2023-24 Season | Game #63 | Timberwolves @ Cavs | March 8, 2024 | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN

[Pierre Pan]

Speaking of glasses, while this is one way to look at it, Garland also made some amazing plays, including 30 foot swish and a few circus drive under the basket, drawing fouls on the bigs.. I agree hus passing is sloppy, and sometimes ill timed. There were quite a few passes to merril that put merril in an awkward position.. But Garland has the best handles on the team, and can break ankles. His decision making and pass placement needs to improve, but I see that in fact improving since he first returned..

If you’ll notice, within that same post, I did state that fortunately “DG got his offensive game going” as well. Go Cavs!

 

[Patdatass]

I’ve had a lot going on lately (it’s tax season for me), and haven’t been able to watch the last few games. Looks like Garland had his biggest game of the year last night. Hope he’s putting it all together. Also I think this last month of the season is going to show us that having one traditional big on the court at a time has better results, but we will see. Big time win!

Nice pass from LeVert to DJ….needs to make that

 

[cliffdawg]

When Merrill did not take that early open three and passed off, the whole crowd was disappointed. Sam was smiling sheepishly. He knows what’s up. It looks like teams are clearly gearing to stop him

When that happens in I’m assuming your talking about late in the game, I yell at my TV in said your in the game the game for 1 fucking reason shoot the dam ball, I could imagine what coaches/ players were saying, as it was a dead ball shooting foul at that moment.

I told my son after that if gets the ball again and has a slither of open spaces he’s letting it fly, He shot the ball 4 more times after that with 3 of them being exactly with no spaces, i didn’t care ,that’s why he in the game.

 

[2 For The Brew]

I have tickets in Houston. Please be good to go Mitchell

I missed Mitchell twice in Philly. Hope you have better luck.

 

[Holden beach]

That was a fun win.

I see why people on this board like Naz Reid. He'd be an ideal third big to mix and match with Allen and Mobley.

I'm glad Goebert is not on the Cavs. He's got no touch and complains to the refs for calling obvious fouls. I'm not going to say he's a knucklehead, but he sure acts like one.

 

[Wham with the Right Hand]

Garland was fantastic except with time running down at the end of a quarter where he always insists on jacking up a bad 3-pointer and he always misses. He had two more tonight, and the one at the end of regulation got blocked. I hate the way he wastes opportunities to score by playing hero ball.

Allen started out 3-for-10 on shots with Gobert on the floor, missing some easy jump hooks and even blowing an uncontested dunk. It looked like he had one eye on the rim and one on Gobert. But in the second half he started focusing on the shot and made some buckets, finishing with 33 points. But the really encouraging thing is he could have had 40 or more if he hadn't missed some easy shots early that he probably rushed because of Gobert.

For Allen and Garland to score 33 and 34 points against the NBA's best defense is really exciting. Garland's floater is starting to fall so he is primed for a strong finish to the season.

I've been down on Niang all year but he was great last night. A +26 in 36 minutes, highest on team, was outstanding. Even his defense was good. This might have been his best overall game of the year and we needed it on a night where Wade was a -25 in 33 minutes and failed to score a point.

I was hoping Wade's historic 4th quarter against the Celtics would carry over to subsequent games but it's looking like that was just a once-in-a season event.

The Cavs crushed the T-Wolves except for the first few minutes of the second quarter when Jones and Porter were on the floor. Porter was a -9 in 3 minutes and Jones a -12 in 7. We need to get Struss and Mobley or TT back. At least TT is just a week away.

They also would have destroyed the Wolves if not for career game by Naz Reid, who poured in 34 points in 18 shots. His career 3-point is 36.7%, but he was 7-for-11 last night. He kept them in the game with Towns out.

I think the fact that Edwards and Gobert played 39 and 40 minutes against Indy the night before was a factor. Edwards didn't score in the last 19 minutes and Gobert fouled out with 7 points.

 

[bushwick_bill]

 

[bushwick_bill]

Really fun game to attend.

I have never seen a player get dapped up less than Niang on the floor. I feel like he’s the least popular player in the league.

Glad we have him.

That double kick move he does is absolutely infuriating.

When Merrill did not take that early open three and passed off, the whole crowd was disappointed. Sam was smiling sheepishly. He knows what’s up. It looks like teams are clearly gearing to stop him.

I still cannot believe you did not go streaking during OT or after the win... I would have bailed you out...

 

[bushwick_bill]

I’ve had a lot going on lately (it’s tax season for me), and haven’t been able to watch the last few games. Looks like Garland had his biggest game of the year last night. Hope he’s putting it all together. Also I think this last month of the season is going to show us that having one traditional big on the court at a time has better results, but we will see. Big time win!

Good luck with tax season lol!

 

[RonG]

This game will go ot, so probably more.

New it was going to OT. Good win, but I think the wolves are pretenders not contenders.

 

[avs2000]

Good luck with tax season lol!

Agree on the one big guy. And I think it is Allen. He has had a great year whereas Mobley has seemed to plateaued
Okoro to me is reaching “core” status. His defense is elite and he keeps slowly getting better on offense
Like two bigs at one time is not efficient neither is dm and garland together
If DM signs I would move garland for a 3 or a bigger 2 guard

 

[cliffdawg]

I see why people on this board like Naz Reid. He'd be an ideal third big to mix and match with Allen and Mobley.

If he didn’t resign with Minnesota my understanding he was going to be a big target of ours….

 

[Wham with the Right Hand]

It's pretty obvious from the photos that Allen fouled Gobert by slamming his head backwards into Rudy's chest, forcing Rudy's arm to come up around Jarrett's neck. I can see why Rudy was upset.

 

[Wham with the Right Hand]

Mistakes happen. Referees make mistakes, too. But sometimes I think it’s more than mistakes. - Rudy Gobert after the loss to the Cavs
Wow. How do you interpret that comment other than Rudy saying the referees are deliberately making bad calls in order to favor one team over the other? He's saying bad calls are made and they are not always mistakes.

Following the game, the outspoken Gobert suggested sports betting is influencing how NBA referees are officiating games - Chris Fedor

Is he actually saying that NBA refs are aware of the spread and make wrong calls deliberately so that one group of bettors wins? Why would the refs care which team wins unless they were betting their own money or somebody was paying them?

These accusations that refs are manipulating scores because of gambling is something the league can't ignore, especially if he says that everybody know it.

 

[jjvors]

Watching the game, for the first time. This post will be my comments.

Carr emphasizes this will be a defensive game
John Michael said don't leave the game until the horn, based on recent Cavs play.

Cavs start out active. Allen with an 18 footer.
Allen fouled by Gobert within the first few minutes.
We look a little out of sync and then go on an 8-0 run led by good defense, Okoro, Niang, Garland, and LeVert.
First quarter over 25-23 Cavs. We had a 16-2 run, but Nasz Reed started scoring on us.

Second quarter, Wolves 2nd team is outplaying ours. We weren't hitting 3s.
Merrill and Porter didn't do anything offensively and were ineffective defensively.
We get down 9 and then turn it around. Defense and good offense, led by Garland.
Cavs close to within 2 but keep turning the ball over and give the Wolves points. Good defense by the Wolves.
Garland is splitting the double team whenever it comes, getting into the lane for a layup or floater.
Cavs end the half with a 16-4 run and take a 4-point lead.

3rd quarter, Wolves wipe out our 4-point lead quickly.
Cavs keep attacking, led by Garland. Allen picks up fouls and makes the FTs. He's missed 4 short shots, so far. He's at 2-10 into the 3rd.
Gobert picks up his 2nd foul on Garland driving to the bucket, a reach in foul.
Cavs fell behind and then come back behind LeVert drawing fouls inside.
Allen is also drawing fouls on mismatches. Cavs feeding Allen inside is a great move. He finishes the quarter with 13. Garland has 23.
We finish down 1. Our turnovers are up to 11.

4th quarter. Our shots are short. Naz Reed keeps scoring.
Cavs push the lead to 4 with a 9-0 run. Garland and Allen can't be stopped.
Gobert gets up to 4 fouls in the 4th. He gives an Allen a flagrant 1.
Jarrett's up to 20-13. Garland at 27 with 8 assists.
Cavs play good defense with a 24 second violation. Both teams are shooting short.
Allen inside after an offensive rebound draws Gobert's 5th foul.
Gobert drags Allen away from the ball in the last minute for an over the back call and his 6th foul. Then he draws a technical foul and Garland ties the game at 97-97.
Reed blocks Garland on the last shot. Obviously, he should have driven it. But we're not in the arena.
Cavs stop the Wolves and we go to OT. Allen has played 41 minutes, Garland 40. This is like the NBA in the 60s through the 90s with the starters getting those minutes.

OT
Key play: Garland draws a 3-point foul in the last second of the shot clock. That gave us a 3-point lead.
Then Jarrett rebounds a FT and Garland drives on Reed this time and gets a floater to get us a 5-point lead.
Conley draws a 3-point play on Garland's foul.
Garland jumps outside the 3-point line and passes it to Allen who draws a foul and hits 2.
Niang stops McDaniels' drive who bumps into him and misses the shot. "The G-Wagon is in park! You can't move him!" Great call by AC.
Allen gets 2 more free throws to bring him to 31. Cavs 111-104
Edwards is winded. He went 0-9 in the 4th and OT.

Allen is not. He closes the game with 33-18.