Many of them didn’t give much of the Cavaliers’ skin in this “play-in” against the Nets. And despite this combativeness that so characterizes them, the young Cavs couldn’t falsify the predictions of the various observers on the floor, as the New York franchise enforced logic at home (115-108).
With experience and authority, the teammates of Kyrie Irving (34 points, 12 assists) and Kevin Durant (25 points, 5 rebounds, 11 assists) delivered an overall convincing performance in this ax game. Here they are now seeded for the playoffs where in the first round a very different piece awaits them, namely the Celtics.
The Cleveland players, for their part, will still need to whip to reach the playoffs, as they will challenge the winner of the game between the Hawks and the Hornets in a final playoff game Friday night. Good news for Darius Garland (34 points, 5 assists) and his family: this time in Ohio…
WHAT TO REMEMBER
† Brooklyn as boss† Far more experienced than their evening opponents, the Nets (almost) didn’t tremble in this “play-in”. Kyrie Irving, Kevin Durant and others, quickly taking control of the match (+20 after 15 minutes), thanks to a real demonstration of collective strength, recited their scales, before gradually decreasing in intensity during the match. † Steve Nash’s men dominated the racket, without Jarrett Allen, making a building site in the opponent’s defense and when it was necessary to fend off the Cavs at the end of the match, they pressed exactly where it was needed: in near the circle.
† Cleveland never gave up† No wonder for the Cavaliers, a month in a bad dynamic and logically sent away by these Nets. JB Bickerstaff’s men, crushed first in all compartments of the game, to the point of chasing the score all night, didn’t deflate JB Bickerstaff’s men so far. Led by their veterans Kevin Love and Rajon Rondo, then by their youngsters Darius Garland and Evan Mobley, they were able to turn around to give themselves a chance to pick up after the break. And force Brooklyn to roll up their sleeves again to validate their win.
† Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant without forcing† The two All-Stars want to involve their teammates as much as possible and are visibly aware that the rescue of the Nets will only come through an effective collective. In metronomes, therefore, they tried to create play for themselves and for others, while ruining very little. Discreet than usual, but no less threatening, Durant focused more on organization and defense, allowing Irving to score regardless of his defender. a real one man show of the declarer, who allowed the winger to keep himself, to better kill the Cavs in the “money time”.
TOPS/FLOPS
Darius Garland† Heroic for his first appearance outside the regular season, the Cavaliers’ leader kept his rank tonight. Sometimes supported by Kevin Love, sometimes supported by Evan Mobley, sometimes supported by Rajon Rondo, sometimes supported by Lauri Markkanen, Garland has never stopped feeding his team’s score so that he is not left 20 points from the first quarter . As a good All-Star that he is, the still elegant Cleveland leader was amazing and will have to replicate such a feat Friday night to make it to the playoffs for the very first time.
Bruce Brown† Like Andre Drummond (16 points, 8 rebounds) or Nic Claxton (13 points, 9 rebounds, 5 blocks), Brown made wonderful use of the shifts created by Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant to punish the Cavaliers. In the oven and in the mill, the Nets “glue man” finished as usual with 18 points, 9 rebounds, 8 assists and 3 steals. In this free electron role, always available at the head of the racket or near the throw line, he repeatedly relieved the Irving/Durant pair to score or send his guts to the dunk. The kind of Swiss Army knife Steve Nash can’t live without.
Caris LeVert† If Isaac Okoro and Cedi Osman didn’t really shine either, they can’t possibly forget LeVert’s performance. Expected to be one of Darius Garland’s leading relay teams, the ex-Nets player failed on the floor of his former team: 12 points, 4/12 on shots. Dominated in defense and never inspired on offense, apart from his slight outburst in the last quarter which embellished his stats sheet, he will have to catch up on Friday night or else he will not come under fire from criticism for his offensive irregularity.
Seth Curry† Back from injury, but probably still hampered by his ankle, Curry rarely got water. In 34 minutes he hasn’t scored a single basket (0/4 to 3-pts), not even a single point! Despite some great shooting positions, the Brooklyn guard was surprisingly hesitant on several occasions, which is not usual for him. To make matters worse, and a testament to his difficulties of the day, he took his time to orientate himself on the ground and lost two balls almost in quick succession, due to a foot touching, before the break.
THE FOLLOWING
brooklyn : Travel to Boston, Sunday night, to start this first round of the playoffs.
Cleveland : reception of Atlanta or Charlotte, in the night from Friday to Saturday, to take 8th place in the East.
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