Photo courtesy of the Cleveland Cavaliers
Game Night Observations: Historic performances make a statement for the Cavs
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The Cleveland Cavaliers made a statement on Friday night in Boston. Cleveland defeated the Celtics 132-123 in overtime for the team’s fourth consecutive victory and certainly its most prolific one.
Guards Donovan Mitchell and Caris LeVert each scored 41 points in what was unquestionably both of their best games as members of the Cavs. It’s only the fifth game Mitchell has played in a Cavs uniform and just the 26th for LeVert, but their performances were historic. Friday night in Boston marked the second time in franchise history that two members of the Cavs each scored 40 or more points, with the other being Game 5 of the 2016 NBA Finals when LeBron James and Kyrie Irving accomplished the feat.
Friday night’s game didn’t carry nearly the weight that an NBA Finals game does, obviously, but it wasn’t just another Friday night, either. This game was an opportunity for the Cavs to make a loud statement to the rest of the league that despite it being early in the season, they’re for real, even if they’re without their All-Star point guard in Darius Garland.
It’s crazy to say, but the 41 points that Mitchell had may have been overshadowed a bit by the 41 points that LeVert had. In a game that featured Mitchell, Evan Mobley, Boston’s Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, LeVert was the best player on the floor and the one that came up huge down the stretch (as an aside, this isn’t to say Mitchell didn’t come up huge in the clutch moments, he did, we’ll just get to him later).
LeVert came up big for the Cavs time after time, hitting big shot after big shot. He had 11 of Cleveland’s 18 points in overtime. The way that he and Mitchell played off of each other was flawless, with Mitchell even deferring to LeVert down the stretch at times.
It didn’t matter whether it was the NBA’s reigning Defensive Player of the Year, Marcus Smart, tasked with covering LeVert or someone else. No one had much of a chance. He finished the night 12-of-21 from the floor including 6-of-8 from distance. He seemingly got to his spots at will and made 11-of-12 free throw attempts.
It wasn’t just LeVert’s shot-making that made this performance so special. In a make-or-miss league there are going to be nights like this where the ball continuously finds the bottom of the net and other nights where it doesn’t. What helped to make the performance from LeVert great is that he did so much more than just score. LeVert racked up a team-high seven assists and made winning plays both on the glass and defensively.
Late in the game, LeVert corralled a missed 3-point attempt from Mitchell, dribbled to the corner, and stuck a 3-point attempt of his own to give the Cavs a lead with 1:10 remaining in regulation. It was without question one of the biggest plays of the night, and one that took not only a made basket, but a great effort to even get to that point.
LeVert has a role on the Cavs that fluctuates more than anyone else’s. There will be nights where he is asked to play strong defense, defer to Mitchell, Garland, and Mobley, and help the Cavs win. Nights like Friday, he’s needed to help shoulder the burden in the scoring column. It’s an incredibly difficult thing to not have a role set in stone, and there aren’t many guys that can handle that type of responsibility. LeVert has excelled in doing so early on in the season. Even on off nights with his shot, he’s still managed to get others involved.
Throughout training camp, members of the organization would tell anyone that would listen that a different version of LeVert was going to show up this season compared to the guy that played for the team last season after being acquired from the Indiana Pacers.
On Friday night, the NBA saw exactly what they were talking about.
Donovan Mitchell, certified superstar
It cannot be said enough – even if it’s only been five games – just how good Mitchell has been for the Cavs. Without him, the team wouldn’t be anywhere near its 4-1 record. Friday night was no different as he notched his 10th career game (regular season) of 40 or more points.
The Cavaliers expected a superstar when they traded for Mitchell in September. What they’ve gotten thus far is all of that and more.
While Mitchell had plenty of help on Friday in the form of LeVert, what he did was special in his own right. His 41 points came on 15-of-26 shooting and 5-of-9 from beyond the 3-point arc. He played solid defense and knew exactly how to pick and choose his spots and made big plays down the stretch.
What Mitchell provides the Cavs can be hard to put into words. There’s no doubt that right now – despite being only five games in – it’s his team. The 2022-23 Cleveland Cavaliers will be able to go as far as he takes them, and nights like this one can lead to the belief that he can take them pretty far.
There’s not a moment that’s too big for him, and that means there’s not a moment that’s too big for this team. Falling down by 15 on Friday night on the road against the defending Eastern Conference Champions could have been reason enough to pack it in for the night. Mitchell’s 12-point outburst in the third quarter helped prevent that from happening. His seven points in the final 6:02 of regulation helped push the game to overtime. Mitchell’s 3-point make on the first possession of overtime kept the foot on the gas and set the tone for the extra period.
Mitchell continues to impress, and if this keeps up, it’s a safe bet that he’ll make an All-NBA team for the first time in his career, especially if the Cavs keep winning like this.
More firepower on the way
What makes this win even more impressive for the Cavs is that the team essentially did it with a seven-man rotation in the second half. Raul Neto was the eighth guy and only played 3:15 in the second half. Swingman Isaac Okoro played an unimpressive 5:22 during the first half and didn’t leave his seat on the bench in the second half.
This won’t always be the case for the Cavs, as Garland will be back in the fold sooner than later. The All-Star point guard was in Boston with the team on the bench in street clothes during the game. As he was during the two recent home wins over the Wizards and the Magic, Garland was sporting a pair of sunglasses as he took in the game with his teammates.
It’s easy to think about what this Cavs team could be when Garland returns. After all, he’s only been on the court for two quarters this season, and there’s such a limited sample size of he and Mitchell working together. Even without him, this team is dangerous, and in a way, Friday night could show how things could work between he and Mitchell.
Once Garland does return to the floor, things may take some time for the Cavs to find their groove offensively and there may need to be some tinkering that’s done.
What the Cavs have shown without Garland, however, only means their ceiling with him may be much higher this year than was anticipated.
