Evan Mobley scored 24 points, Sam Merrill added 21, and the Cleveland Cavaliers pulled away from the Memphis Grizzlies 142-126 for their 50th win of the season. Jarrett Allen returned to the starting lineup after resting Sunday night against Indiana, scoring 13 points and blocking two shots. The Cavs’ bench did their part too, with four reserves scoring in double-digits.
After securing a playoff spot and with a healthy lead in the standings for the fourth seed, the Cavs opted to rest their star backcourt
of Donovan Mitchell and James Harden. During the game, the Cavs also locked up no worse than fourth in the conference after the Atlanta Hawks lost to the New York Knicks.
With some level of concern regarding Allen’s knee, it was good to see him getting up and down the floor with ease and making athletic plays. In one sequence in the second quarter, he swatted a dunk attempt at the rim and came right back down the court with an and-one on a tough reverse lay-in. The Cavs will be cautious with his minutes in these somewhat less essential games, but it’s important for Allen to stay sharp after his absences over the last month or so.
Mobley imposed his size and athleticism, which should be expected against a team that was playing mostly reserves and G League players. It would’ve been nothing short of concerning had Mobley put forth a bad game, especially since he sat out the night before. His 9-11 shooting from the floor was especially impressive, and some of those makes were good post moves and offensive process.
Take the starters out of the equation, and there were some definite positives for the Cavs. Seemingly every quarter, one player put themselves on display and made an impact. Nae’Qwan Tomlin had an energy-filled first quarter that helped keep the Cavs within striking distance. Keon Ellis had an excellent second quarter, punctuated by a three with just over a second left in the half. Even the venerable Larry Nance Jr. had some quality minutes, an opportunity he will likely have for the remainder of the regular season.
Craig Porter Jr. (11 points, eight rebounds, six assists) and Tyrese Proctor (10 points, three steals) played well in more expanded minutes without Mitchell or Harden, and Dennis Schroder had 22 points and 11 assists in the starting lineup. It was a very balanced effort from the Cavs overall, the kind of game that allows each player to shine for at least a little bit. And tonight, there were quite a few players who fit that.
The Cavs will get two days off before coming back home tk play the Hawks, potentially an early preview of a first-round playoff matchup. Tip-off is at 7:00 p.m from Rocket Arena.
