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[Cleveland Cavaliers]

Player Grades: Cavs vs Nets

John Jones-Imagn Images

The first five helped the Cavs pull away in the second half of an otherwise sluggish game.

The Cleveland Cavaliers shook off the rust in the second half to beat the Brooklyn Nets in their first game out of the All-Star break.

Grades are based on the usual expectations for each player.

Evan Mobley​

18 points (6-12 shooting), 13 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 3 blocks

The first-time All-Star came out of the break with a solid all-around game, though not dominant compared to what he's shown this season. Mobley’s third-straight double-double and three blocks (which led the Cavs) are now run-of-the-mill expectations.

What was impressive from Mobley is his approach to offense, which continues to be vastly different than his first few seasons in the league. Here he takes Cam Johnson on one-on-one and pulls off a nifty spin move before flushing a reverse dunk and getting an and-one.

WHAT?! HOW?! EVAN?! MOBLEY?!@evanmobley | #LetEmKnow pic.twitter.com/aMDc8yaHUR

— Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) February 21, 2025​

Grade: B+​

Max Strus​

5 points (2-10 shooting), 2 rebounds, 1 assist, 5 fouls

It was a cold shooting night for Strus, who had been playing well into the All-Star break. Tonight was a bit of a clunker though, helped in no part by the five fouls he accrued on the evening. Strus did hit a big three in the fourth quarter, pointing to the sky afterward as a “thank you” for finally getting one to fall, so he gets points for sticking with it.

Strus started once again, but one has to wonder how long that lasts with the acquisition of De’Andre Hunter and now Isaac Okoro being healthy again.

Grade: C-​

Jarrett Allen​

16 points (8-9 shooting), 20 rebounds, 1 block, 1 steal

The former Brooklyn Net had himself a night with a monster 16 points and 20 rebounds on very efficient shooting. Allen thoroughly outplayed Nic Claxton and put together a dominant performance.

Oh, and he's pretty good at defense too.

WHAT. A. SEQUENCE. @_bigjayy_ + @dariusgarland22 | #LetEmKnow pic.twitter.com/mmbzSIF2La

— Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) February 21, 2025​

Allen gave the Cavs second-chance opportunities with his seven offensive rebounds, something that certainly helps a lot more when the offense is stuck in the mud like it was. A great game from Allen when the Cavs needed a spark.

Grade: A​

Darius Garland​

18 points (6-12 shooting), 9 assists, 3 steals

Another positive game for Garland, who now has eight or more assists and three steals in back-to-back games. It was a balanced attack for the Cavs’ offensive in general, but Garland’s passing skillset was on full display tonight.

that pass. ‍ @dariusgarland22 @evanmobley | #LetEmKnow pic.twitter.com/oZwFPNMQAL

— Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) February 21, 2025​

That is a tough pass from Garland, who also had a nice two-man game going with Allen as well. It wasn't a blistering scoring night, but it was the type of controlled effort that Cavs fans have come to expect from their All-Star point guard.

Grade: B+​

Donovan Mitchell​

26 points (8-21 shooting), 5 rebounds, 2 assists

It wasn't the most efficient shooting night, but Mitchell got the Cavs a bucket when they needed it. Their first points of the second half came via a nasty Mitchell drive and Euro-step, which helped set the tone for the impending “Cavalanche”.

There have not been as many Mitchell scoring explosions this season, but that's a good thing in the long run. The Cavs have a more diverse scoring profile all around, which means Mitchell isn't tasked with running the show every night.

Tonight, it was a very balanced effort.

Grade: B+​

De’Andre Hunter​

9 points (3-10 shooting), 4 rebounds, 1 assist

Hunter didn't have a very efficient night shooting the ball either, but he did knock down two three-pointers and added a block to the stat sheet. The three-balls from Hunter came in transition and were contested, which was nice to see. He isn't a “corner three or nothing” sort of player.

Grade: C+​

Sam Merrill​

2 points (1-6 shooting), 1 assist

Quiet game for Merrill, who was catching some fire from deep heading into the All-Star break. His 25 minutes were the second-highest off the bench, an attempt to give the Cavs some sort of offensive shot in the arm, but it was no use.

The issue with Sam Merrill, as has been the case for his entire career, is that he is tough to play when he isn't making threes. Sure, the threat of making threes is helpful, but against good teams, the Cavs will need to cash in some of those attempts.

That being said, Merrill led the team in +/- with a +26. Make of that what you will.

Grade: D​

Ty Jerome​

6 points (2-4 shooting), 1 rebound, 3 assists, 3 turnovers

The Cavs are putting a lot of faith in Jerome to be a consistent threat off the bench for the rest of the season, and tonight he was just “fine”. His 17 minutes of court time are the fewest he has logged since early in the month (also the last time he scored less than he did tonight).

Still, there is something about his game that is just enjoyable. As slow and methodical as Ricky Rubio but smart enough to get to his spots.

Ty for threeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee. @tyjerome_ | #LetEmKnow pic.twitter.com/a3utCXwMAw

— Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) February 21, 2025​

Grade: C+​

Isaac Okoro​

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

Welcome back, Isaac. In limited court time, Okoro drilled a triple and generally looks ok moving around after his shoulder injury. The corner three he made was from a nice pass from Jerome.

WELCOME BACK, ICE. @isaacokoro303 | #LetEmKnow pic.twitter.com/iZplUbNDYa

— Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) February 21, 2025​

But his best play may have been a late fourth-quarter skip pass to Struss in the corner, which he drilled. Okoro has always been a “greater than the sum of its parts” player, doing the little things, and tonight was no exception. Though it is very fair to wonder what his court time looks like once Dean Wade is healthy.

Grade: C​

Honorable Mention​

He didn't log a lot of minutes, but congratulations to forward Nae’Qwan Tomlin on his first NBA points of his career. Tomlin has had a strong season playing for the Cleveland Charge in the G League and certainly earned this moment.

First NBA bucket for Nae'Qwan! #LetEmKnow pic.twitter.com/TggZE3Cfuw

— Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) February 21, 2025​

Source: https://www.fearthesword.com/2025/2...us-garland-deandre-hunter-cleveland-cavaliers

 

[Cleveland Cavaliers]

Cavs vs. Knicks preview and gamethread

John Jones-Imagn Images

The Cavaliers get a chance to beat one of the East’s best teams

The Cavaliers look to remain undefeated against the Knicks in the 2024-2025 season

Who: Cleveland Cavaliers (45-10) vs. New York Knicks (37-18)

Where: Rocket Arena - Cleveland, Ohio

When: 7:00pm EST

TV: ESPN, FanDuel Sports Network

Line: Cavaliers - 8.5

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

Cavs injury report: Not yet submitted

Expected Nets starting lineup: Jalen Brunson, Miles McBride, Mikal Bridges, Precious Achiuwa, Karl-Anthony Towns

Knicks injury report: Not yet submitted

What to watch for​

It’s time to stop referring to the playoffs two years ago​

No playoff series loss has been used to discredit a team more than the Cavaliers and Knicks series in the 2022-23 season. Was it bad? Of course. The Cavaliers were straight-up bullied and broken by a Knicks team that was coming into its own at the time. It built an identity for the Knicks while crushing what appeared to be an identity for the Cavaliers.

Every time a pundit, fan, or casual mentions the Cavaliers’ playoff credibility it takes mere seconds for that series to be uttered in a rebuttal. Since then, both the Knicks and Cavaliers have changed drastically, not only in terms of roster construction but also identities.

The Knicks have remodeled and retooled their previously devasting defensive unit. The past few seasons have seen an influx of Karl-Anthony Towns, OG Anunoby, and Mikal Bridges and pivoting towards an offensive team. It's something that you would have never thought would be uttered from a Tom Thibadeau roster. Now Thibs will Thibs, old habits die hard. The Knicks still play their starters an absurd number of minutes for regular season basketball in mid-February however, the identity of this team is clearly pivoting to outscoring their opponent more than dragging them into the muck like seasons past.

The Cavaliers similarly are drastically different than their 2022-23 counterparts. The Cavaliers have also become one of the more explosive offensives in the league. Players like Garland and Mobley taking leaps, acquiring Max Strus, Ty Jerome, and De’Andre Hunter, and changing coaches and playstyles with Kenny Atkinson at the helm. What was once a battle of the grinders has now turned into one of the more offensive-oriented struggles in the league.

As these teams continue to morph further away from their past selves, it becomes hollow to use that round one series as a bullet point in your argument against the Cavaliers. As we will see tonight, regardless of the outcome, these two teams might wear the same uniforms but the components at play are not a continuation of the past.

Grab your rocks, this could be ugly.​

Despite all the offensive firepower on display tonight, this game could be ugly. Both the Cavaliers and the Knicks are entering the second night of a back-to-game. The Cavaliers played with their food against the Brooklyn Nets. Meanwhile, the Knicks had to scratch and claw their way to an overtime win against the Chicago Bulls.

With the way the Thibs coaches, you could expect that the Knicks are going to show some tired legs. The Cavaliers should seem more spry by comparison. If the Cavaliers don’t come out early and put their foot on the throat of the Knicks, expect that this game could be a rock fight. The combination of tired legs, coming off the long break, and the fact that these teams weren’t exactly putting their best foot forward offensively last night, this game could devolve into some ugly basketball.

Source: https://www.fearthesword.com/2025/2...y-report-how-to-watch-cleveland-cavaliers-nba

 

[Cleveland Cavaliers]

Ty Jerome cites ‘new coaching’ as biggest shift in Cavs/Knicks dynamic

Photo by David L. Kyle/NBAE via Getty Images

The tables have turned.

The Cleveland Cavaliers thrashed the New York Knicks tonight in what felt like the younger sibling finally growing old enough to fend for himself. Cleveland is no longer being punked by the Knicks — and Ty Jerome cites the new coaching staff as the biggest reason for this shift in dynamics.

“We got a new coaching staff that’s helped tremendously,” Jerome said. “And yeah, that’s the biggest thing [that’s changed].”

Atkinson’s influence has been all over the Cavs breakout season. He’s the frontrunner for Coach of the Year for a reason. But Jerome’s comments do leave out some important context.

For instance, the Cavs didn’t always have Jerome himself to hop off the bench and score 19 points in just 19 minutes as he did tonight. The additional scoring and ball handling Jerome provides is a game-changer compared to what Bickerstaff had at his disposal during the last two seasons.

This is true across the board. The Cavs 2023 playoff rotation included Cedi Osman, Danny Green and Lamar Stevens. Atkinson would likely faint if he entered the postseason with those options. But that was all Bickerstaff was left to work with — while Atkinson has had a wealth of depth to turn to.

Improved versions of Dean Wade and Isaac Okoro — along with Max Strus, De’Andre Hunter (and reportedly Javonte Green) have given the Cavs more than enough playable wings to compete with anyone. The rapid ascension of Evan Mobley and the steady contribution of Jarrett Allen actually allowed the Cavs to look jumbo-sized for a change against the Knicks.

Atkinson deserves plenty of credit. He’s unlocked the Cavalier offense in a way that felt impossible under Bickerstaff. Darius Garland and Donovan Mitchell have struck the perfect balance while Cleveland is scoring at a historic rate. Their 142 points tonight is the most the Cavs have scored against New York all decade.

Many things have contributed to Cleveland’s 46-10 record. Atkinson being one of the largest. But it’s important to keep in mind that this Cavalier team is very different from the one that collapsed in 2023 — and tonight was an emphatic declaration of that.

Source: https://www.fearthesword.com/2025/2...ching-as-biggest-shift-in-cavs-knicks-dynamic

 

[Cleveland Cavaliers]

Watch Lakers vs. Nuggets with us on Playback

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We’ll also be keeping an eye on the other games around the league.

Join us on Playback as the Los Angeles Lakers take on the Denver Nuggets for a Western Conference showdown at 8:30 pm.

The Luka Doncic Era has gotten off to a shaky start in Los Angeles. The first game LeBron James and Luka played together went well, but they didn’t seem to have that same focus in their previous two outings against the Utah Jazz and Charlotte Hornets.

We’ll see if that changes as they take on Nikola Jokic and a surging Nuggets team that has won nine straight.

Lakers vs. Nuggets will be the main course, but we’ll also keep an eye on the other games going on this evening.

• Brooklyn Nets vs. 76ers
• Houston Rockets vs. Utah Jazz
• Charlotte Hornets vs. Portland Trail Blazers

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/2025/2/22/24370441/watch-lakers-vs-nuggets-with-us-on-playback

 

[Cleveland Cavaliers]

Cavs could be without multiple core players vs. Grizzlies

Photo by Catalina Fragoso/NBAE via Getty Images

The Cavaliers may need to rely on their depth to beat the Grizzlies.

The Cleveland Cavaliers could be shorthanded when they take on the second-place team in the Western Conference, the Memphis Grizzlies, on Sunday evening. Both Jarrett Allen (right index finger) and Darius Garland (left hip contusion) are questionable for the game. Each received their injury during Friday’s blowout win over the New York Knicks.

Allen left midway through Friday’s game with a hand injury. The initial X-rays came back negative. Head coach Kenny Atkinson said afterward that he would have an MRI on his hand on Saturday.

While we don’t know the results of the MRI, it seems as if things came back okay if it’s possible he could return to the court for the following game.

Allen was asked in the locker room after the game if he was fine. Donovan Mitchell shut the question down stating that he’s going to be “okay.” Mitchell certainly isn’t a doctor, but the Cavs are hoping that his diagnosis is correct.

Garland took a hard fall in the second quarter after being fouled by Karl-Anthony Towns on a drive to the basket. It seemed like he had a head injury on that play, but was able to stay in the game.

Shortly thereafter, he was seen walking up and down the court holding his lower back/hip area. That hard fall seemed to have hurt Garland’s hip as well.

The Cavs have been winning this season because of their depth. They will need to rely on that on Sunday if either or both aren’t able to play.

Fortunately, the Cavaliers are expecting to have Mitchell and Evan Mobley. Lineups with both on the court without Allen and Garland have been fantastic. Those units have outscored their opponents by 12.5 points per 100 possessions (94th percentile) with a 118.6 offensive rating (81st percentile) and a 106.1 defensive rating (95th percentile).

The Grizzlies are expected to be fully healthy for the matchup that tips off at 7 on Sunday.

Source: https://www.fearthesword.com/2025/2...core-players-in-sundays-showdown-vs-grizzlies

 

[Cleveland Cavaliers]

Cavs vs. Grizzlies game preview: High scoring affair

Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

The Cavs will face a lethal Grizzlies offense that averages the same, league-best points per game.

The Cleveland Cavaliers will play their second nationally televised game in a row, this time against the visiting Memphis Grizzlies.

Who: Cleveland Cavaliers (46-10) vs. Memphis Grizzlies (37-19)

Where: Rocket Arena - Cleveland, Ohio

When: 7:00pm EST

TV: ESPN, FanDuel Sports Network, CW43

Line: Cavaliers -5.5

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

Cavs injury report: Darius Garland - QUESTIONABLE (hip), Jarrett Allen - QUESTIONABLE (hand), JT Thor - OUT (G league)

Expected Grizzlies starting lineup: Ja Morant, Desmond Bane, Jaylen Wells, Jaren Jackson Jr., Zach Edey

Grizzlies injury report: Zyon Pullin - OUT (G League), Cam Spencer - OUT (G League), Yuki Kawamura - OUT (G League)

What to watch for​

Defensive Player(s) of the Year?​

This matchup between the Cavs and Grizzlies features a a unique paint battle: arguably two of the best three young big men in the league. Evan Mobley and Jaren Jackson Jr. are two of the best in the league defensively and pay traditional inside-out offensive games. Much like Mobley, Jackson is firmly in the discussion for Defensive Player of the Year. Now, with the season ending injury for San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama, Mobley and Jackson are likely the two front runners for the award.

Both players deter would-be drives to the rim, alter ones that do go up, and have a near identical block percentage. The Cavs and Grizzlies will be game-planning to try and limit the defensive damage of their opposing bigs.

Barn-burner​

Believe it or not, but the Cavs and Grizzlies are averaging the exact same 122.8 points per game - tied for first in the league. Memphis plays with the highest pace (Cleveland is fifth) and coral the most offensive rebounds in the NBA (Cleveland is 22nd), but are second-worst in turnovers per game (Cleveland is 5th-fewest).

The Cavs’ offense has been excellent all season, and should maintain as they get healthier, but Memphis is no slouch. Ja Morant is a growing superstar point guard and Desmond Bane is one of the deadliest three-point shooters next to him, a good pairing given their respective skillsets. Jackson is a capable three-point shooter and rookie Zach Edey can clean up on the interior.

Basically, this should be a high-scoring affair assuming everyone is healthy.

Source: https://www.fearthesword.com/2025/2...njury-report-how-to-watch-cleveland-cavaliers

 

[Cleveland Cavaliers]

Player Grades: Cavs vs Grizzlies

Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images

Mobley was awesome against JJJ.

The Cleveland Cavaliers overcame a poor shooting night to beat the Memphis Grizzlies 129-123. It was a rock fight, at times, but this gritty win is a remnant of who the Cavs used to be.

Grades are based on our usual expectations for each player.

Ty Jerome​

26 points (9-16 shooting), 5 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals, 23 minutes

A game without Darius Garland meant Jerome would have to step up. In the first quarter, it felt like this wasn’t going to happen. Jerome was sent to the bench after picking up three fouls in the opening minutes. But once he returned, Jerome provided the instant offense he’s brought all season.

Calling Jerome a flamethrower is the understatement of the year. His 26 points in 23 minutes have become business as usual. 15 points in the fourth quarter to close the game are just the types of things that Jerome does.

Ty Jerome is shooting 3PTs at a historic rate this season

Should he get more 6MOTY buzz??? pic.twitter.com/OL304WheOZ

— Tony Pesta (@Tony_Pesta) February 23, 2025​

Jerome pulled a three-pointer from 30 feet during his fourth-quarter flurry. That has also become commonplace for him. He’s shooting the 3rd best three-point percentage of anyone over the last 12 seasons from 25+ feet.

Grade: A+​

Donovan Mitchell​

33 points (11-23 shooting), 6 assists, 2 rebounds, 35 minutes

Mitchell didn’t have any issue carrying a heavier load in Garland’s absence, either. This was only the 10th time Mitchell has played more than 35 minutes in a game this season — but Cleveland needed every one of them.

Kenny Atkinson’s commitment to keeping his stars fresh has paid off in these moments. Mitchell didn’t look overburdened by the fourth quarter. This was key — as Mitchell got to the rim and drew a foul at a key junction of the game. Having enough gas to attack the basket rather than settle for a three-pointer is a contrast from last season.

Mitchell’s scoring kept the Cavs on top throughout an otherwise rough offensive game. He began 3-6 from deep while his teammates shot 0-14. But carrying them through the slower portions was much easier than in years prior.

Grade: A+​

De’Andre Hunter​

12 points (4-10 shooting), 8 rebounds, 2 assists, 25 minutes

Hunter didn’t pour it on from deep tonight (0-4 shooting) but he connected on a handful of methodical floaters that showcased his versatility. He uses his body well, nestling into the lane and using his length to rise over the defense. Hunter’s patience on his drives led to a number of easy-scoring opportunities.

More importantly, he nabbed 8 rebounds. He’s only done that two other times this season — as he’s never been great at cleaning the glass. But Cleveland will need Hunter to become more active in this department. This was a step in the right direction.

Grade: A-​

Evan Mobley​

25 points (10-20 shooting), 13 rebounds, 8 assists, 3 blocks

Jerome and Mitchell may have buried the lead because there’s a case to be made that Mobley was the best player on the floor tonight. In fact, he’s arguably been the best player on the team this month.

Mobley continues to shine in every context. His matchup against the (current) frontrunner for Defensive Player of the Year, Jaren Jackson Jr., looked personal to Mobley. He took it straight at Jackson — bruising him on the glass and crossing him on his way to the rim.

Elevating Mobley’s confidence has always been key. The question now is how high can he climb? Right now, Mobley looks like he can tackle anyone.

Grade: A+​

Max Strus​

11 points (3-8 shooting), 8 rebounds, 3 rebounds, 1 block

Strus isn’t the steady marksman that Cleveland thought they were getting in 2023. He’s proven to be perpetually erratic from three. And yet, that hasn’t stopped him from being one of the most consistently helpful players on the team.

This game began ice-cold for Strus. But a bomb at the end of the first half helped him carry momentum to the second, where he’d nail two more three-pointers. He had 8 assists last game — tonight, he had 8 rebounds. Strus always finds a way to be impactful and it’s why he remains in the starting lineup for Atkinson (even if Hunter is the better fit).

Grade: B+​

Jarrett Allen​

13 points (6-8 shooting), 10 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal

Something has clicked in Allen. He’s been more assertive and active than I think we’ve ever seen. His three offensive rebounds kept the Cavs afloat during the first half and his ferocious dunk on Ja Morant saved the day at a crucial moment of the game.

JA on JA crime pic.twitter.com/Yfl4SbMuZx

— Mack Perry (@DevaronPerry) February 24, 2025​

Allen has been a monster on both ends of the floor this month. He is always going to be outshined by his star teammates but don’t neglect the production Allen has been giving all season.

Grade: A​

Sam Merrill​

3 points (1-4 shooting), 1 rebound, 1 assist, 1 steal

This will be quick. It just wasn’t Merrill’s night. He picked up four fouls in two minutes at the end of the third quarter — and ended the game with just three points.

Grade: F​

Dean Wade​

0 points (0-3 shooting), 6 rebounds, 17 minutes

This was a certified cardio Dean game if I’ve ever seen one. He left the box score almost totally blank. But 6 big rebounds (3 of them offensive) save him from being a non-factor. And, his athleticism on defense was important for holding Memphis in transition. The Grizzlies lead the league in transition scoring but only had 8 fastbreak points tonight. That’s in part due to Wade.

Grade: B-​

Isaac Okoro​

6 points (2-5 shooting), 4 rebounds, 1 block, 19 minutes

Is cardio Okoro (Cardoro?) a thing? If it is, that’s close to what we saw tonight. But in all honesty, it wasn’t a bad thing.

Okoro was fast to get off the ball whenever he didn’t have a shot — and he pushed in transition whenever he had the opportunity. His quick decisions and involvement in the offense are a blessing compared to his days of being trapped in the corner. He looked like an active member of the team — even if his activity didn’t lead to that many opportunities tonight.

Grade: B+​

Source: https://www.fearthesword.com/2025/2...y-jerome-cleveland-cavaliers-donovan-mitchell

 

[Cleveland Cavaliers]

Watch NBA League Pass on Playback

Photo by David Berding/Getty Images

We’re hosting an NBA watch party tonight.

You can watch tonight’s slate of NBA games live with us on Playback. Tony Pesta will start the stream at 8:30 and we’ll keep an eye on the best matchups as they unfold.

The Minnesota Timberwolves and Oklahoma City Thunder will rematch each other after a thrilling battle last night. OKC pulled away late in the game — leaving the Wolves hungry for revenge.

We will watch this game as well as others on tonight’s slate.

• Philadelphia 76ers vs Chicago Bulls at 7 pm
• Detroit Pistons vs Los Angeles Clippers at 7 pm
• Indiana Pacers vs Denver Nuggets at 7 pm
• Atlanta Hawks vs Miami Heat at 7:30 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/2025/2/24/24371912/watch-nba-league-pass-on-playback

 

[Cleveland Cavaliers]

Ty Jerome knew he was this good, even if no one else did

Photo by David Liam Kyle/NBAE via Getty Images

“I’ve always had this from a skill perspective.”

Seasons like the one we’re seeing from Cleveland Cavaliers guard Ty Jerome simply don’t happen. Guys don’t go from journeyman, end-of-the-bench roster fillers on a slightly above minimum contract to Sixth Man of the Year candidates.

“It’s an amazing story,” said Cavaliers head coach after Jerome’s 26-point showing in Sunday’s win over the Memphis Grizzlies.

It’s also a story no one saw coming.

“One of the coaches asked me, ‘Was this the same guy? Did you see any of this in Golden State? I saw none of this,” Atkinson said.

Jerome has been phenomenal this year. His 11.7 points in 19.1 minutes per game may not jump off the page as amazing, however, the volume he’s scoring it at combined with the efficiency is truly incredible.

He’s fourth on the team in points per 100 possessions (28.7) barely behind Evan Mobley (29.1). Comparing counting stats, even possession-adjusted ones, between lower-minute reserves and high-minute starters can be tricky. This does however speak to the impact Jerome is having as a scorer when he’s on the court.

The efficiency is much more impressive. Jerome is currently in the 98th percentile for points per shot attempt (1.29) and is the most on the team behind only Jarrett Allen. This is due to his incredible accuracy with his floater (100th percentile in the short midrange) and outside shooting (43.7%).

Efficient, high-volume scoring is very difficult to come by. The ones who do that best are typically stars who make things look incredibly easy and who continually get to the line. They typically aren’t chaotic guards who constantly take off-balanced floaters in traffic or 28-foot threes on a somewhat regular basis.

The list of comparable players to Jerome when he’s at his best is short.

“He has Steph [Curry] like minutes sometimes,” Atkinson said. “He’s shooting 25 footers. He’s getting steals. He’s really taking over games.”

Jerome indeed took over Sunday’s game in this fashion. His 15 fourth-quarter points came in increasingly ridiculous ways. The sort of ways that break the will of an opponent.

It was easy to write off performances like this at the beginning of the season as lightning-in-the-bottle situations. Any NBA player can have an incredibly hot few-minute stretch. Being able to consistently have those performances is the differentiator.

We’ve seen enough at this point to know that hot Jerome shooting nights aren’t that uncommon.

“He’s done this for long enough that we just have to understand that this is Ty Jerome,” said Donovan Mitchell after Sunday’s game. “There’s no looking at him like, ‘Man, that’s a shock, a surprise.’ This is him.”

That feeling hasn’t always been there, even for someone like Mitchell who grew up playing with Jerome and knew that he was good.

“He was doing this in camp and OTAs and pick-up ... but he hadn’t done it in the league,” Mitchell said. “So I think it’s a different vibe when you’re doing it in the NBA environment.”

Mitchell referred to Jerome’s 29-point game against the New Orleans Pelicans in November and then his 33 points in a loss to the Philadelphia 76ers as points where he really started to believe.

Jerome has outwardly believed in his own game in an irrational, but healthy way this season. He joked in the locker room on Sunday that it was “messed up” some people hadn’t seen this in his game earlier. While it was delivered with a laugh, it wasn't difficult to see that there could be some truth behind what he was saying.

Honestly, it’s understandable if that was the case. Jerome hasn’t had a chance to prove that he could do this on the court. His career has been defined by injuries. Jerome is finally healthy, has already played more minutes than he has at any point in his career, and the results are paying off.

“He’s overcome a lot of injuries, a lot of different things, and now he’s getting his chance, and he’s not letting it go at all,” Mitchell said.

Injuries play a large role in this, but it’s also fair to point out that this was more than just an availability issue.

Jerome had shown brief glimpses of being a good player during his 2022-23 season with the Golden State Warriors. The efficiency was there, but the splashes that we’ve seen this season weren’t. It’s why he only totaled over 15 points five times that season and had 20+ just once in 45 outings.

This season, he’s produced over 15 points on 14 occasions. All of which included him shooting 50% or better from the field.

“They just didn’t give me the freedom back in Golden State, that’s all,” Jerome said bluntly when told what Atkinson said about his development from Golden State.

That confidence that Jerome displays when asking questions about his game is shown on the court, as well. He plays like someone who knows he’s one of the best scorers in the game and that it’s our fault for not recognizing his incredible talent. Every game, that sentiment seems to become more true.

There’s a certain amount of luck and timing that need to come together to create a championship-level team. Fortune is often needed to push a team from merely very good to great. So far this season, Jerome has been one of those unexpected pieces that have helped propel Cleveland to the most wins in the league.

Although Jerome wouldn’t view this as luck or anything else. He always knew his time would come. We’re just able to finally witness it now.

“I’ve always had this from a skill perspective,” Jerome said. “It’s just getting a little stronger, taking care of my body, and you know, sometimes opportunity meets timing and it just clicks.”

Source: https://www.fearthesword.com/2025/2...cavaliers-kenny-atkinson-donovan-mitchell-nba

 

[Cleveland Cavaliers]

Darius Garland is ‘trending’ toward playing Tuesday vs. Magic

Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images

Cleveland could be getting their All-Star point guard back after a one game absence.

The Cleveland Cavaliers could be without All-Star point guard Darius Garland as he’s listed as questionable with a hip injury for Tuesday’s game against the Orlando Magic. He sustained the injury in Friday’s win over the New York Knicks. The injury kept him out of Sunday’s win over the Memphis Grizzlies.

After Sunday’s game, Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson stated that he wasn’t concerned about this being a concern moving forward.

“My amateur opinion is this is probably [a] one [game absense],” said Atkinson after Sunday’s win. “I don’t it’s not going to be long-term. I’d anticipate him being ready very soon. I’m not going to guarantee next game, but I’d say, you know, [it’s] trending that way.”

Garland has missed just three games this season for the Cavs. All three resulted in victories for Cleveland. That trend isn’t guaranteed to continue against Orlando if Garland is unable to go.

Although the Magic are struggling, they do have a formidable defense that can cause problems for ball handlers. Ty Jerome stepped up in Garland’s absence against another good defense in Memphis on Sunday. He will likely need to do something similar if the Cavs offense is going to keep humming without Garland.

Atkinson chose to start Isaac Okoro in place of Garland on Sunday. There’s no guarantee that would happen again if Garland is unavailable on Tuesday.

Atkinson said after the win over Memphis that the decision to go with Okoro was because of the matchup with Ja Morant. He mentioned that thought was given to starting either De’Andre Hunter or Dean Wade as well. With Orlando’s length on the wing, it seems more likely that either Hunter or Wade would start if Garland can’t play.

Garland is having his best season as a pro. He’s averaging 21.3 points and 6.7 assists per game on career-high efficiency (58.9 effective field goal percentage).

No other Cavaliers are on the injury report with injuries. Cleveland’s three two-way players have been ruled out for Tuesday’s game with Orlando. The Magic will be without Jalen Suggs (quad) and Mo Wagner (knee).

Source: https://www.fearthesword.com/2025/2...y-report-cleveland-cavaliers-orland-magic-nba

 

[Cleveland Cavaliers]

Player Grades: Cavs at Magic

Photo by Rich Storry/Getty Images

Hunter spurred a huge win.

The Cleveland Cavaliers are running out of adjectives to describe their recent play. A 40-point thumping of the Orlando Magic is as good as it gets.

Grades are based on our usual expectations for each player.

De’Andre Hunter​

17 points (5-8 shooting), 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 27 minutes

This game hit a lull during the first quarter. During this, it felt the Magic’s second-ranked defense was establishing itself. Then Hunter sent them back to the shadow realm.

There’s a reason why Hunter is second in Sixth Man of the Year odds. He’s become a flamethrower off the bench and did so tonight with three three-pointers in quick succession to break the cold spell.

Hunter has put the Cavs over the top. The lineup versatility he provides has given the Cavs no discernable weakness to exploit. His defense isn’t perfect and he isn’t consistently pounding the glass — but his size makes up for all.

Grade: A+​

Ty Jerome​

20 points (7-12 shooting), 2 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steals, 21 minutes

This has become laughable. You can count on Jerome to give you a point-per-minute as he continues to shred opponents with his floater and deep three-point shot. Opposing defense? Doesn’t matter. Jerome is giving out buckets to anyone who wants ‘em.

His scoring is hard to explain. Unless you’re watching Jerome nightly, you wouldn’t understand how miraculous this season has been. He’s had stretches where he is totally unguardable. Tonight was one of those nights.

Grade: A+​

Donovan Mitchell​

11 points (5-12 shooting), 5 assists, 3 rebounds, 25 minutes

Mitchell had to quite literally do it all against Olrando in last year’s postseason. Even hobbled on one leg — the series came down to Mitchell putting the Cavs on his back to get it done. Tonight? He only played 25 minutes in a 40-point victory.

The Cavs were lagging behind Mitchell in years prior. But now, the supporting cast has caught up to his timeline. The result is a 48-10 record.

Grade: A-

Evan Mobley​

17 points (6-9 shooting), 8 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 blocks

Mobley didn’t stuff the box sheet tonight but he was plenty impressive. His defense looked supercharged against an Orlando team that ranks dead last in points per game. Then on offense, Mobley was able to run the floor and crush the Magic in transition.

Grade: A+​

Max Strus​

17 points (6-9 shooting), 2 assists, 1 rebound, 21 minutes

Strus let it rip as soon as the game started. He opened with back-to-back threes before carrying that over to the second half, where he continued to can open looks. Strus has proven to be more of a complete player than a specialist — but he’s still capable of catching fire and burning an opponent like he did tonight. Five three-pointers match a season high for Strus.

Grade: A+​

Jarrett Allen​

8 points (4-7 shooting), 7 rebounds, 1 block, 25 minutes

Allen did his job on both ends tonight. Steady on offense and ever-present on defense. His frequent contests at the rim helped the Cavs hold Orlando to just 80 points. This was a relatively quiet game from Allen but a strong one nonetheless.

Grade: A​

Sam Merrill​

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

Merrill’s minutes have been rough recently. He earned an F grade after his performance against Memphis and won’t do much better tonight.

Fortunately, his sole three-pointer of the game is a reminder of why he gets an extended leash. Merrill is still one of the best shooters on the planet and is worth rolling out there for a few stretches on the chance he gets rolling.

*Grade is being amended after further thought. I a

Grade: C+​

Dean Wade​

5 points (2-3 shooting), 7 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, 19 minutes

Wade has gone from the only wing on the roster to the cherry on top of a strong frontcourt rotation. The team is relying on him less than ever before and it’s helped Wade ease into the foreground. He’s still an elite defender who can switch 1-5 (he played center during the garbage time minutes) and rebounds at a high rate.

The weight off of Wade means he’s a luxury, not a necessity. Having a role player as complete as Wade at the back of your rotation is an embarrassment of riches.

Grade: A-​

Isaac Okoro​

8 points (2-4 shooting), 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, 1 block, 24 minutes

Cleveland’s improved depth will benefit Okoro, as well. There is less pressure on him or Wade to perform now that Hunter can give them relief. This has led to Okoro looking very comfortable since returning from injury. He’s all over the ball on offense, at least, more than before. He buried a pair of confident three-pointers tonight and was disruptive on defense with a steal and block.

Grade: A​

Javonte Green​

4 points (2-2 shooting), 3 rebounds, 6 minutes

We don’t hand out grades for garbage minutes... but, newcomer Javonte Green deserves a quick nod.

Sure, it was only six minutes that came in a 40-point blowout but Green showed his worth right away. An attack on the basket — then a sprint in transition for another layup were the first two buckets of Green’s Cavalier career. His athleticism and pursuit of the ball presented itself right away. It’s easy to see how he will help this team down the stretch of the season.

Grade: A​

Source: https://www.fearthesword.com/2025/2...rome-donovan-mitchell-cleveland-cavaliers-nba

 

[Cleveland Cavaliers]

Watch Celtics vs. Pistons on Playback

Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images

Come hate watch the Celtics with Fear the Sword.

I’m not sure if you’ve heard, but the Cleveland Cavaliers have a big matchup with the Boston Celtics on Friday night. To get ready for that game, we’re going to watch the Celtics and Detroit Pistons on Wednesday night on Playback. We’ll be going live at 7 PM.

The Celtics are on the second night of a back-to-back coming off of a win over the Raptors. Meanwhile, the Pistons are riding a seven-game winning streak. Their last loss came earlier this month when Darius Garland buried a buzzer-beating logo three to seal their fate.

We will also be keeping an eye on the other games going around the league tonight as well. Those are:

• Philadelphia 76ers vs New York Knicks at 7 pm
• Toronto Raptors vs. Indiana Pacers at 7 pm
• Portland Trail Blazers vs. Wizards at 7 pm
• Atlanta Hawks vs Miami Heat at 7:30 pm
• Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Brooklyn Nets at 7:30 pm
• Los Angeles Clippers vs. Chicago Bulls 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/2025/2/26/24373537/watch-celtics-vs-pistons-on-playback-with-us

 

[Cleveland Cavaliers]

Cavs can’t stop winning, shellack Magic 122-82

Photo by Rich Storry/Getty Images

The Cavaliers extend their winning streak to eight games.

The Cleveland Cavaliers continue their revenge tour against recent playoff opponents. On Friday they blew out the New York Knicks on national TV. Tonight, they did the same to the Orlando Magic with a resounding 122-82 victory for their eighth win in a row.

The Cavs jumped on the Magic early by outscoring them 34-16 in the opening frame. The Cavaliers' offense was clicking on all cylinders as they nailed six of their 13 threes in the first quarter. More importantly, they held Orlando to just 18% shooting in the initial quarter (4-22) which allowed them to create the separation that they did.

The Magic fought back some in the second quarter as they cut the deficit down to 14 heading into the half, but a strong start to the third from the Cavs put the game out of reach for good. Even so, Cleveland kept their foot on the gas as they pushed their advantage to as much as 42 in the fourth quarter.

It was a complete beatdown.

That was reflected in the box score. The Cavaliers connected on 59.4% of their threes (19-32) while holding the Magic to just 36.7% shooting from the floor and 5-28 (17.9%) from distance.

Ty Jerome continued his torrid run. He led the team with 20 points on 7-12 shooting in just 21 minutes of play. This was the seventh time he’s totaled 15 or more points in his last 12 games. This includes scoring 15 or more in four of his last five contests. It’s becoming increasingly difficult to ignore him in the Sixth Man of the Year race.

The Cavs had three players finish with 17 points: Max Strus (5-7 from three), Evan Mobley (6-9 from the field), and De’Andre Hunter (4-5 from three). Donovan Mitchell had 11 points on 5-12 shooting with five helpers.

Isaac Okoro started in place of Darius Garland (hip) for the second consecutive game and adequately filled in. He had his best performance since his shoulder injury in mid-December as he was assertive on offense while playing good defense. Okoro supplied eight points in 24 minutes of play.

Javonte Green made his Cavalier debut. He provided four points and three rebounds in six garbage time minutes.

Orlando was led by Paolo Banchero. He totaled 26 points on 9-22 shooting. Franz Wagner was the only other Magic player to finish with double-digit points as he added in 19.

As was the case Friday, this showing highlighted how far the Cavs have come in a short time. Every basket was a struggle in last year’s playoffs against Orlando. Tonight, they effortlessly hung 122 points on the second-best defense in the entire league.

Cleveland matched their win total of 48 with the victory on Tuesday. They also have a six-and-a-half-game lead over the Boston Celtics for first place in the Eastern Conference.

The Cavs will travel to face those Celtics on Friday. Tip-off is at 7:30.

Source: https://www.fearthesword.com/2025/2...and-magic-cleveland-cavaliers-final-score-nba

 

[Cleveland Cavaliers]

Cavs will be at full strength Friday, Celtics might not be

Photo by David Liam Kyle/NBAE via Getty Images

The Cavaliers will have their whole roster available Friday’s game in Boston.

The Cleveland Cavaliers are expected to have their full roster available to them for their showdown with the Boston Celtics on Friday night. Darius Garland, who missed the last two games with a hip injury, will be available along with the rest of his teammates. The three two-way players are the only ones that will be inactive for the game.

The Celtics might not have the same fortune. Starters and key contributors Jaylon Brown (left thigh contusion) and Jrue Holiday (right hand) are both listed as questionable. Luke Kornet is also questionable for personal reasons.

Brown initially injured his leg in Tuesday’s win over the Toronto Raptors. It forced him to miss the final few minutes of that game along with Wednesday’s loss to the Detroit Pistons.

Holiday missed the game against the Raptors for rest but played in Detroit the following evening.

The Cavaliers will be fully healthy for one of the first times all season. That hasn’t been the case in Cleveland’s three previous matchups with Boston.

Getting good play at the wing is important to beating the Celtics. The Cavaliers haven’t had that in any of their three previous matchups as Isaac Okoro and Max Strus have both missed two of the previous games, and Dean Wade hasn’t played against the Celtics since last postseason. That should change Friday as all three are available as well as newcomer De’Andre Hunter, who was brought in to help with this matchup.

This matchup should serve as a good test for where the Cavs are as we head down the home stretch of the regular season. Tip-off on Friday is at 7:30.

Source: https://www.fearthesword.com/2025/2...-garland-jrue-holiday-cleveland-cavaliers-nba

 

[Cleveland Cavaliers]

Cavs at Celtics preview and gamethread

David Richard-Imagn Images

Two finals favorites duke it out under the bright lights

The Cleveland Cavaliers look to show why they are at the top of the Eastern Conference against the title favorite Boston Celtics.

Who: Cleveland Cavaliers (48-10) vs. Boston Celtics (42-17)

Where: TD Garden, Boston, MA

When: 7:30pm EST

TV: ESPN, FanDuel Sports Network

Line: Cavaliers -5.5

Expected Cavs starting lineup: Donovan Mitchell, Max Strus, Deandre Hunter, Evan Mobley, Jarrett Allen

Cavs injury report: Luke Travers - OUT (G League), Emoni Bates - OUT (G League), JT Thor - OUT (G League)

Expected Celtics starting lineup: Derrick White, Jrue Holiday, Jason Tatum, Al Horford, Kristaps Porzingis

Celtics injury report: Jaylen Brown - QUESTIONABLE (thigh), Jrue Holiday - QUESTIONABLE (hand), Luke Kornet - QUESTIONABLE (personal)

What to watch for​

Pushing the Chips to the middle​

It took 0.1 seconds to see the logic behind the acquisition of De’Andre Hunter. The Cavaliers had their eyes set on future (ideally postseason) matchups with the Celtics. Now, as the Cavaliers and Celtics close out their regular season play, the Cavaliers have stockpiled tall athletic wings to slow down the buzzsaw of the Celtics.

While the talk of the Cavaliers needing taller bodies to slow down the likes of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown is 100% valid, the offense needed this boost as well. Hunter provides a bonafide shooter at 6’8” who can challenge the wings of the Celtics more so than the likes of Georges Niang, Isaac Okoro, and Dean Wade have. The Cavaliers in the past have gotten cute with lineups to find out how to produce offense. This usually came at a price, whether it be defensive liabilities or cold shooting nights.

The Cavaliers now possess capable wings, something that hasn’t been uttered since 2018. Friday, like the previous matchups, could be asterisked by injuries if Brown and/or Holiday can’t go. The proof of concept is not going to be there for the postseason, but the Cavaliers get one last litmus test against the Eastern Conference champ gatekeeper.

Is everything status quo for Boston?​

You can call this a knee-jerk reaction. Feel free to eviscerate me in the comments. However, the Celtics, off the heels of a blowout loss to the Detroit Pistons, look to be more flawed than this time last year. Is this a case of coasting? Possibly. Or is their boom-or-bust philosophy catching up to them?

The Celtics are shooting 53.8% of their shot attempts from behind the arc. This is nothing new for them. The Celtics had a similar identity last season; however, their efficiency was better. There lies an issue not spoken of as much as the praise Boston receives. Tatum is playing his most efficient basketball and covering up the woes of a Celtics team that is too talented to play this style of ball. The Celtics are the most mortal they have been in recent seasons, and they are currently coasting by on their reputation.

Source: https://www.fearthesword.com/2025/2...njury-report-how-to-watch-cleveland-cavaliers

 

[Cleveland Cavaliers]

NBA Reacts: Where will the Cavs finish in the standings?

Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images

Let’s take a look at who’s projected to be in the playoffs as the season winds down.

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NBA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Cleveland Cavaliers fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.

The NBA regular season is winding down. Playoff seeding is coming into focus. Let’s take a look at how things are projected to shake out.

Unsurprisingly, the Cavs are expected to finish within the top four of the Eastern Conference. They enter Friday’s showdown with the Boston Celtics six-and-a-half games ahead of them in the standings.

The Cavs currently have the second-best odds to win the Eastern Conference at +270 behind only the Celtics at -150, according to FanDuel. The next closest team is the New York Knicks at a distant +800

The only difference between this listing and what we see currently in the standings is the inclusion of the Milwaukee Bucks over the Indiana Pacers. The Bucks currently have a half-game lead over Indiana, and the Detroit Pistons, on their eight-game winning streak, are close behind.

Filling out the remainder of the conference is where things get more interesting. The Pistons and Pacers are included, but so are the Orlando Magic and Miami Heat.

The Magic and Heat are both going through rough patches. Orlando is stuck in neutral as they’re 5-5 in their last 10 games and are three games under .500. Miami has struggled to adjust with the new pieces they received from the Golden State Warriors in the Jimmy Butler trade and find themselves 3-7 in their last 10.

The Atlanta Hawks are just a game behind both Orlando and Miami. Even though the Hawks were sellers at the deadline, they have a chance to sneak into the top eight of the conference to have an easier chance of getting through the Play-In.

There aren’t too many surprises in the Western Conference.

These are currently the top four teams in the standings. The Houston Rockets are the only other team that could conceivably jump into the top four, but they will have a hard time overkaing a surging Los Angeles Lakers team.

Things could get messy with the bottom four spots. If these results stand, the Dallas Mavericks and Phoenix Suns would both miss the postseason.

Mavericks fans, however, are slightly more optimistic than the national audience. They believe that their team will make it despite Anthony Davis’s current injury.

What are your thoughts on the playoff projections? Are there any surprise teams that were or were not included?

Be sure to head over to FanDuel to see the full odds for NBA futures bets.

Source: https://www.fearthesword.com/2025/2...s-where-will-the-cavs-finish-in-the-standings

 

[Cleveland Cavaliers]

Player Grades: Cavs vs. Celtics

Winslow Townson-Imagn Images

The Cavs overcome a slow start to defeat the defending champs.

The Cleveland Cavaliers spotted the Boston Celtics a 22-point lead in the first five minutes, yet somehow came back to win.

Grades are based on our usual expectations for each player.

Donovan Mitchell​

41 points (13-26 shooting), 5 assists, 3 rebounds

Mithell’s slow start is part of the reason the Cavs fell behind early. They needed their best player to assert himself at the start, but Mitchell wasn’t able to do so. He went 0-2 from the field and turned it over in his first four minutes before being subbed out.

What he did over his next 31 minutes of play more than made up for it.

Boston didn’t have an answer for Mitchell down the stretch. He provided a basket every time the Cavs needed it. This included scoring 14 in the third to shrink the deficit and 12 more in the fourth to put the game away.

The Celtics’ switching defense makes it difficult for the Cavs to run their motion-based offense. They force their opponent to win one-on-one matchups. Mitchell constantly did that.

This wasn’t a great overall showing from the Cavaliers. Darius Garland and Jarrett Allen struggled, while Evan Mobley didn’t do much until the fourth quarter. Ultimately, that didn’t matter because Mitchell was on their side.

This was a superstar performance.

Grade: A+

Evan Mobley​

17 points (6-12 shooting), 12 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 block

Mobley was abysmal for the first three quarters. He committed four fouls, had no impact on the offense (just six points on six shots), and wasn’t a disruptive defender. It seemed like it was going to be Mobley’s third straight disappointing performance against Boston, and then the fourth quarter happened.

The version of Mobley we saw in the fourth is the one we’ll need to see consistently if these teams meet in the playoffs. Mobley was assertively looking for mismatches on offense, confidently shooting from three when he had daylight, and was a force to be reckoned with defensively

The Cavs don’t win this game without Mobley’s fourth-quarter performance.

Grade: B+​

Darius Garland​

20 points (9-23 shooting), 7 assists, 3 rebounds

The Celtics targeted Garland on defense in a way that few other teams can. This influenced his offense as it never felt like he truly got into a rhythm.

But like all great players, Garland showed that he could put that behind him when the game was on the line.

His deep three with five minutes left gave the Cavs a six-point lead which was their largest at that point of the night. Garland followed that up hitting an off-the-dribble, step back, midrange jumper to give the Cavs a seven-point lead in the fourth with under a minute left.

Those two shots helped seal the game.

Grade: B​

Jarrett Allen​

10 points (4-4 shooting), 4 rebounds, 1 steal, 25 minutes

This was a tough matchup for Allen. He fought hard to stick with mismatches on the perimeter while making an impact offensively. Still, it wasn’t enough to warrant any fourth-quarter minutes.

Allen’s pairing with Mobley is beneficial against 28 NBA teams. This is the one opponent it isn’t. I’m not sure there’s anything Allen can do to fix that.

Grade: C​

Max Strus​

2 points (1-3 shooting), 4 rebounds, 2 assists

Boston picked on Strus defensively when he was on the floor with the starters. Even though he’s a solid team defender, at 6’5”, he doesn’t have the size to stay with Boston’s wings.

This is a matchup where Strus is better served being surrounded by more length on the wing. He played his best when he was on the floor with the likes of De’Andre Hunter and Dean Wade. It’d make more sense to allow Strus to be a spark plug off the bench in this matchup.

Grade: C​

De’Andre Hunter​

12 points (4-6 shooting), 5 rebounds, 1 assist

Hunter showed why Koby Altman traded for him. He provided an auxiliary scoring punch while giving the Cavs some much-needed defensive versatility.

For once, the Cavaliers could actually match Boston’s length and play some small-ball lineups of their own. The addition of Hunter allowed them to do so. This was the exact type of performance you wanted to see from him.

Grade: A-​

Ty Jerome​

8 points (3-10 shooting), 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal

Jerome turned the game around in the first quarter. He was a big reason why Cleveland climbed back from a 23-point hole to make it just a 12-point deficit after one. He poured in eight points on 2-4 shooting to go along with two helpers. This set the stage for the Cavs’ comeback.

That said, Jerome didn’t score a point after that first quarter as he went 0-6 from the field after that point. This wasn’t a good game by his standards. Still, they don’t win without his first quarter.

Grade: B-​

Sam Merrill​

3 points (1-1 shooting), 3 rebounds

Boston’s switching defense makes it tough for Merrill to be an effective movement shooter. That’s partially why he attempted just one three in nearly 18 minutes of play.

Merrill was scrappy and physical on defense. The Cavs benefited from his effort on that end. That’s all you can reasonably ask from him given the opponent.

Grade: B-​

Dean Wade​

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

Wade has rightfully earned his reputation as a Celtic killer. His versatility on defense and ability to stretch the floor on offense is exactly what Cleveland needs in this matchup. Wade provided that once again. For some reason, he only saw the court in the second and fourth quarters.

Odd substitution patterns aside, this was the type of showing you needed from Wade against Boston.

Grade: B+​

Isaac Okoro​

5 points (2-4 shooting), 3 rebounds, 1 block

Okoro is at his best when he’s able to defend guards as opposed to wings. Playing alongside Hunter and Wade allowed him to showcase that.

Derrick White struggled to make an impact in the second half. He provided just five points on 1-5 shooting. Being hounded by Okoro for part of that time was a big reason why that happened.

Grade: B+​

Source: https://www.fearthesword.com/2025/2...mobley-cleveland-cavaliers-darius-garland-nba

 

[Cleveland Cavaliers]

Cavs vs Blazers preview and gamethread

Photo by Ron Schwane/Getty Images

Cavs have won nine straight.

The Cleveland Cavaliers just escaped a gauntlet without flaw. They’ve taken out the New York Knicks, Memphis Grizzlies, Orlando Magic and Boston Celtics all amid a league-leading nine-game streak. Ahead of them now is the Portland Trail Blazers — who have found recent success in the back half of the season.

Who: Cleveland Cavaliers (49-10) vs Portland Trail Blazers (27-33)

Where: Rocket Arena - Cleveland, Ohio

When: 3:30pm EST

TV: FanDuel Sports Network, NBA League Pass

Line: Cavs -10.5

Expected Cavs starting lineup: Darius Garland, Isaac Okoro, Max Strus, Evan Mobley, Jarrett Allen

Cavs injury report: Donovan Mitchell - OUT (rest), Luke Travers - OUT (G League), Emoni Bates - OUT (G League), JT Thor - OUT (G League)

Expected Blazers starting lineup: Anfernee Simons, Scoot Henderson, Tomani Camara, Deni Avdija, Donovan Clingan

Blazers injury report: Deni Avdija - QUESTIONABLE (quad), Jerami Grant - QUESTIONABLE (knee), Deandre Ayton - OUT (calf), Matisse Thybulle - OUT (ankle), Robert Williams III - OUT (knee), Bryce McGowens - OUT (G League), Justin Minaya - OUT (G League)

What to watch for​

No one would have expected the Blazers to be this competitive. But they’ve gone 16-12 since January, good for 14th in the NBA. Portland has won four games in a row and won’t be a pushover against Cleveland.

That is, unless the Cavs keep playing like the powerhouse they have become.

Cleveland has come out of the gates fast after the All-Star break. During this winning streak, they’re first in both offensive and net rating while playing good defense as well. They’ve obliterated multiple teams by 30+ points and just knocked off the defending champs on their home floor.

Each member of the Cavaliers is hitting their stride. Evan Mobley is pulling away as the new favorite for Defensive Player of the Year while Darius Garland continues to come up big in the clutch. They should have enough to get by even with Donovan Mitchell sitting this one out.

Nothing we’ve seen from the Cavs this season suggests they will take the day off against Portland. If this is true, the Cavs will notch their third double-digit win streak of the season — and pull one game closer to a franchise record for wins. The previous record was set in 2009 at 66 wins. The Cavs are just 18 away from passing that mark with 23 games remaining. Taking care of business against the Blazers will keep them on pace.

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

 

[Cleveland Cavaliers]

Cavaliers have the length to compete with Celtics

Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images

The Cavaliers' move for additional depth on the wing paid off in Friday’s win over Boston.

The Cleveland Cavaliers are entering the final phase of the season with their eyes firmly locked on the NBA title. Miraculously, they have already clinched the playoffs. The one seed in the Eastern Conference is all but assured.

From this point forward, everything is about the playoffs and preparing for them. Coach Kenny Atkinson directly stated that he intended to treat Friday’s game against the Boston Celtics like a playoff game, and after an impressive come-from-behind victory, he has to like what he sees.

As the Cavs enter the stretch run, both the final roster moves the team made and the way the players are deployed are informative to what the front office felt they needed to win it all. Three players were added in the last month and two players were shipped out.

At first glance, the players are all very different aside from being wings. Even the way the new players were acquired by the Cavaliers was varied. Out went a scoring in Caris LeVert and a shooting specialist in Georges Niang. A trade brought in a do-it-all forward De’Andre Hunter, who could be a viable starter or a sixth man. In came a defensive specialist wing in Javonte Green. Power forward Nae’Qwan Tomlin joined on a 10-day contract after flashing in the G-League.

As different as these players are, there is one attribute that unites them all: Wingspan. Shorter arms head out, longer arms come in.

Height and wingspan of incoming and outgoing Cavaliers.

The common theme amongst Cleveland’s roster moves is a concerted effort to get longer. The Cavs have a non-traditional starting line-up featuring two bigs in Evan Mobley and Jarret Allen. While national media loves saying the Cavs start two seven-footers, Mobley and Allen are actually closer to 6’11” and 6’9”. What makes them twin towers is their length with 7’4” and 7’5” wingspans respectively.

The Cavs' most poorly kept secret has been that outside of Mobley and Allen, they are actually quite small. There wasn’t a single rotation player with a wingspan of seven feet or longer on the roster outside of those two. Dean Wade was the closest at 6’11”.

Why is length so important? Basketball, like many sports, is a game of inches. The modern game has an increased emphasis on spacing. Teams try to stretch a defense out with three-point shooting to create lanes to drive and room to operate.

The Cavaliers employ a variety of defenses including a prolific zone and multiple hybrid schemes. Wingspan impacts everything in these schemes. It impacts how close a player has to get to swipe at the ball. How far they get from their primary assignment to take that swipe. It impacts how far away they can be from a shooter and still meaningfully contest a shot when the ball is swung.

Another critical element is that when it comes to contesting shots, wingspan is comparative. The longer the shooter is, the longer the defender must be to meaningfully contest the shot.

This brings us back to the game against the defending champion Boston Celtics.

The Celtics are the single greatest obstacle standing between the Cavaliers and the NBA Finals. And they’re long.

They famously shoot more three-point attempts than any team in the league. Three of their high-volume shooters have a wingspan of seven feet or more. Jayson Tatum is nearly there as well with a 6’ 11” wingspan.

Celtics core players

This disparity in wingspan was on display in the three previous games that the Cavs and Celtics and the Cavaliers front office clearly took note. As the Celtics hoisted shots, the question was not just whether the Cavaliers were able to contest. The question was if that contest even had an impact. The wingspan differential was even more pronounced in those games as Dean Wade missed all three contests.

In Friday night’s 123-116 victory, the Cavaliers put their newfound length on display. They began the game with their familiar starting line-up of Garland, Mitchell, Strus, Mobley, and Allen. The first set of substitutes saw Mobley exit and Hunter enter. When Allen subbed out, Mobley subbed in. The next long pairing was Mobley and Wade. After that, Allen, Hunter, and Wade all shared the court.

The pattern was clear. By game’s end, the Cavaliers played 48 full minutes with two players with a wingspan of 6’11” or more on the court at all times. This was despite Mobley struggling with foul trouble and Allen playing only 24 minutes for matchup reasons. This was despite Green playing zero minutes as he is a depth piece who is new to the team. This approach was simply impossible before the Hunter trade and Wade’s return to health.

This worked. Per Cleaning the Glass, the Celtics were only in the 23rd percentile in attempted corner three-point attempts. The Cavaliers won the math battle as they methodically worked their way back from a huge first-quarter deficit to steal the game.

The Cavaliers are nearing their final form for 2025. They are healthy, they have made their roster moves, and they are longer than ever before. Every minute the Cavs play will now feature not just elite ball handling and elite rim protection but multiple long players scrambling and contesting. Every minute a perimeter defensive specialist like an Okoro or Green plays will have length behind it.

Friday’s game against the Celtics provides the first major proof-of-concept for the impact of this increased size.

The Cavaliers have been the best team in the NBA by record for the bulk of the season. Now, they are better than ever and ready to push for the title.

Source: https://www.fearthesword.com/2025/3...hunter-cleveland-cavaliers-nba-add-wing-depth

 

[Cleveland Cavaliers]

Player Grades: Cavs vs. Trail Blazers

Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

Hunter’s nine overtime points led the Cavaliers to victory.

The Cleveland Cavaliers came back from an 18-point deficit to defeat the Portland Trail Blazers in overtime 133-129. It wasn’t pretty, but they played well enough to escape with a win on a day Donovan Mitchell missed due to rest.

Grades are based on our usual expectations for each player.

Darius Garland​

13 points (4-16 shooting), 7 assists, 2 rebounds

Garland has had phenomenal outings in the three other games that Mitchell has missed this season. Sunday didn’t follow that pattern. Garland struggled to find his shot and wasn’t the game-changing off-the-dribble playmaker the Cavs needed.

This was a sloppy offensive performance from everyone on the team, but Garland bears the brunt of the blame for it being that way. The Cavs needed him to orchestrate the offense and provide off-the-dribble scoring. He did neither.

On top of that, he missed a free throw that would’ve all but sealed the game. That miss caused this game to go into overtime.

This was just a bad performance from Garland.

Grade: D-​

Evan Mobley​

20 points (6-14 shooting), 8 rebounds, 3 assists, 6 fouls

The Cavs needed their All-Stars to show up on offense. Mobley didn’t for most of the game but did turn it around in the fourth quarter. His 10 points in the final frame helped lead the Cavaliers to a win. That said, he also fouled out and wasn’t available in overtime.

Grade: C-​

Jarrett Allen​

12 points (5-7 shooting), 10 rebounds, 4 assists

Allen wasn’t the most impactful player today. He was a team-worst -12 in the win and played just one second in the fourth due to the Blazers' ability to spread the floor and play small.

To his credit, Allen rebounded to make a positive impact in overtime after Mobley fouled out. Still, it’s a little concerning that this is the second game in a row he wasn’t able to close out the fourth quarter.

Grade: C+​

Max Strus​

14 points (5-15 shooting), 9 rebounds, 3 assists

There was good and bad with Strus on Sunday.

Let’s start with the good. Strus hit what should’ve been the game-winning three with 15 seconds left that would’ve won the game if Garland had hit both free throws.

The bad: Strus didn’t have his most efficient game and had what could’ve been a costly turnover with 20 seconds left in overtime. Fortunately for the Cavs, it didn’t come back to bite them.

The Cavs benefited from Strus’s energy on a night they struggled to have any. That said, we’ve seen him play better.

Grade: C+​

De’Andre Hunter​

32 points (8-15 shooting), 7 rebounds

The Virginia Cavaliers saved the Cleveland Cavaliers on Sunday. He made the most of his chance in the starting lineup as he was the team’s most consistent and efficient scorer. That included pouring in nine points in overtime while playing the three through five.

These last two games have shown why Koby Altman went out and traded for Hunter. Cleveland doesn’t win either without him. Hunter could be the missing piece.

Grade: A+​

Ty Jerome​

26 points (8-17 shooting), 6 assists, 5 rebounds

The Cavs desperately needed someone to create off the dribble. Jerome consistently did that as has been the case throughout the season. He was the spark plug that got the Cavs back into the game after they fell down by 18 at the end of the third quarter.

Jerome took over from there. His three-point buzzer beater at the end of the third helped breathe life into what was a lifeless building until that point. From there, Jerome scored seven points and registered six assists in the fourth.

Jerome continues to provide exactly what the Cavs need on a nightly basis. They wouldn’t be 40 games over .500 if it wasn’t for his consistent bench production.

Grade: A​

Sam Merrill​

9 points (3-7 shooting), 3 rebounds

The Cavs needed Merrill to hit momentum-changing shots. He did that on Sunday with two fourth-quarter triples to get them back into the game.

This was a chipy and rough game from both teams. That’s the type of environment Merrill thrives in. It’s part of the reason he was a team-best +18 in the win.

Grade: B+​

Dean Wade​

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

You’d obviously like to see Wade produce more on the offensive end. He hasn’t registered over five points in a game in any of the five outings he’s had since returning from the knee injury. Part of that could be because of the addition of Hunter. Part of that is because of his hesitancy to pull it.

Still, the Cavs needed Wade’s defense. He was able to provide minutes at center tonight and continues to have incredible chemistry with Hunter on the defensive end. That was valuable against a small team like the Blazers.

Grade: B-​

Isaac Okoro​

5 points (2-4 shooting), 3 rebounds, 1 block

Like Wade, Okoro has struggled to fit in offensively since returning from injury. And also like Wade, he remains incredibly valuable on defense. The addition of Hunter allows Okoro to defend smaller guards. It’s an area he excels in and did so again on Sunday.

Grade: B-​

Craig Porter Jr.​

0 points (0-0 shooting), 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 block

Porter played just under five minutes, but it wasn’t very good. He didn’t have an offensive impact and didn’t step up on a defensive possession which led to an open three.

There’s a reason Kenny Atkinson chose not to play him in the second half.

Grade: C-​

Source: https://www.fearthesword.com/2025/3...-mobley-ty-jerome-garland-cleveland-cavaliers