PHILADELPHIA – It was not pretty, it took five minutes extra and they almost blew it up with a miserable third quarter and a few errors late, but the Cleveland Cavaliers equaled their longest winning streak of the season – and they could thank promising young core for it.
The Cavaliers won their third consecutive game, beating the East-front Philadelphia 76ers for the second time this season, 112-109 overtime. This time, Philly had MVP candidate Joel Embiid, who finished with 42 points (just not Tobias Harris).
No Andre Drummond, who did not undertake this trip as the organization is still looking for a trading partner. No Kevin Love, who is unlikely to play before the All-Star break due to a high grade calf strain. No Matthew Dellavedova, who is still fit this season, thanks to a severe concussion and recent appendectomy. No Larry Nance Jr., the unsung hero of the team’s quick start who is steadily progressing after surgery on his left hand, but is still nowhere near a return. Taurean Prince (personal reasons) and Cedi Osman (back spasms) were also unavailable. All six veterans were expected to provide support and experience.
The Cavs’ kids are learning to stand on their own.
Head coach JB Bickerstaff discussed the burden that the youngsters had to bear due to the injuries. He acknowledges the growing pains that come with it. She hopes: the organization will be better for it. That experience will eventually bear fruit. Call it baptism of fire.
“Every time you achieve such a difficult victory, it validates what you are capable of,” Bickerstaff said. “I do not want to jump the gun, because we are going to keep testing. Every day is a new test for us and we have to answer the tests. I feel that we are improving, I feel that we are getting better as a group. Are we already there? No, we’m not done. But I think we’re getting better and we need to keep answering the clock as we test it. “
Sexton scored a team-high 28 points on 11-of-27 shots to go on to play with five rebounds, three assists and three steals in 45 minutes. With less than two minutes left and the Cavs in a row, Sexton pulled off a three-point lead before saluting 76ers assistant coach Sam Cassell, letting the opposing bench know how big his … gut is.
Darius Garland scored 11 of his 25 points in overtime. He also had nine assistants. Garland said early on Saturday morning that even though the defense of opponents is determined to prevent him from getting into the paint, he will continue to play his own game. He just did it and moved on to the track for smart finishes and patented drivers, two of whom came in overtime to keep the Sixers at a distance.
“I thought he was really good and I thought it was growing and stepping in the right direction,” Bickerstaff said of Garland. “He has the green light to play the right game. They got rid of him, so he has to make it. He had the confidence to stick to it and in the piece he found, the finishes around the glass and those little drivers. ‘
Isaac Okoro had his best night as a rookie before throwing out. He scored a career-high 15 points, with eight rebounds, three posts and three assists. Okoro scored Cleveland’s first three points in OT.
Defensive anchor Jarrett Allen has struggled with Embiid throughout. Allen finishes with 14 points and 10 rebounds. Even Dean Wade, the 24-year-old supplement, contributed with six points and 12 rebounds. The Cavs have been 3-0 since Wade was included in the starting lineup.
After leading the Cavs the entire first half, with a nine-point lead until halftime, the Cavs missed the third quarter by six times, forcing Bickerstaff to make a timeout and try to regroup. They missed two more shots before Okoro’s attacking setback gave them a chance to finally break the ice. Despite coming flat out of the locker room and scoring 16 points in third place, the Cavs held on to a two-point lead in the fourth quarter.
They have played just enough in the last 17 minutes. They showed sufficient stance against one of the best in the league which was 14-2 at home, overcoming four straight errors at the end of the regulation and then an expensive turnover that enabled the 76ers to make it a game with one possession with 20 seconds left in OT. . Cleveland battled to the final buzz and clinched a grueling February with a third consecutive victory, led by four of the Cavs’ most important building blocks, scoring 82 of their 112 points.
This is what growth looks like. Saturday’s game, more than any other, was a glimpse into the future.
Homecoming
The unfit rookie swimmer Lamar Stevens, a Philadelphia resident, was back home for the first time in his NBA career. Stevens received extended playing time, and he failed in 19 minutes.
Streak cracked
Early in the second quarter, Dylan Windler missed a triangular corner, ending a series of nine tries that spanned two games. It was the longest consecutive series from outside the arc since Kyrie Irving in 2015. He finished with eight points, not a try among them.
Following
The Cavs will conclude this mini-doubles trip to Houston on Monday night. Tipoff is set for 9pm
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New Cavs face masks for sale: Here you can buy Cleveland Cavaliers-themed face masks for coronavirus protection, including a single mask ($ 14.99) and a 3-pack ($ 24.99). All NBA proceeds are donated to charity.
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