The Cleveland Cavaliers fell short of a comeback, losing 114-104 to the Houston Rockets. Let’s check on who won and lost the night.
LOSER – First Half Offense
The Cavs aren’t scoring the ball efficiently. They haven’t for most of
the season. But when you combine their lack of shot creation with an opponent who specializes in defensive intensity — you’re going to have a long night.
Houston’s defense was crippling in the first half. The Cavs registered an offensive rating in the 0th percentile and mustered up just 40 points on 34% shooting. Donovan Mitchell began the game 1-7 from the floor. Cleveland’s bench combined to shoot 1-11 in the first half.
This is a tough matchup to find your groove. The Rockets are a suffocating defensive team that’s full of athletes. The Cavs’ best chance of survival was an offensive explosion. That didn’t happen tonight.
WINNER – Nae’Qwan Tomlin brings the energy
Tomlin has been a standout every time the Cavs have given him an opportunity this season. Tonight, he had his biggest opportunity of the year, earning a start in place of Sam Merrill. Tomlin made the most of it.
The Cavs were searching for a spark early in the first half as the Rockets slowly built a lead. Tomlin gave the Cavs some life by repeatedly attacking the rim, grabbing offensive rebounds, and starting a scuffle with Houston’s Jabari Smith Jr.
Hustle can only take you so far in the NBA. But during an 82-game season, we’ve already seen how much of a difference it can make for Tomlin and the Cavs.
LOSER – The possession battle
The Rockets lead the NBA in offensive rebounding by a wide margin. In fact, they’re on pace to be one of the best offensive rebounding teams we’ve ever seen. That wasn’t ideal for a Cavalier team that has historically struggled to clean the glass, specifically on defense.
Winning the possession battle was always going to be a challenge. The Cavs might have a disadvantage on the glass, but they could have made up for this by forcing turnovers and nailing three-pointers to compensate for any disparity in the rebounding department. They weren’t successful at either of these things.
Houston finished with 13 offensive rebounds and 12 more rebounds than Cleveland overall. They also shot the ball more efficiently from three, and only turned it over one more time than the Cavs.
LOSER – Offensive Fouls
Jarrett Allen threw down a dunk that otherwise would have been the highlight of the night, if it weren’t for an offensive foul being called. Allen detonated an Alperen Sengun with a thunderous slam in the first half, but it was ruled that Allen’s off-arm hit Sengun in the face on his way up. The basket didn’t count, but the Cavalier crowd appreciated Allen’s poster, nonetheless.
WINNER – Bench Mob
The Cavs were stalling with no momentum in the third quarter. In an effort to pull all the stops, Kenny Atkinson turned to his energy guys. Tomlin, Porter and Ball joined a lineup flanked by Wade and Allen. This group totally changed the dynamic of this game, ramping up the intensity and turning defense into offense.
Cleveland finally began to establish itself as Houston’s turnovers led directly into transition opportunities. Allen, in particular, brought the crowd to life by forcing Kevin Durant into a turnover. The Cavs opened the third quarter trailing by 17 points and went into the fourth behind by just 4.
Ball deserves a special shout-out. His activity on both ends of the floor helped start the run. A pair of three-pointers and a steal in the open floor is what brought the Cavs back into the game.
LOSER – Free Throws
There’s not much to say here. Free throws are the easiest part of the game. When you fail to check this box, it’s going to hurt. The Cavs shot 20-32 (62%) from the free-throw line. That’s the difference in the game.
WINNER – Donovan Mitchell’s Microwave Powers
This is at least the second game this season where Mitchell opened the night struggling to score, only to find his rhythym all at once in the fourth quarter. Mitchell has shown an uncanny ability to turn up the heat at a moment’s notice. He had just 2 points on 1-7 shooting after the third quarter. He finished the game with 21 points on 7-11 shooting in the fourth quarter.
The Cavs would have liked Mitchell to start the game stronger. But, he’s been on an unreal start to the season overall. You can only ask him to do so much. The team needs to find a way to generate consistent offense outside of Mitchell’s individual shot-creating.
