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The Cleveland Cavaliers narrowly took down the Brooklyn Nets. Let’s go over today’s winners and losers.
LOSER – Playing down to your opponent
I understand that Sunday afternoon games can lead to weird outcomes. But, seriously? A dog fight with the Brooklyn Nets?
It’s one thing when multiple key players are in street clothes. I was willing to take the moral victory against Milwaukee and Detroit. But this Cavalier squad is simply too talented to struggle against the Nets. Especially when James Harden, albeit playing with a broken finger, is back on the floor.
I don’t want to take too much away from Brooklyn. They executed their gameplan and played superb defense for most of the game. It’s just that Cleveland has enough tools in their box to overcome anything the Nets could throw at it. Not being able to counter something as redundant as trapping Harden is a huge disappointment for the Cavs.
Much of this comes down to energy and focus. Two issues that have plagued the Cavaliers at their worst this season. I’m not going to crush them for a Sunday game in March. But these things will need to be cleaned up as we enter the home stretch of the season.
WINNER – The James Harden Whistle
This was a nice change of pace.
Harden recently ended a game with zero free-throw attempts for just the fifth time since 2021. Naturally, we began to wonder if that was a sign of trouble. Could Harden’s favorable calls be neutralized by being in the Wine and Gold?
That wasn’t the case in Brooklyn.
While some of the officiating was questionable, Harden earned 12 free throw attempts. He missed four of them, which was out of character, but maybe he’s just getting used to actually taking them again. Let’s hope his free-throw rate starts to normalize moving forward.
Harden finished with 22 points, 9 rebounds, and 8 assists. It wasn’t a perfect game, but the Cavs needed his creation tonight.
WINNER – Evan Mobley
The Cavs have a few things on their to-do list before the season ends. Integrating Harden and the other newcomers is at the top of the list. But getting Mobley into a consistent groove might be the most important task.
Mobley’s had a bumpy season. He struggled early, then began to put things together before suffering multiple calf strains. These setbacks have muddied what was otherwise looking like a return to form for Mobley.
We’ve seen him dominant off the dribble in specific games. He’s remarkably light on his feet for a seven-footer, and his explosive leaping ability allows him to finish over anyone when he’s playing with aggression. Getting that assertive version of Mobley has always been the challenge.
Tonight was a small glimpse of that. Mobley had success scoring in the paint against Brooklyn, punishing mismatches and filling the gaps for easy buckets. His 6-12 shooting was complemented by 10 free throw attempts, a sign that he’s putting his head down and drawing contact by being aggressive.
Mobley also collected 13 rebounds, including the game-sealing offensive board.
The Cavs will want to build on this performance and keep Mobley as a focal point of their offense moving into the final stretch of the regular season.
WINNER – Keon Ellis
Five blocks and three steals speak for themselves. That type of defensive production is hard to find, and I remain perplexed that the Sacramento Kings couldn’t see the value in it.
Ellis is fitting in perfectly with the Cavs. You can’t overstate how useful it is to have a point-of-attack deterrent at your disposal. Unleashing chaos on the opponent is what Ellis does in his sleep. He shrinks the floor with his rangy athleticism and superb instincts. Today was just another example of how talented he is as a defender.