Six straight losses, this one to a bad team coming off an overtime game in Miami the night before. Normally playing at home you win these games, but the Cavs flat out suck right now. To be fair, the Wizards tied a very good Miami Heat team over 48 minutes last night in Miami. The Wizards are a veteran bunch who know how to play.
The difference in this game is that one team had a star and one didn't. Bradley Beal was 15-for-22 from the field for 36 points. He added 8 assists, so he had a direct hand in at least 52 points. The guy was simply unstoppable and the Cavs tried a number of different guys defending him. It seemed like he could score at will.
The Cavs' defense was awful. They gave up 68 points in the first half and 56 in the second despite the Wizards slowing it down the last three minutes. Beal made some great contested shots but there were too many easy layups when he dribbled around a pick and cruised to the rim with no resistance. Love and Osman were horrible defensively, although Cedi had a spectacular block.
Thompson only played 21 minutes as he was ineffective and Larry Nance Jr was playing great. Nance finished with 22/12/3 in 28 minutes. That was probably his best game of the year. Collin Sexton had a terrific game with 29 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 steals. He was 10-for-15 from the field and had an impressive left-handed dunk, getting the and-one.
This game was pretty much over after three quarters as the Wizards led 100-84. The Cavs made a little run to cut the deficet to 9 points but you knew Beal was going to come back in and quash the comeback and that's exactly what happened.
Ish Smith, age 31, had a nice game off the bench with 17 points and 0 turnovers in 26 minutes. Davis Bertans had 17 points in 27 minutes as the Wizards' bench outscored the Cavs' bench 59-34. This is extremely discouraging since the Wizards are missing two starters in Wall and Hachimura so two of their bench guys are starting. No problem. Their bench still destroyed ours.
Delly only played six minutes even though Knight is out. His playing time is getting less and less. I don't think Beilein thinks he has much to offer. I doubt he's back next year.
Dante Exum had a huge game on Jan. 5 against Minnesota with 28 points. Since then he's scored 15 points in six games. He's been sick so maybe that explains it, but right now he looks like just a guy who does nothing above average and can't shoot. With Porter out this is his chance to get his career untracked but he has not been able to take advantage. I thought he might be able to use his big game as a springboard to get him going, but then he got sick just at the wrong time and now he's floundering. He was a -28 in 15 minutes tonight; the next worst Cav was -7.
The Wizards shot 55% from the field and 44% on 3's as the Cavs' defense was barely perceptible. The Cavs were outscored by 15 points on 3-point shots and lost by 12.
In Larry Nance Jr's last four games he's 24-for-34 from the field (71%) and 5-for-9 on 3's. He needs to get more minutes. That time off to let his sore knee get better seems to have helped.