The Cleveland Cavaliers jumped out to a 15-point lead at the start of the second quarter, and then proceeded to score 16 total points in that frame.
Cleveland spent the rest of the night trying to claw out of the hole they dug themselves. They had two chances to tie the game on the final possession, but Donovan Mitchell couldn’t get either three-ball to fall. The Atlanta Hawks escaped with a 114-111 victory.
Three stars of the game
First star: Onyeka Okongwu
29 points, 12 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, 1 block
Okongwu set the tone for the Hawks on both
ends. He was forceful in his drive to the rim and was effective when he popped out beyond the arc, going 4-for-6 from three. On the other end, he was a strong backbone for what was an effective defensive unit.
Second star: Nickeil Alexander-Walker
25 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 block
Walker provided some much-needed scoring punch from the perimeter. His seven timely points in the fourth quarter helped the Hawks keep a hold of the lead throughout the second half.
Third star: James Harden
24 points on 7-of-14 shooting, 5 rebounds, 4 assists
Harden is at his best when he’s getting into the lane. That allows him to get to the line, finish at the rim, and most importantly, create for others. That third part wasn’t necessarily there today, but the converting shots inside and parading to the free-throw line (7-for-9) were.
This was a step in the right direction after a difficult start to the season for Harden.
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Dud of the game
Peyton Watson
4 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 5 fouls
Watson backed up his best game as a Cavalier with his worst. He picked up his fifth foul before the start of the fourth quarter. Being in foul trouble influenced his aggressiveness defensively, taking away one of his best attributes.
On top of that, Watson struggled to find his shot despite getting good looks. He missed a contested fast-break dunk with four and a half minutes left that immediately led to a three on the other end. It was a five-point swing that went from the Cavs having momentum to being back down five late. Sequences like that are back-breaking when you’re trying to get back into a game on the second end of a back-to-back.
Cavaliers who deserve shoutouts
Tyrese Proctor
7 points, 6 rebounds, 1 assist
Proctor’s role has been inconsistent to start the year. He saw playing time in Cleveland’s first few games, but has since lost minutes to Meleek Thomas. Proctor got another chance to play Thursday after the rookie missed this game with foot soreness, and he performed well.
This wasn’t a breakthrough outing by any stretch, but it was what you want to see when your third-string guard is thrust into the rotation. Proctor defended his position well, took on some of the on-the-dribble responsibilities when needed, and didn’t hesitate when the ball swung to him on the perimeter.
Sam Merrill
16 points, 3 assists, 2 rebounds, 1 steal
Merrill helped the Cavs jump out to an early lead. Nine of his 16 points came in the first quarter thanks to his hot three-point shooting. He went 4-for-8 from beyond the arc, on a night the rest of his teammates struggled to generate anything easy. This performance was much needed for Merrill, who came into this game shooting under 30% from three in his first four outings.
Play of the game
Jarrett Allen also converted a mid-range shot from the top of the key. The jumper has looked good in a small sample size.
Stat of the game
Cleveland went 6-for-21 from the field (28.6%) and 1-for-9 from three (11.1%) in the second quarter.
Teams usually have down quarters, but those lulls can’t result in just 16 points. The Cavs have struggled to stop the bleeding at various points this season. This second quarter joins the third quarter against the Philadelphia 76ers and the fourth quarter against the Brooklyn Nets as illustrations of just how bad the Cavs can look for extended stretches.
Quote of the day
“We haven’t had that great game. We haven’t had that full complete 48 minutes of domination. … [It’s been] peaks and valleys.”
– Kenny Atkinson on what he’s seen from his team through five games
This game will be remembered for the consistent inconsistencies
The Cavs have shown glimpses of the best and worst versions of themselves so far this season. Oftentimes, these have happened in the same game, making it difficult to tell what this team is and what they could become.
Consistency is what separates great players and teams in all sports.
For example, any professional golfer can shoot a better score than Scottie Scheffler on 18 holes. Few can do it over a four-day tournament.
Likewise, even the World Series champion Milwaukee Brewers lost a third of their games. That means their opponent typically bested them once in every three-game series. The difference between them and everyone else wasn’t necessarily how they looked on their very best days — although their best was pretty good. The difference was their floor. There was a consistent level of excellence that kept them above their competition, even on their mediocre days.
We know that this Cavs team can look great for stretches. This game proved that once again as they dominated the first quarter. Their defensive rotations were on a string, and the ball was humming offensively. That version of the Cavs can beat any competition you put in front of them.
Yet, those highs don’t matter if the lows are just as low. The floor with this team isn’t very high or stable right now. Until it is, they can’t be trusted to consistently win, like they have the talent to do.
There isn’t one reason why the bottom falls out as consistently as it does. That’s what makes this so frustrating. Sometimes it’s turnovers. Sometimes it’s rebounding. Against Atlanta in the second quarter, it was just bad shot-making.
There isn’t a simple fix to this, but it’s something that needs to change. And until it does, losses like this — where they’re better than their opponent for large portions of the game — shouldn’t be all that surprising.
