Game Thread | Game #59 | Bulls @ Cavs | Feb. 11, 2023

Not a bad win considering our bench shot 1/19 and 0/13 from 3.

Only one Cav on the NBA Stat board. He had 29-10-6 with a steal and 2 blocks.

FANTASY POINTS​

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I'm concerned about guys burning out... but the chemistry established by the 8-9 short rotation is responsible for alot of these gritty claw backs and extending leads. Everyone is learning everyone else, knowing their spots, what to run, how to switch, who to help on, etc., stuff you can't really teach without experience. Not many teams can win when their bench goes like 1/19.

Rookie said:

5 bench points......

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The bench missed a TON of wide open looks… you’d like to think at home they’ll make more of those. Luckily none of them let that affect their play on the defensive end.

Alex Caruso played 21 minutes and never took a shot; doesn’t seem like the same player

I feel like that one layup by Garland that just hung on the rim for a sec before dropping in was the fulcrum upon which this game pivoted. In an alternate universe, it fell out & the Cavs lost by 18.

12th time we've held an opponent under 20 in the 4th quarter. We're 11-1. We lead the league in that stat.

Individual stats:

Starters:
Mitchell 29-10-6 with a steal and 2 blocks in 39 minutes. 10-18 fg, 3-7 from 3. JYD for him!
Allen 23-10-0 with a block in 33 minutes 10-13 fg
Garland 19-2-7 in 37 minutes
Mobley 14-6-3 with 2 steals in 36 minutes
Okoro 7-3-0 with a steal in 27 minutes

Bench: 5-8-10
Rubio 0-1-5 with 3 steals and a block in 17 minutes. Great defense and assists
Osman 4-2-2 with a steal in 14 minutes Again good defense. Got 80% of our bench points.
Wade 0-3-1 in 11 minutes Cold shooting tonight.
LeVert 1-2-2 with a steal in 26 minutes No offense, some defense. Off night

Cavs out-rebounded the Bulls 24 to 7 in the 2nd half

Pierre Pan said:

Alex Caruso played 21 minutes and never took a shot; doesn’t seem like the same player

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He doesn't have Lebron drawing double teams and passing to him any more. Big difference.

Cavs are learning to close out games. Yep, two months ago they would have lost this one when LaVine started going nuts at the end.

Horrible game by the bench, going 1-for-19 overall and 0-for-13 on 3's. I get they were tired but those numbers are ridiculous. And we still won.

The Cavs turned it up in the 4th quarter, winning the quarter 28-15. The Bulls scored 4 points in the first 8 minutes. The Cavs dug deep and played exceptional defense until some shots started falling. The Bulls committed 23 turnovers to 13 for the Cavs.

They did a great job on DeRozan, holding him to 16 points in 40 minutes.

For the game they were an abysmal 9-for-35 from deep, but Garland hit a big one down the stretch. With just ordinary 3-point shooting this game is a blowout. But coming off a late game last night it was clear the 3's were going to be tough to hit, as I said in the preview.

To start the 4th quarter JB put Allen and four guards on the floor: Mitchell, Garland, Rubio, and LeVert. It worked as the Cavs quickly caught up and took the lead. He soon brought in Mobley for Rubio, who was bricking everything he threw up, and that was the team that brought it home.

Very impressive win, especially the defense in the 4th quarter combined with just enough offense.

A WINE & GOLD WINNER

The replies here...ha.

Mitchell with 10 rebounds.

Batman.

Anyone grab that graphic from the broadcast that showed the Cavs last five opponent season average vs pints scored against the Cavs?

it was something like us holding the five teams, 17, 9, 27, 22, and 15 points below their season average respectively.

Cavs highlights.