help open the floor for Cleveland.

Grade: D+

Jaylon Tyson​

15 points, 9 rebounds, 2 assists

Tyson is developing into a super helpful two-way player. He’s knocking down standstill three-pointers with confidence and bringing physicality to the defensive end of the floor.

Grade: A-

Tyrese Proctor​

8 points, 1 assist, 3 rebounds

Proctor has plenty of promise as a catch-and-shoot threat who can create off the dribble and play good defense in the backcourt. He wasn’t able to put all of that together tonight, shooting 2-9 from the floor and 0-5 from deep.

Grade: D+

Luke Travers​

5 points, 1 assist, 2 rebounds

Travers came up short on all of his first-half attempts and finished 1-6 from the field. He was more impactful in Cleveland’s win over the Clippers.

Grade: D

Thomas Bryant​

5 points, 1 assist, 2 rebounds

The Cavs turned to Bryant for some frontcourt reinforcements as Allen, Wade and Hunter were all on the sidelines. Bryant wasn’t overly impactful until the fourth quarter, when he canned a momentum-swinging three-pointer.

Grade: C+

Nae’Qwan Tomlin​

14 points, 0 assists, 4 rebounds

Tomlin is becoming a mainstay in Cleveland’s rotation. Part of this is due to injuries. Though I expect Tomlin will make it hard for Kenny Atkinson to ignore him if he keeps playing with this level of infectious energy.

Grade: A–

Chris Livingston​

7 points, 1 assist, 3 rebounds

Livingston made his Cavalier debut tonight. Within seconds, he cut to the hoop for an and-one finish. The start of his fourth quarter stint was similar. Livingston attacked the basket for multiple layups and stole an inbounds pass to help halt Toronto’s momentum.

Grade: A+

Source: https://www.fearthesword.com/cavs-a...raptors-evan-mobley-fades-into-the-background

 

[Cleveland Cavaliers]

Cavs at Hawks: How to watch, odds, and injury report

The Cleveland Cavaliers will look to regain some of the momentum they lost with their defeat to the Toronto Raptors on Tuesday as they face the Atlanta Hawks on Black Friday.

This will also be the Cavs’ last NBA Cup group stage game. They still have a chance to advance, but they may need some things to break their way. Mainly, it would be helpful if the Orlando Magic defeated the Detroit Pistons and the Milwaukee Bucks took down the New York Knicks.

The Cavs haven’t had the start they were looking for. We’re nearly a quarter of the way through the regular season, and they sit in the fifth spot in the conference and are in the middle of the league with their net and offensive rating.

The Hawks are roughly in the same spot. They’ve been without their star guard, Trae Young, for a few weeks, but are slowly getting back on track as they’ve won seven of their last 10. However, they are coming off a disappointing 132-113 loss to the lowly Washington Wizards.

This will be the Cavs’ and Hawks’ second meeting of the year. Cleveland won the first matchup on Nov. 2.

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Anything bought from the links helps support Fear the Sword. The above shirt can be bought at the link HERE. Homage’s entire Ohio State collection can be found HERE.

Who: Cleveland Cavaliers (12-7) at. Atlanta Hawks (11-8)

Where: State Farm Arena — Atlanta, GA

When: Friday, Nov. 28 at 7:30 pm EST

TV: FanDuel Sports Network Ohio, FanDuel Sports App, NBA League Pass

Point spread: Cavs -5.5

Cavs injury report: Jarrett Allen – PROBABLE (finger), Sam Merrill – OUT (hand), Craig Porter Jr – QUESTIONABLE (hamstring), Dean Wade – QUESTIONABLE (knee), Max Struss – OUT (foot), Luke Travers – OUT (G League), Chris Livingston – OUT (G League)

Hawks injury report: Trae Young – OUT (knee), N’Faly Dante – OUT (knee), Nikola Djursic – OUT (elbow), Caleb Houstan – QUESTIONABLE (G League), Eli John Ndiaye – OUT (G League)

Cavs expected starting lineup: Darius Garland, Donovan Mitchell, De’Andre Hunter, Evan Mobley, Jarrett Allen

Hawks expected starting lineup: Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Dyson Daniels, Jalen Johnson, Zaccharie Risacher, Kristaps Porzingis

Here’s a look at both teams’ impact stats via Cleaning the Glass.

Offensive Rating	Defensive Rating	Net Rating
Cavs	116.3 (15th)	112.6 (8th)	+3.8 (14th)
Hawks	116.2 (16th)	115.1 (17th)	+1.1 (15th)

Source: https://www.fearthesword.com/cavs-i...ch-odds-and-injury-report-cleveland-cavaliers

 

[Cleveland Cavaliers]

NBA Cup explained: How the Cavs can advance to knockout round

The Cleveland Cavaliers can advance in the NBA Cup despite their loss to the Toronto Raptors in group play. They are currently holding the Eastern Conference wildcard spot heading into the final day of group stage action on Friday. But a lot can change between now and the end of play on Friday.

Point differential is important in this tournament. Cleveland currently has the best point differential of the non-group leaders at +36. The Cavs cannot win their group due to losing to Toronto. The Eastern Conference’s Group Play standings can be seen below.

Updated East NBA Cup standings after Day 6 of group play:

Group A:
TOR (4-0) +55 [Group A Winners]
CLE (2-1) +34
WAS (1-2) -45
ATL (1-2) -11
IND (0-3) -33

Group B:
ORL (3-0) +61
DET (2-1) +24
BOS (2-2) -17
BKN (1-2) -17
PHI (0-3) -51

Group C:
MIA (3-1) +49
NYK (2-1) +26
MIL…

— Brett Siegel (@BrettSiegelNBA) November 27, 2025

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Anything bought from the links helps support Fear the Sword. You can also shop all of Homage’s Cavs gear HERE. The link to the new City Edition shirt can be found HERE.

For the Cavs to advance, they will need to win on Friday against the Atlanta Hawks and have a better point differential than the rest of the non-group leaders. Here are the teams you need to root for as a Cavs fan.

Orlando Magic over Detroit Pistons. Orlando currently has a +61 point differential. Right now that doesn’t affect the Cavs because they lead their division. However, if the Magic were to lose to the Pistons, it would.

The winner of that game wins Group B due to the head-to-head record being the tiebreaker. And unless Orlando lost by 20 or more, they would be in a good position to overtake the Cavs in the wildcard spot, barring a 30+ point Cavs victory in Atlanta.

Milwaukee Bucks over New York Knicks. This isn’t as necessary as the top one, but it would help the Cavs if the Bucks won. Milwaukee doesn’t have a chance of winning Group C, but the Knicks still do. If they defeat the Bucks, they will win the group and cause the Miami Heat (+49) to be in the wild-card chase.

Miami doesn’t have any more games. They can’t improve on their +49 mark. However, if the Knicks were to win, then the Cavs would have to defeat the Hawks by 16 or more to advance. That’s doable, but not exactly ideal.

The Bucks don’t have a good chance of overtaking the Cavs if they were to win. They currently have a +13 point differential, which is 21 points behind where the Cavs sit.

The ideal scenario for the Cavs to advance would be beating Atlanta, Orlando defeating Detroit, and Milwaukee overcoming New York. That would essentially mean just a win by the Cavs by any amount would get them into the wild card spot. It’s not impossible if another scenario happens, it would just require the Cavs to defeat the Hawks by a significant number of points.

If the Cavs were to advance, they would take on either the Magic or Raptors on the road. That game would be either Dec. 9 or 10.

If they don’t advance, the Cavs will play two regular-season games between Dec. 11-12 and Dec. 14-15. One of the games will be at home, and the other will be on the road.

The NBA Cup can be a little confusing. The most important thing to remember is that the Cavs need to win, and winning by more certainly doesn’t hurt.

Source: https://www.fearthesword.com/cavs-n...orlando-magic-new-york-knicks-toronto-raptors

 

[Cleveland Cavaliers]

Shorthanded Cavs couldn’t stop Brandon Ingram, fall to Raptors 110-99

The Cleveland Cavaliers didn’t have enough energy or available players on the second night of a back-to-back to keep up with a surprisingly good Toronto Raptors team. Cleveland kept the game competitive, but didn’t have an answer for Brandon Ingram. His 37-point performance led to a 110-99 victory for Toronto.

Any discussion of this game starts with Ingram. He was simply lethal from all three levels as he went 7-12 on long midrange shots, 5-11 from beyond the arc, and completed both of his shots at the rim. This resulted in 37 points on 15-30 shooting to go along with seven rebounds and two assists.

The Cavs didn’t have a scorer who could match that volume.

Support us and Let ‘Em Know with Homage!​

Anything bought from the links helps support Fear the Sword. You can also shop all of Homage’s Cavs gear HERE. The link to the new City Edition shirt can be found HERE.

Donovan Mitchell didn’t have it on Monday. He had just seven points through the first three quarters on 3-14 shooting. He turned it around in the fourth as he added 10 points in that frame, but it was too little too late on a night the Cavaliers needed some kind of scoring punch while missing seven rotation players. Mitchell finished the evening with 17 points on 6-20 shooting to go along with eight assists and a rebound.

Evan Mobley had an efficient scoring night, going 5-7 from the field, but this wasn’t the outing the Cavs needed. They needed someone who could consistently put the ball through the hoop. Mobley didn’t do that as he contributed 14 points, five rebounds, and four assists.

Despite not getting the performances they would’ve wanted from their stars, Cleveland’s role players were able to keep them in the game. Nae’Qwan Tomlin continued his impressive play as he contributed 14 points on 6-8 shooting in the loss. Two-way players Luke Travers (five points) and Chris Livingston (seven points and a steal) also provided useful minutes on a night the Cavs desperately needed some source of offense.

Jaylon Tyson had a solid outing as well. He supplied 15 points, nine rebounds, and two assists in the loss.

Scottie Barnes ended the game with 18 points, 11 rebounds, and six assists in the win for Toronto.

The Cavs have a few days off before they travel south to take on the Atlanta Hawks on Friday. That will be their final NBA Cup group stage game of the season.

Source: https://www.fearthesword.com/cavs-s...-raptors-cleveland-cavaliers-donovan-mitchell

 

[Cleveland Cavaliers]

12 stats to explain Cavs 130-123 loss to Hawks

The Cleveland Cavaliers weren’t able to overcome their poor transition defense as they dropped Friday’s game to the Atlanta Hawks 130-123.

Here are the four factors from this game. These numbers are from Cleaning the Glass.

Effective Field Goal Percentage	Offensive Rebounding Percentage	Offensive Turnover Percentage	Free Throw Rate
Cavs	55.9%, 63rd percentile	30%, 55th percentile	16%, 40th percentile	19.1, 34th percentile
Hawks	61.5%, 86th percentile	22.9%, 20th percentile	13%, 74th percentile	19.8, 38th percentile

Now, let’s dive into some of the stats.

• Atlanta outscored Cleveland 36-17 in fastbreak points. Head coach Kenny Atkinson pointed to this as being the determining factor in the game, and rightly so. You simply can’t get beaten that badly in one particular category and expect to win. This isn’t the first time this has happened. The Cavs have had issues with other teams that play fast, such as the Toronto Raptors, Miami Heat, and the Indiana Pacers from last playoffs.
• 26.9% of the Hawks’ offensive possessions started in transition (99th percentile). Transition baskets are one of the most effective ways to score. And if you get that many possessions in transition, you’re going to have a great offensive outing.
• The Hawks had an offensive rating of 134.5 in transition. This isn’t remarkable in terms of an offensive rating for transition plays (59th percentile). But again, it’s the fact that they were able to get out and run so often that made this such a problem for the Cavs.
• Atlanta outscored Cleveland 25-13 on points off turnovers. Some of these numbers are also reflected in the fast-break points mentioned earlier. If you’re a team that doesn’t get back in transition, you have to hold on to the ball. The Cavs didn’t do that as they turned it over 17 times. Darius Garland and Lonzo Ball coughed it up five times each, while Donovan Mitchell registered four turnovers. You simply can’t have your three best ball handlers giving it up that often.
• The Hawks also executed well in the half-court as they registered a 106.1 half-court offensive rating (77th percentile). An inability to get to the free-throw line and convert (18-36, 69.2%) kept this from being a truly elite offensive showing. The Hawks registered a 120.4 offensive rating (70th percentile) on the evening.
• Mitchell was once again fantastic as he notched his second 40-point game of the season. He’s having the highest scoring season of his career (30.6 points) and his highest efficiency (60.4 effective field-goal percentage). Mitchell is truly playing some of the best basketball of his career.
• Mitchell went 7-15 from beyond the arc. This included going 3-9 on pull-up threes (two of these attempts were in the final 45 seconds when the game was over, so it makes the numbers look worse than they were through the first 47 minutes). Being able to create your own outside attempts off-the-dribble makes you so deadly as a scorer. How exactly are you supposed to defend these?

View Link

• Mitchell also went 7-9 in the paint. He’s always been able to get to the rim — as he did in Atlanta, going 5-7 in the restricted area — but adding the floater has made him an almost unguardable three-level scorer in a way he hasn’t been before.

View Link

• Lonzo Ball was held to under four points for the seventh time this season when playing 20 or more minutes. He registered just three on Friday as he went 1-4 from the field, all of which were threes. He’s getting to the rim on just 10% of his shot attempts this season (11th percentile). This has added up to him having the third-worst effective field-goal percentage (42.3%) for the 48 players Cleaning the Glass labels as combo guards. That’s not ideal.
• Jarrett Allen attempted just six field-goal attempts in 28 minutes. This is the fourth time he’s taken this many or fewer in a game this season. The Cavs need to do a better job of getting Allen involved. This has been a recurring issue all season.
• The Cavs had their second-best outside shooting game of the season, going 17-39 from three (43.6%). This was the second game they’ve lost when they’ve connected on over 40% of their threes, as they’re now 6-2 in such contests.
• Cleveland went 5-14 on second-chance shot attempts. Even though they won the offensive rebounding battle 14-6, they registered just one more second-chance point. Not being able to convert defeats the purpose of crashing the offensive glass when it gives way to poor transition defense like this.

Source: https://www.fearthesword.com/cavs-a...and-cavlaiers-donovan-mitchell-darius-garland

 

[Cleveland Cavaliers]

Cavs bench talent has helped negate some second-apron penelties

The Cleveland Cavaliers are the only second-apron team in the league. As part of the new CBA, being a second-apron team comes with more trade restrictions, salary restrictions, and the potential of having draft picks frozen if a team reaches repeat offender status.

The Cavs’ second-apron clock started after the trade for De’Andre Hunter last trade deadline and the extensions of Evan Mobley and Sam Merrill. With Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland making max money, and Jarrett Allen and Max Strus making a combined $36 million this season, Cleveland has a lot of money tied up in their core for the foreseeable future.

This makes finding role players on affordable contracts even more crucial. Hitting on draft picks and finding undrafted players is also key to extending the longevity of the team. So far, the Cavs have done a masterful job on both fronts.

The Merrill contract appears to be a steal so far. He is making less than $10 million a year and is averaging nearly 14 points per game on 44% shooting from three-point range. Guys with his level of production make close to $15 million a year, with Duncan Robinson, Corey Kispert, Luke Kennard, and others making more money than Merrill with similar or worse production.

As for their other young guys, Cleveland’s youth movement has been on full display this season. Jaylon Tyson, who was expected to be relied upon this season to fill the void of Strus and Isaac Okoro, has done his part and more.

Tyson is turning into a great all-around wing. He is averaging 11.1 points and 4.5 rebounds, while shooting 50.8% from the field and nearly 46.9% from three-point range. He has been a defensive pest and has been one of the Cavs’ best point of attack options. The wing spot was once a weakness on Cleveland’s roster. When they are healthy, they’ll have multiple options in Tyson, Hunter, Strus, Dean Wade, and even Lonzo Ball, who has played 142 possessions at small forward with great results.

Craig Porter Jr., who was challenged by Kenny Atkinson in the offseason to take his game to the next level, has answered the bell. He has been a sparkplug off the bench, living in passing lanes, and even blocking shots at a high level. Offensively, he has been even more poised, and his IQ when it comes to finding his shot has improved as well.

Tyrese Proctor and Nae’Qwan Tomlin were both expected to spend the majority of this season in the G League, but have been thrust into the rotation on certain nights. Tomlin, specifically, has likely played himself into a standard contract. He has been a ball of energy for a Cleveland team that has been stuck in the mud at times this season, and his ability to crash the glass and have a high motor defensively has made him a rotation mainstay recently. The Cavs have a great 106.8 defensive rating when he is on the court.

For Proctor, he has been in and out of the rotation, but he’s shown that he can be a capable secondary ball handler. Having multiple guards that can handle pressure is what Cleveland needs, especially after Indiana exploited that weakness in the offseason. Atkinson has gushed about the fact that Proctor is a first-round talent the Cavs got in the second round, and he has shown flashes of that.

When Cleveland gets healthy, none of their main bench guys will be making over $10 million per season aside from either Hunter or Strus. Having multiple key contributors on affordable deals will be the name of the game for the Cavs if they want to keep the core four together. So far, they have done a good job of navigating the second apron in terms of filling out the back half of the rotation.

Source: https://www.fearthesword.com/cavs-a...rs-sam-merrill-naeqwan-tomlin-craig-porter-jr

 

[Cleveland Cavaliers]

Cavs vs Celtics: How to watch, odds, and injury report

The Boston Celtics have been a better team than the Cleveland Cavaliers this season based on their numbers as of Saturday afternoon. The Celtics — despite missing All-NBA wing Jayson Tatum and trading away two starters — have compiled a better offensive rating and net rating than Cleveland. They’re also just one game behind Cleveland in the standings. That’s not ideal if you’re the Cavs.

The Celtics have been able to do this because they know who they are as a team and have done a good job of keeping that identity, even though they don’t have most of their championship core anymore. This stands in stark contrast to a Cavs team that many felt was better on paper this season, but hasn’t even come close to replicating any of the success they had last year.

Fortunately for the Cavs, the Celtics will be on the second leg of a back-to-back. They’re traveling to take on the Minnesota Timberwolves on Saturday evening.

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Anything bought from the links helps support Fear the Sword. The above shirt can be bought at the link HERE. Homage’s entire Ohio State collection can be found HERE.

Who: Cleveland Cavaliers (12-8) vs. Boston Celtics (10-8)

Where: Rocket Arena — Cleveland, OH

When: Sunday, Nov. 30 at 6 pm EST

TV: FanDuel Sports Network Ohio, FanDuel Sports App, NBA League Pass

Point spread: Cavs -7.5

Cavs injury report: Jarrett Allen – OUT (finger), Lonzo Ball – OUT (injury management), Sam Merrill – OUT (hand), Max Strus – OUT (foot), Larry Nance Jr. – OUT (calf), Craig Porter Jr. – QUESTIONABE (hamstring), Chris Livingston – OUT (G League)

Celtics injury report for Saturday’s game vs. Minnesota: Jaylen Brown – QUESTIONABLE (back), Jayson Tatum – OUT (Achilles), Derrick White – PROBABLE (calf), Ron Harper Jr. – OUT (G League), Neemias Queta – QUESTIONABLE (ankle), Max Shulga – OUT (G League)

Cavs expected starting lineup: Darius Garland, Donovan Mitchell, Jaylon Tyson, De’Andre Hunter, Evan Mobley

Celtics expected starting lineup: Payton Pritchard, Derrick White, Jaylen Brown, Jordan Walsh, Luka Garza

Here’s a look at both teams’ impact stats via Cleaning the Glass as of Saturday afternoon.

Offensive Rating	Defensive Rating	Net Rating
Cavs	116.3 (16th)	113 (9th)	+3.3 (14th)
Celtics	119.3 (6th)	115 (13th)	+4.3 (12th)

Source: https://www.fearthesword.com/cavs-i...cavaliers-how-to-watch-odds-and-injury-report

 

[Cleveland Cavaliers]

3 Things to watch for in Cavs vs Celtics

The Cleveland Cavaliers are hoping to get back on track with a Sunday matchup against the Boston Celtics. Here are three things to watch for in this game.

Injuries, again​

Will we ever move past this?

The Cavs’ injury list is once again piling up as Jarrett Allen, Sam Merrill, Lonzo Ball and Larry Nance Jr. are OUT while Craig Porter Jr. is questionable with a hamstring strain.

Cleveland has been dealt a bad hand with injuries this season. They’ve hardly played with their expected starting lineup and won’t get an opportunity to do that tonight. Still, they have four of their most important players available in Darius Garland, Donovan Mitchell, De’Andre Hunter and Evan Mobley.

Finding some momentum with this group is important. The team hasn’t had an identity all year long. But having those four on the court should give them an opportunity to find a winning formula.

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Donovan Mitchell’s Prolific Scoring​

Mitchell is scoring the ball at an unstoppable rate right now. He notched his second 40+ point game of the season on Friday, scoring 42 points against the Atlanta Hawks in a loss. Mitchell is averaging a career-high 30.6 points per game entering this match versus Boston.

The Cavs have come to rely on Mitchell’s offensive explosions. His on-ball brilliance has been one of the only things keeping them above .500 during this stressful start to the season. You always have a chance if Mitchell is scoring like this.

Still, Cleveland shouldn’t feel satisfied with Mitchell doing it all on his own. As great as it is to watch — we are really hoping that someone else finally takes some of the weight off his shoulders. Whether it’s Mobley, Garland or Hunter, someone needs to lend a helping hand.

Cleveland’s Defense​

The Cavaliers have the 8th-best defense in the NBA according to Cleaning the Glass. That might surprise you, considering how frustrating it can be watching opponents rain three-pointers or rack up second-chance points. But it’s the truth.

Cleveland has built this defense behind a few principles. First, they want to generate turnovers by jumping passing lanes and gambling for deflections. The Cavs are currently winning this bet by generating turnovers at the 7th highest rate in the league. They’ve also improved to 12th in defensive rebounding, another stat that feels better than the eye-test.

This will be the Cavaliers’ 21st game of the season. Meaning, we’re moving past the stage of small-sample-size theater and into the broader trends that will define this team. So the question is: will the Cavs continue to establish themselves as an elite defensive team, or will the advanced analytics eventually decline until they match the eye-test?

Boston enters this game with the league’s 6th-best offense. This is a good opportunity for the Cavs to prove who they are.

Source: https://www.fearthesword.com/cavs-game-previews/41033/3-things-to-watch-for-in-cavs-vs-celtics

 

[Cleveland Cavaliers]

Cavs vs Pacers: How to watch, odds, and injury report

Things aren’t going well for the Cleveland Cavaliers right now. They’ve struggled to find any identity on either end, have been dealing with injuries, and are just not exerting the energy they need to in order to win. We’ll see if they can take a step in the right direction as they take on another struggling team, the Indiana Pacers.

The Pacers have strung together consecutive wins for the first time this season. They defeated the Washington Wizards on Friday. They followed it up with a close 103-101 victory over the Chicago Bulls the following evening.

Meanwhile, the Cavs have lost two straight after a disappointing defeat at the hands of the Boston Celtics on Sunday evening.

Support us and rep the Buckeyes with Homage​

Anything bought from the links helps support Fear the Sword. The above shirt can be bought at the link HERE. Homage’s entire Ohio State collection can be found HERE.

Who: Cleveland Cavaliers (12-9) at Indiana Pacers (4-16)

Where: Gainbridge Fieldhouse — Indianapolis, IN

When: Monday, Dec. 1 at 7 pm EST

TV: FanDuel Sports Network Ohio, FanDuel Sports App, NBA League Pass

Point spread: Not yet posted

Cavs injury report: Officially injury report not yet submitted. Jarrett Allen – OUT (finger), Max Strus – OUT (foot), Larry Nance Jr. – OUT (calf)

Pacers injury report: Tyrese Haliburton – OUT (Achilies), Aaron Nesmith – OUT (knee), Obi Toppin – OUT (foot), Johnny Furphy – OUT (ankle), Quenton Jackson – OUT (hamstring), Kam Jones – OUT (back)

Cavs expected starting lineup: Lonzo Ball, Donovan Mitchell, Jaylon Tyson, De’Andre Hunter, Evan Mobley

Pacers expected starting lineup: Andrew Nembhard, Bennedict Mathurin, Ben Sheppard, Pascal Siakam, Jay Huff

Here’s a look at both teams’ impact stats via Cleaning the Glass.

Offensive Rating	Defensive Rating	Net Rating
Cavs	116.3 (16th)	113 (7th)	+3.3 (14th)
Pacers	107.7 (6th)	117.6 (22nd)	-9.9 (26th)

Source: https://www.fearthesword.com/cavs-i...vs-pacers-how-to-watch-odds-and-injury-report

 

[Cleveland Cavaliers]

Player Grades: Cavs at Pacers – Donovan Mitchell’s 43 points lead the way

CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Cavaliers broke a three-game losing streak by knocking off the Indiana Pacers 135-119. This one felt good.

Donovan Mitchell​

43 points, 6 assists, 9 rebounds

Mitchell had 27 points going into the fourth quarter, already outpacing last night’s performance against Boston. He looked spry and efficient despite being on the second night of a back-to-back. This was another masterclass from Mitchell.

Grade: A+

Jaylon Tyson​

27 points, 4 assists, 11 rebounds

Tyson had a lot to say after Cleveland’s loss to Boston last night. He backed up every single word tonight. A huge scoring performance featuring a load of hustle plays made Tyson the most impactful player on the floor.

Grade: A+

Evan Mobley​

13 points, 5 assists, 5 rebounds

Mobley began the game 4-6 from the floor, then went cold, shooting 2-7 the rest of the way. He still looked comfortable and confident, dishing 5 assists. I’m mostly okay with this process from Mobley, as better results should typically follow. He took good shots and anchored the defense. It just wasn’t his night, as Mitchell and Tyson had it rolling.

Grade: B–

Support us and rep Evan Mobley with Homage!​

We’ve partnered with Homage to help provide Cavs fans with the best gear. Anything bought from the links below helps support Fear the Sword while also allowing you to rep the Cavs. You can also shop all Homage Cavs gear HERE.

• You can grab the Mobley shirt seen above HERE.
• The Mobley trading card shirt can be bought HERE.

Thomas Bryant​

6 points, 0 assists, 2 rebounds

Bryant was more impactful than last night. His pump-fake and two-hand slam in the second half was a highlight.

Grade: B

De’Andre Hunter​

13 points, 4 assists, 3 rebounds

Hunter fought hard defensively but wasn’t super impactful on offense. He had another inefficient night (shooting 4-10) and, at times, was standing in everyone else’s way.

Grade: B-

Craig Porter Jr.​

4 points, 3 assists, 5 rebounds

Porter might just be the best backup point guard on the roster. The box score doesn’t do him justice. Porter had his hand on multiple deflections and offensive rebounds, all while orchestrating the offense for the second unit.

Grade: A+

Dean Wade​

9 points, 3 assists, 2 rebounds

Wade is now shooting 21-71 (29%) from deep on the season. He’s seemingly lost a step defensively and can’t buy a jump shot.

Grade: D+

Nae’Qwan Tomlin​

6 points, 6 assists, 1 rebound

Tomlin’s energy is infectious. He had 4 blocks and 2 steals in another frenetic performance.

Grade: A+

Tyrese Proctor​

12 points, 0 assists, 2 rebounds

Proctor wasn’t very efficient tonight (3-9 from the floor), but he did connect on three three-pointers that all felt like momentum swingers.

Grade: B

Source: https://www.fearthesword.com/cavs-a...cers-donovan-mitchells-43-points-lead-the-way

 

[Cleveland Cavaliers]

Winners and Losers: Cavs at Pacers – Jaylon Tyson torches Indiana

The Cleveland Cavaliers knocked off the Indiana Pacers 135-119. Let’s see who won and lost the night.

WINNER – Jaylon Tyson​

Practice what you preach.

Tyson called out his teammates after Cleveland’s lackluster loss to the Celtics last night. Not only did this light a fire under Donovan Mitchell and company — but Tyson himself came out like he had something to prove. He scored 27 points on 10-13 shooting, grabbed 11 rebounds (including five offensive), created out of the short roll for 4 assists, and racked up 2 steals in 30 minutes.

The sophomore wing turned in a nearly flawless game just when the Cavs needed it most. His three-point jumper has been sweet all season, and now, he’s becoming more emboldened as a ball-handler. Tyson created a handful of plays from scratch and has a knack for finding open teammates.

Most of all, he’s a brute force of nature on the glass. Tyson crashed the board with authority, clearing space and getting his hands on multiple loose balls.

You can’t play much better than that.

WINNER – Offensive Process​

The Cavs were focused tonight. In a season where that hasn’t always been the case, it stood out immediately when the team ran through multiple actions and found quality shots on offense.

Cleveland had Indiana in constant pursuit of the ball. Well, for most of the game at least. The offense was humming as each player made quick, decisive moves once catching the rock. This kept Indiana’s defense in flux, creating numerous opportunities for a Cavalier to take advantage and finish a play.

Sure, the Pacers are a 4-17 team that hasn’t been very good on either end of the floor. But this is the process you want to see replicated against any opponent. Smart ball movement. Perfectly timed cuts. And of course, efficient shooting across the board.

Final note: the Cavs only attempted 40 three-pointers tonight. That’s the 6th fewest they’ve taken in a game this season. This is a sign that yes, Indiana’s interior defense isn’t very strong, but also that Cleveland was deliberate in attacking their opponent and generating easy scoring opportunities.

WINNER – Hustle​

We all know how badly the Cavs needed to show some fight tonight. They’ve been called lazy, soft, and disinterested. This was a game where they needed to make a statement.

Cleveland responded by winning all of the hustle metrics. They grabbed 19 offensive rebounds. Forced 14 turnovers for 17 points. And outscored the Pacers in the paint 62-58.

This wasn’t an absolute thrashing. But Indiana plays as hard as anyone in the NBA — and the Cavs were dealing with a long injury list on the second night of a back-to-back. The fact that Cleveland looked like they wanted this one more than their opponent, considering the circumstances, is worth commemorating.

Now they have to show this level of heart for the remainder of the season.

WINNER – Donovan Mitchell​

Nights like this are so regular that it almost becomes an afterthought. Of course Mitchell scored in bunches. That’s what he always does.

But it’s important not to take any of this for granted.

Mitchell had 43 points on 16-27 shooting to go with 9 rebounds and 6 assists. This is the type of bounce-back performance you expect from your franchise superstar.

Another 40+ point night from Mitchell gives him his third such game of the season. He’s scored 40+ in 22 games for the Cavs, second in franchise history behind (you guessed it) with 51. For perspective, the next closest Cavalier is Kyrie Irving, who scored 40+ 11 times in a Cleveland uniform.

In other words, Mitchell is in elite company. The franchise arguably hasn’t seen a more prolific three-level scoring threat. He can dazzle you with his handle, torch you from behind the arc, or bulldoze you into the paint for dunks and layups. He’s a special talent that shouldn’t be overlooked.

Source: https://www.fearthesword.com/cavs-a...s-cavs-at-pacers-jaylon-tyson-torches-indiana

 

[Cleveland Cavaliers]

Cavs vs Trail Blazers: How to watch, odds, and injury report

The Cleveland Cavaliers took a step in the right direction with their 135-119 win over the Indiana Pacers. We’ll see if they can back that up against the Portland Trail Blazers.

The Blazers got off to a strong start, but have fallen off in recent weeks. They’re 3-7 in their last ten games. They will also be on the second leg of a back-to-back on Wednesday as they play a road game against the Toronto Raptors on Tuesday.

Even though Portland isn’t a good team, they are a team that can wear you out with their style of play. They play at the third-highest pace and aren’t afraid to apply pressure in the backcourt while on defense. Both are things the Cavs have struggled with at times. We’ll see if they can answer the test this time.

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Who: Cleveland Cavaliers (13-9) vs. Portland Trail Blazers (8-12)

Where: Rocket Arena — Cleveland, OH

When: Wednesday, Dec. 3 at 7 pm EST

TV: FanDuel Sports Network Ohio, FanDuel Sports App, NBA League Pass

Point spread: Not yet set

Cavs injury report: Jarrett Allen – OUT (finger), Lonzo Ball – PROBABLE (illness), Sam Merrill – OUT (hand), Larry Nance Jr. – OUT – (calf), Max Strus – OUT (foot), Chris Livingston – OUT (G League)

Blazers injury report for Tuesday’s game vs. Toronto: Donovan Clingan – QUESTIONABLE (illness), Scoot Henderson – OUT (hamstring), Jrue Holiday – OUT (calf), Damian Lillard – OUT (Achilles), Matisse Thybulle – OUT (thumb), Blake Wesley – OUT (foot), Javonte Cooke – OUT (G League)

Cavs expected starting lineup: Darius Garland, Donovan Mitchell, Jaylon Tyson, De’Andre Hunter, Evan Mobley

Blazers expected starting lineup: Sidy Cissoko, Deni Avdija, Kris Murray, Toumani Camara, Jerami Grant

Here’s a look at both teams’ impact stats via Cleaning the Glass as of Tuesday evening.

Offensive Rating	Defensive Rating	Net Rating
Cavs	117.5 (13th)	113.9 (7th)	+3.6 (12th)
Blazers	114.5 (6th)	117.8 (22nd)	-3.4 (20th)

Source: https://www.fearthesword.com/cavs-i...l-blazers-how-to-watch-odds-and-injury-report

 

[Cleveland Cavaliers]

3 Things to watch for in Cavs vs Trail Blazers

The Cleveland Cavaliers are at home for a match against the Portland Trail Blazers.

Slowing Deni Avdija​

Avdija is coming off a string of ridiculous games for the Blazers. He put up 31 points, 19 rebounds and 10 assists in Portland’s most recent loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder, and Avdija had 37 points and 8 assists the game before that.

The sixth-year wing has found his stride with the Trail Blazers. He’s averaging a career-high 25.8 points on nearly 50% shooting, doing it from every area on the court. He’s blossomed into an efficient shooter, crafty playmaker, and positive force on the glass.

Avdija gives Portland its best chance at winning every night. The Cavs will have to contain him if they want to avoid getting into a scuffle with a team they should handily defeat.

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Shrinking the Floor​

Portland enters this game tied with the Indiana Pacers for the worst three-point percentage in the NBA. They’re shooting 32.3% from deep on the sixth-highest frequency in the league. Similar to the Cavs, who rank 2nd in frequency and 18th in efficiency.

Fortunately for the Cavs, Portland doesn’t have as many counters.

The Blazers also rank in the bottom-10 for rim efficiency and mid-range scoring. The Cavs, on the other hand, shoot the 11th-best percentage at the rim and 19th-best from the mid-range. However, Portland gets to the rim much more often. The Cavs are 23rd in rim frequency, while the Blazers are 5th.

The Cavs should be able to shrink the floor and protect the paint behind Evan Mobley’s rim protection. Barring an outlier performance, this should be an opportunity for the Cavs to flex their defensive muscles. Cleveland is 10th overall in defense.

Energy and Effort​

This has become a theme worth paying attention to. The Cavs have enough talent to beat anyone on any given night. But that talent isn’t enough to win on its own merit. Cleveland has learned this the hard way through 22 games.

Hopefully, their increased effort from Monday against the Indiana Pacers was indicative of a new direction for this team. They had previously been treading water when they should have been a dominant force on a nightly basis. Even with the injuries, this team is better than 13-9.

Effort can change everything. We’ve seen that proven time and time again. Let’s see if the Cavs can build some serious momentum and play this game with an appropriate level of intensity.

Source: https://www.fearthesword.com/cavs-game-previews/41147/3-things-to-watch-for-in-cavs-vs-trail-blazers

 

[Cleveland Cavaliers]

Winners and Losers: Cavs vs Blazers – Evan Mobley’s defensive masterclass is wasted

The Cleveland Cavaliers were run off the floor by the Portland Trail Blazers. Let’s talk about it.

LOSER – Effort​

This week began with Jaylon Tyson calling out the team for their lack of effort. It seemed like the Cavs took his comments to heart in their following win over the Indiana Pacers. That was a good step forward.

Tonight was two steps backwards.

The defense was lost. A combination of bad effort and miscommunications led to countless breakdowns. Then, on offense, the Cavs’ process dissolved into poor three-point shooting and contested looks at the rim. Those misses turned directly into Portland runouts, where the Cavs looked a step slow all night.

You can’t control everything. But the Cavs were visibly frustrated with their own poor shooting tonight. Sulking, playing with your head down, and not getting back on defense is inexcusable. Cleveland shot 13-52 from downtown and almost every miss felt like a backbreaker.

WINNER – Thomas Bryant​

Things were getting bad in Rocket Arena. So bad, that the home crowd began booing the Cavs off the floor during a third quarter timeout.

Enter Thomas Bryant.

Bryant understood the situation. Not only did the team need to be re-energized, but the crowd, as well. Bryant started the run by emphatically rejecting the Blazers at the rim, shouting in someone’s face, then drawing a foul on the other end and shouting some more. This got one of the loudest pops of the night from the Cleveland crowd.

As the quarter went on, Bryant continued to breathe life into the arena. He gobbled up defensive boards and nailed consecutive three-pointers to bring some excitement back into the Cavs’ favor. The intensity and almost delusional confidence that Bryant has in himself is something that everyone should strive for.

WINNER – Evan Mobley and Donovan Mitchell​

The start of the Cavs’ season has been full of speed bumps. Mitchell and Mobley included. But without these two, I don’t know where this team would be.

Mobley was excellent in this game. 23 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists, 5 blocks and 2 steals from Mobley should be more than enough to give the Cavs a chance. He was a one-man wrecking crew on defense and he was making the right play every time he had the ball on offense.

The Cavs want Mobley to shoot more often. Kenny Atkinson said he yelled at Mobley during the game to be more aggressive. But when opposing defenses load up in the paint — and Mobley makes the correct pass — it’s on his teammates to hit a shot. They didn’t tonight.

Finally, Mitchell has had the team on his back all season. He’s played like Superman. And on a night where he had an inefficient 33 points — the Cavs still struggled to compete. This team isn’t threatening with anything less than a perfect night from Mitchell right now. That’s not good.

Mobley and Mitchell haven’t been perfect. But they certainly haven’t been the problem.

LOSER – Perimeter Defense​

The Trail Blazers are the least efficient three-point team in basketball. They do, however, get to the paint at the fifth-highest rate in the league. The Cavs started this game with poor perimeter defense, allowing dribble penetration and failing to cover the three-point line.

That’s a bad combination.

Blazers are getting into the paint, often off the bounce, at will against #Cavs defense in this first quarter. Twelve of their 18 attempts have come in the paint. Kenny Atkinson looks annoyed.

— Chris Fedor (@ChrisFedor) December 4, 2025

You never want to make things too easy for an NBA player. Forcing your opponent to turn and change directions at least once or twice on a drive. That wasn’t happening in the first quarter. Blazers were getting straight-line drives to the rim whenever they wanted to.

What’s worse is failing to cover the perimeter at the same time. At the very least, you could run guys off the line. But Cleveland’s defense was totally out of whack in the opening quarter, ending in a wide-open three-pointer off a blown rotation to close the first.

I wish I could say things got better as the game went on. It didn’t.

LOSER – The Lonzo Ball Experience​

There are plenty of ways to impact the game without scoring. At his best, Lonzo Ball excels in those categories. Defense, rebounding, and using his dribble to create plays for others.

This just isn’t happening right now.

Ball hasn’t looked anywhere near himself as a point-of-attack defender, and he hasn’t gotten to the rim consistently enough to get the most out of his playmaking. His basketball intelligence still allows him to make the occasional pass — but he isn’t generating advantages as he should.

This sums up the Lonzo Ball experience so far pic.twitter.com/kBItTrl2wm

— Tony Pesta (@Tony_Pesta) December 4, 2025

Worst of all, he can’t buy a bucket. Zo shot 1-9 tonight and is shooting 25-93 (26%) from downtown this season, one of the five least efficient shooters in the league. This all culminated when Ball clanked a pull-up three in transition in the fourth quarter, just when Cleveland was starting to claw back into the game. The crowd once again began booing.

Source: https://www.fearthesword.com/cavs-a...-evan-mobleys-defensive-masterclass-is-wasted

 

[Cleveland Cavaliers]

8 Takeaways from Cavs 122-110 loss to Trail Blazers: ‘We just got to be better’

The Cleveland Cavaliers lost to the Trail Blazers 122-110 in a way that has become all too familiar this year. They struggled to hang with Portland’s pace, didn’t make enough threes, and couldn’t dictate terms on either side of the ball.

Donovan Mitchell addressed the media after the game, leaning against the nearly floor-to-ceiling whiteboard in the team’s locker room. On the other side of the door leading to the shower area, you could hear Bob Marley’s Three Little Birds playing.

“Every little thing is gonna be alright.”

It’s difficult to believe that message right now. Things seem anything but alright with the Cavs.

The Trail Blazers play a style that the Cavs struggle with. They operate at one of the quickest paces in the league, get out in transition, and apply defensive pressure in the backcourt. These are the exact things you want to do against Cleveland as seen in their losses to the Toronto Raptors and the Miami Heat.

The difference between the Blazers and those teams is that they’re not particularly good. They lack the personnel and skill to enforce their style against most of their opponents. It’s why they had only won two of their last 10 games heading into tonight and were on the second leg of a back-to-back.

This should’ve been a scheduled win for the Cavs, but it wasn’t. They simply can’t combat this style. That’s concerning in a league where seemingly every team is trying to play faster and faster.

The book is out on the Cavs. If you want to beat them, just run.

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The offensive process is a mess. Half of Cleveland’s 92 shot attempts came from beyond the arc, and they only made 25% of them.

Missed threes create long rebounds, and those long rebounds turn into easy transition baskets for your opponent. Portland capitalized on that as they were in the 89th percentile for adding points off of live rebounds.

It’s also nearly impossible to have a good offense when you aren’t getting to the basket. The Cavs were in the 36th percentile for shot attempts at the rim, 29th percentile for accuracy at the rim, and attempted 15 fewer free throws than their opponent. Throw in not getting offensive rebounds, and you have the recipe for a stagnant, lifeless offense that’s completely reliant on Mitchell to do everything.

This isn’t just a one-game thing either. Head coach Kenny Atkinson has repeatedly talked in his postgame press conferences about how his team needs to find a better balance. We’re over a quarter of the way through the season, and things aren’t getting cleaner on that end. And I’m not sure there’s a straightforward path to it getting fixed.

Darius Garland is the one who can theoretically change that. He’s among the few players on the roster who have the skills to create for himself and others off-the-dribble. But this version of Garland can’t.

Garland was a step or two slower on Wednesday than he was when fully healthy last season. The off-the-dribble moves that would normally create separation simply aren’t doing so with any regularity. This has been a common theme throughout most of his games back.

When you’re already undersized for your position, losing a little bit of athleticism can take you from being one of the best players at your spot to just mediocre. Isaiah Thomas is an extreme example, but once he lost some of his burst, he went from being an MVP candidate one season to being nearly unplayable the following.

I’m not a doctor, and I’m not going to pretend to be one, but there’s no guarantee that his mobility drastically improves this season. Toe injuries are incredibly tricky, especially for someone whose game relies so heavily on stopping and starting. Maybe this is something that could improve with additional time off. Maybe he’s just going to have to learn to play with a plate or spacer in his shoe. Either way, the Cavs aren’t going to be an elite offense if this is how Garland is going to be moving around.

This core doesn’t work without Garland in the long and short term. His playmaking and ability to get the shooters and bigs involved aren’t replicated by anyone else on the roster. Additionally, his contract goes from being deserving to a negative asset quickly, which significantly impacts how the Cavs navigate building an elite team around this core.

The Cavs also need more out of De’Andre Hunter. Effort has been an issue with the team as a whole, and specifically so with Hunter. He isn’t aggressive at the point of attack, isn’t moving forcefully on or off-ball, and is mostly just floating on both ends. Being an undersized power forward magnifies these issues.

Hunter is too skilled and too important to this team right now to be turning in performances like this.

One of the most concerning parts about the loss was how well Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley played.

Mobley scored 14 of his 23 points in the first quarter. He was aggressively attacking on and off-ball exactly how you’d like him to. The scoring didn’t carry over for the remainder of the game, but the defensive impact was still there.

Atkinson said afterward that Mitchell was merely good and not Superman. While we’ve seen him play better, pouring in 33 points while going 9-13 inside the arc is elite. Not being able to get the three-point shot to fall was an issue as he missed nine of his 13 attempts from deep. Although a handful of those came late in the fourth when he was trying to will the team to victory.

The Cavs shouldn’t need heroic performances from their two best players to overcome a bad Trail Blazers team playing on the second night of a back-to-back. But that’s how things stand. They needed over 40 from Mitchell to beat the struggling Indiana Pacers. This formula isn’t sustainable.

I’m not sure how things get better. Jarrett Allen, Sam Merrill, and Max Strus returning to the lineup will help. They will meaningfully raise this team’s floor. However, the bar coming into the season was a championship. Unless there’s a major trade, that doesn’t seem possible unless Garland’s mobility returns and this team can stay healthy.

Mitchell isn’t as worried, at least not yet.

“I think it’s upsetting, but there’s room for growth,” Mitchell said. “There’s an upside to this. I’m not going to sit here December [3rd] and say the sky is falling and we’re panicking. No, honestly, this is something that we’ll look back on on film and get better and better and better and better.

“Now I gotta tell you, if we’re in March and we’re having this discussion, then yeah [that’s a problem]. Even in January and February. Right now, take this on the chin. Take this on the chin. …

“Last year was an anomaly. We came out, made some changes, and it just worked. That’s just not how the league is. … It’s going to take some time to work itself out. But on the flipside, as players, we stil got to do our part on a nightly basis for it to work.”

You can’t tell if adversity is a good or bad thing in the moment. Some teams break apart by going through a tough stretch like this after a playoff disappointment. Others use these moments to redefine who they are and are better off because of it.

As of now, we don’t know if everything is going to be alright with this team.

“So I wouldn’t say I’m concerned,” Mitchell concluded. “But we just got to be better.”

Source: https://www.fearthesword.com/cavs-a...-blazers-cleveland-cavaliers-donovan-mitchell

 

[Cleveland Cavaliers]

Player Grades: Cavs vs Blazers – Donovan Mitchell can’t always be Superman

CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Cavaliers lost 122-110 to the Portland Trail Blazers. This one was hard to watch.

Donovan Mitchell​

33 points, 5 assists, 5 rebounds

This wasn’t a bad Mitchell game by any means. But it wasn’t the superhuman, heroic game we’ve seen in the past. His 33 points came at a costly 26 shots. And to no fault of Mitchell himself, that’s not enough for the Cavs right now.

“Tonight was probably one of two games all year that he hasn’t played like Superman,” Kenny Atkinson said after the game. “He was just good, but we need him to be Superman every night.”

There’s only so much Mitchell can do. He’s carried the team with his scoring through 23 games, but at some point, someone needs to step up and help. They can’t rely on him this heavily.

Grade: A-

Darius Garland​

6 points, 4 assists, 2 rebounds

Garland isn’t moving well. That’s a plain and simple fact. He’s struggling to move up and down the court, and this has looked glaring when compounded by the Cavs’ all-around lack of effort.

Grade: F

Evan Mobley​

23 points, 5 assists, 10 rebounds, 5 blocks, 2 steals

Mobley opened this game on fire, shooting 4-7 in the first quarter. He only took 7 shots the rest of the way. This has been a recurring and frustrating theme. Nonetheless, it was an efficient 23 points to go with 5 huge blocks and 2 steals. This was an incredible defensive game from Mobley, and an offensive game that left you wanting just a little more.

Grade: A+

Support us and rep Evan Mobley with Homage!​

We’ve partnered with Homage to help provide Cavs fans with the best gear. Anything bought from the links below helps support Fear the Sword while also allowing you to rep the Cavs. You can also shop all Homage Cavs gear HERE.

• You can grab the Mobley shirt seen above HERE.
• The Mobley trading card shirt can be bought HERE.

Jaylon Tyson​

14 points, 2 assists, 7 rebounds

If watching these games gets you frustrated, and you’re looking for something to feel good about, just watch Tyson on nearly every play. He’s got the goods, and he plays like a young and hungry sophomore.

Grade: A-

De’Andre Hunter​

10 points, 1 assist, 3 rebounds

Last week, we sang Hunter’s praises as the finer aspects of his game appeared to be polished. He’s regressed a bit since then. Falling into old habits and generally looking disinterested tonight.

Grade: F

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Craig Porter Jr.​

0 points, 2 assists, 0 rebounds

Porter only played 10 minutes tonight and went 0-1 from the floor. Considering how actively damaging Ball was, there probably should have been more minutes given to CPJ — even if he wasn’t super effective in the limited run he got.

Grade: B–

Dean Wade​

0 points, 1 assist, 1 rebound

Wade picked things up defensively tonight, but he remains in a cold spell from deep.

Grade: D+

Nae’Qwan Tomlin​

7 points, 1 assist, 4 rebounds

Tomlin plays hard, as we’ve celebrated on this blog all season long. But certain things can’t be solved by playing hard. Inexperience is one of them. Tomlin might not have been part of the effort issue tonight, but he blew multiple defensive rotations and looked off Donovan Mitchell for an open three-pointer, instead opting for a jumper of his own — which he missed.

Still, Tomlin’s effort is something that makes him a positive contributor. It’s just worth highlighting that the Cavs’ issues are deeper than just effort, at the moment.

Grade: B

Lonzo Ball​

3 points, 2 assists, 7 rebounds

Ball is in a funk. His defense is far below what was advertised, and his shooting has somehow been worse. He shot 1-9 tonight, including a groan-inducing brick in transition during the fourth quarter.

Grade: F

Thomas Bryant​

14 points, 0 assists, 6 rebounds

Bryant changed everything about this game. Seriously. His commitment to screaming after every play is admirable, and it helped turn the momentum back into Cleveland’s favor for a brief moment.

Grade: A+

Source: https://www.fearthesword.com/cavs-a...zers-donovan-mitchell-cant-always-be-superman

 

[Cleveland Cavaliers]

Cup of Cavs: None of this matters without Darius Garland

Good morning. It’s Friday, December 5th. The Cleveland Cavaliers are 13-10. Let’s talk about Darius Garland.

The First Sip​

The Cavs aren’t playing their best basketball right now. From poor effort and a vulnerable defense to their wildly inefficient three-point shooting, it isn’t very pretty. But even if all of those things were magically fixed — one issue would remain:

Darius Garland isn’t himself.

There’s no way around this. Anyone watching can tell you that Garland isn’t moving well right now. He’s visibly limited, hobbling around the court and wincing in pain on every other step. The stats reflect this, as Garland is averaging just 13.6 points on 34.7% shooting from the floor. You can chalk some of this up to Garland needing to find his rhythm early in the season. But there’s no denying that his toe injury is a major reason for his struggles.

Garland has missed 15 games so far. That’s already more than he missed all of last season. Even when he is on the court, he doesn’t look or play like you’d expect Darius Garland to play. He’s a shell of himself right now. I don’t know when or how that will change.

One thing I do know is that the Cavs won’t reach their ceiling until Garland gets healthy.

Injuries are only one part of what’s been plaguing Cleveland through the first 23 games. They’ll have to do some serious soul-searching to figure out why other teams are consistently playing harder than they are. Yet, playing harder will only help the Cavs win regular-season games. It won’t be enough to get them deeper into the playoffs. That’s where talent and effort are non-negotiables.

Garland is the key to all of this. The Cavs have zero chance of competing for a title if this is the version of Garland we are going to get. It’s unclear how long Garland will be dealing with this injury — but it is clear what the outcome will be if things don’t change by April.

Links of the Day​

• Jaylon Tyson earns Cavs’ respect
• LeBron’s double-digit scoring streak ends
• Giannis Trade Ideas
• James Harden is ‘just as shocked’ about CP3

Source: https://www.fearthesword.com/cup-of...s-none-of-this-matters-without-darius-garland

 

[Cleveland Cavaliers]

Player Grades: Cavs vs Spurs – Jaylon Tyson goes scorched Earth

CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Cavaliers beat the San Antonio Spurs behind a 44-19 third quarter.

All grades are based on our usual expectations for each player.

Donovan Mitchell​

28 points, 8 assists, 2 rebounds

Mitchell didn’t have to do it all on his own tonight. He was a constant presence, but he never had to bail anyone out. That’s how we’d like it to be more often than not.

Grade: A-

Jaylon Tyson​

24 points, 2 assists, 6 rebounds

Tyson can’t miss right now. He’s delivered a spectacular week of basketball, scoring 65 points on 27-37 (72%) shooting in his three games since Monday. He’s combining a bruising playstyle with elite touch, pounding his way to the rim and sinking three-pointers all the same.

Grade: A+

Evan Mobley​

17 points, 5 assists, 10 rebounds

Mobley continues to look more comfortable and confident as the season goes on. He was aggressive tonight despite being listed as questionable with the flu.

Grade: A–

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Nae’Qwan Tomlin​

13 points, 2 assists, 2 rebounds

Tomlin earned the start tonight but was quickly moved to the bench after finding himself in foul trouble. Once he returned, he made his usual impact by running to the rim like a madman on every possession.

Grade: B

De’Andre Hunter​

11 points, 0 assists, 3 rebounds

Hunter is still in a funk, but he did start the second half with consecutive buckets that helped start the run.

Grade: D+

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Craig Porter Jr.​

11 points, 1 assist, 7 rebounds

The Cavs leaned on Porter a bit more tonight after he played only seven minutes on Wednesday. He was a plus 20 in 23 minutes.

Grade: A+

Dean Wade​

12 points, 5 assists, 8 rebounds

Wade really needed this. He had been struggling for a few weeks now, but finally found a groove tonight. He made 4-6 field goals and even dished out 5 assists.

Grade: A+

Luke Travers​

2 points, 2 assists, 1 rebound

Travers unleashed a wicked behind-the-back dribble on his way to the rim in the first half. He didn’t play many minutes outside of that, but he was effective whenever he was on the court.

Grade: B

Lonzo Ball​

2 points, 5 assists, 6 rebounds, 3 steals

Ball was quite restrained in his shooting tonight, only attempting two field goals. That might be a good thing after his 1-9 shooting in the game before.

Grade: B+

Thomas Bryant​

8 points, 2 assists, 3 rebounds

Bryant is proving he can be a legit backup big. He kept pressure on the rim, finishing plays in the paint and earning four free throw attempts.

Grade: A–

Source: https://www.fearthesword.com/cavs-a...avs-vs-spurs-jaylon-tyson-goes-scorched-earth

 

[Cleveland Cavaliers]

8 Takeaways from Cavs 130-117 win over Spurs: Jaylon Tyson is what Cavaliers ‘need’

The Cleveland Cavaliers picked up a much-needed win as they defeated the San Antonio Spurs 130-117 thanks to a momentum-changing third-quarter run.

For maybe the first time all season, the Cavs played the level of basketball they made look routine last year. They outscored the Spurs 44-19 in the third quarter by simply controlling both sides of the ball. They played good defense, turned that into transition offense, and then relentlessly attacked the basket whenever they could.

This led to a shot chart that was the complete opposite of what we’ve seen for most of the season. Instead of shooting the three-ball, they scored the ball from the most efficient spot on the floor: The restricted area.

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Head coach Kenny Atkinson has talked often about wanting to see his team get to the basket more. This was once again an issue on Wednesday as his team took 52 threes and 23 shots at the rim during the loss to the Portland Trail Blazers.

“We’ve got some guys struggling right now,” Atkinson said then about the Cavs’ outside shooting. “I would have loved to go in for layups or drive it.”

The offense finally found a way to attack the basket. The Cavs took 43 shots at the rim this game. Those accounted for 54% of their shot attempts (100th percentile). This came at the expense of the three-ball as they took a season-low 26 attempts. It was the inverse of what we saw earlier this week.

Twenty-six threes isn’t an ideal number of outside attempts. That said, if the defense isn’t going to stop you from getting to the basket, there’s no reason to go away from attacking it. An attempt at the rim is still the most efficient shot in basketball.

As Evan Mobley said after the game, “I mean, when you shoot paint shots, it’s easier to make.”

If you’re trying to relieve pressure from Donovan Mitchell, cutting off-ball is the way to do it. Mitchell tied a season-high with eight assists. Five of those came from attacking the basket off-ball.

Not every opponent will be missing their rotation centers like San Antonio, as Victor Wembanyama and Luke Kornet were sidelined. That made scoring in this way much easier. But this is one of the best ways to combat a three-point shot that isn’t falling right now. You can’t load up on a single ball handler if you know you can get beat away from the play.

The Cavs haven’t been a good cutting team this season. This — along with three-point accuracy — is one of the parts of the offense that simply hasn’t been there. Last year, the Cavs were fifth in cuts per game and first in points per play on cuts (1.43). The Cavs are cutting nearly the same amount per game this season, they just aren’t finishing as they’re now 26th in points per cut (1.22).

This game was a step in the right direction. Players like Craig Porter Jr., Jaylon Tyson, and Nae’Qwan Tomlin all did damage attacking the basket off-ball.

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Continuing to play well off-ball will determine if the younger players can play in the playoffs.

“What we’ve tried to do is really mold them with [the playoffs] in mind,” Atkinson said. “You’re going to do the things you’re doing in the playoffs [now], not like a regular-season role player. … If you’re a rotation player in the playoffs, like Nae’Qwan, cutting is a big [thing]. He’s got to be able to cut. … Cutting matters in the playoffs, especially when they’re loaded up on your guys and they start blitzing you, and you start throwing that to the half-roll.”

This is an area Tyson has learned to excel in as a professional.

“The biggest thing I love about him is to go from a scorer like that in college to [wanting to be] like a Josh Hart or like a Bruce Brown, which is the complete opposite of being a scorer,” Mitchell said of Tyson. “Doing all the little things like that says a lot about you as a person and also as a player.”

Tyson wasn’t given many opportunities to be that type of player last season. He had to instead learn from the sidelines by watching teammates like Max Strus.

“I would say his toughness, his leadership, and just how he plays without the ball,” Tyson said about what he learned from studying Strus’s game. “Max doesn’t get the ball a lot, especially being in that starting lineup with Darius [Garland], Don, and Evan needing the ball. But how he moved off the ball, and how he just impacts winning at a very high level.”

This — combined with a work ethic his coach calls “insane” — has led to Tyson being just a flat-out productive player.

Earlier in the season, it was easier to praise Tyson for just his energy and effort. Even if it was sometimes self-destructive, his willingness to make stuff happen was better than the alternative. Now, just saying his energy is useful would be a disservice to just how helpful he’s been.

Tyson has taken a meaningful step forward from where he was a month and a half ago. He’s more sure of how to attack off-ball on offense and better knows where he should be on defense. Throw in having a vastly improved three-point shot and displaying incredible touch around the rim, and you have someone who has been one of the most dependable players on the team.

“I’m really running out of nice things to say, because he just does it every night,” Mitchell said about Tyson. “Every single night, he’s doing something positive for us, and that’s what we need.”

Source: https://www.fearthesword.com/cavs-a...io-spurs-cleveland-cavaliers-donovan-mitchell