The Cleveland Cavaliers turned back the clock tonight in more ways than one. Not only did they wear their iconic throwback jerseys, but they also played their best basketball since last season. They beat
the Philadelphia 76ers 132-121.
Winner: Cavs’ offensive groove
The Cavs entered tonight’s game in the bottom 10 of the league in offensive rating. You couldn’t tell if you only watched his game. Cleveland hung 70 points on the 76ers in the first half, behind 12-29 shooting from deep and 25-51 shooting overall.
It felt like the Cavs found a balance between driving to the rim and firing away from the three-point line. Much of this can likely be attributed to Darius Garland, who made his season debut tonight. He only played 13 minutes in the first two quarters, but collected 8 points and 3 assists during that time.
From there, it was a cascading effect. Less pressure on other players to create advantages meant the Cavs’ offense was playing loose for the first time since last season. Cleveland scored 37 points in the third quarter, building a huge lead behind excellent ball movement and quick attacks in transition. They finished with a season-high 33 assists and looked like the Cavs we used to know just a year ago.
Winner: Darius Garland
Keeping in theme with our previous winner, it really shouldn’t be a surprise that Cleveland’s offense looked better with Garland on the court. He’s been one of the NBA’s best floor generals since his breakout in 2021, and that hasn’t changed.
The Cavs routinely broke Philly’s defensive shell and sent them into rotation. This is in large part due to Garland being on the court. His shiftiness and court vision paved the way for Cleveland’s offensive explosion.
Garland is this team’s organizer. It’s his job to make sure this offense is operating at its highest level. This was on display throughout, with Garland creating advantages on the ball, then drawing attention as an off-ball shooting threat whenever he wasn’t directly involved.
Loser: Jarrett Allen’s three-point shot
Allen previously attempted a handful of three-pointers during the preseason. To which Kenny Atkinson (seemingly begrudingly) said he was okay with Allen experimenting with his range. Allen decided to test that theory tonight by unleashing a pair of three-point attempts in the first quarter of this game.
Neither attempt was successful.
We’re all okay with Allen trying to expand his game. But there are almost certainly better shots that this offense can generate at virtually any time. There aren’t many scenarios where Allen will have to attempt a three-pointer, other than when the Cavs are leading big.
Winner: Everything else Jarrett Allen did tonight
Allen might still be searching for his first three-point shot of the season, but he did everything else to perfection tonight.
This was the best Cleveland has done all season of getting downhill and finding the bigs. Allen was the primary beneficiary, receiving an all-you-can-eat buffet of easy looks in the paint. He took full advantage, scoring 24 points on 11-17 shooting. Allen added 10 rebounds, 3 steals and 3 blocks to his plate for good measure. He finished as a team-high plus 24 in 29 minutes.
Winner: Evan Mobley’s shot chart
In stark contrast to his frontcourt running mate, Mobley found success from beyond the arc tonight. He opened the game shooting 3-of-3 from deep, putting pressure on Philadelphia’s defense to cover him. Mobley hasn’t always found the perfect balance between shooting the three and attacking the rim this season — but if he wants to keep shooting like this, then we won’t complain.
More importantly, Mobley didn’t fall in love with his jumper or ignore the paint. Only five of his 17 attempts came from deep. This is a shot chart we’d like to see more of. Mobley finished with 23 points and 3 assists.
Winner: Jaylon Tyson Island
Tyson continues to be a difference maker. His constant pursuit of the ball doesn’t always lead directly to rebounds or steals, but it keeps opponents on their back foot. Tyson is playing with a hit-first mentality that only a few players on the roster have.
He converted multiple second-chance points, including a monster putback dunk in the second half. All the while, he spaced the floor and knocked down a pair of three-pointers. It will be hard to keep him off the floor if he continues to play like this.
Winner: Donovan Mitchell
Mitchell has been making it look easy all season. He’s having the most efficient start to his career by a mile. And now, it’s getting even easier. Mitchell tallied his first 40-point game of the season tonight with 46 points on 15-21 shooting. He also dished out 8 assists to just 2 turnovers.
Darius Garland’s return means that either he or Lonzo Ball can handle the playmaking responsibilities while Mitchell focuses on scoring. This has not only resulted in plenty of open three-point attempts for Mitchell — but it’s allowed him to preserve his energy and attack the rim in bursts.
Last season, the Cavs tried to avoid wearing down Mitchell by keeping his minutes as low as possible. This season, they’ve found a way to lower his usage by having other players step up.
