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Cavaliers vs. Spurs Final Score: Cavs Foil Own Comeback, Lose 92-90

By Josh Hill

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Final. 92. 29. 90. 156

The Cleveland Cavaliers needed a huge home win against the San Antonio Spurs tonight and that’s exactly what they did thanks to the grit of their defense. 

For a team who has been bleeding points through their first handful of games this season, tonight’s defensive showdown with the San Antonio Spurs was something that the team needed. Not only was it needed to combat critics but it was needed to show the team that they can indeed play defense.

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Anderson Varejao had a brilliant night for the Cavaliers, helping to get the team a much needed win in a way that was proof that the team spent wisely to lock him up long term. One game does not justify the contract fully, but this was a night that Varejao needed after the start to the season he’s had so far.

LeBron James had his first field goal of the fourth quarter with about a minute left to give the Cavaliers the lead, which was followed up by a huge block on Boris Diaw by Kevin Love on the next possession by San Antonio. That final minute of the game showed us that the Cavaliers are capable of A) playing defense when it counts B) playing defense at all, and C) they can close in big games against big opponents.

Ultimately though, the Cavaliers lost the game as the Spurs proved that while this Cleveland team is learning to close out and play defense late in game, they can do it a lot better.

This was a game that the Cavaliers needed to win, but it’s hard to say they totally lost. A blowout would have been brutal for the Cavaliers and dropping their home record to 2-3 is not a good look. But they needed to know they can hang in there with an elite NBA team after getting blow out by the Nuggets and that’s what happened.

LeBron James turned over the ball in the final seconds of the game, which was just awful to see. But that can be chalked up to the early season jitters since it doesn’t erase the hustle the Cavaliers had in the final minutes of the game.

Moral victories do not exist, no matter how much you want to believe in them. But this was as close to that as possible as Cleveland proved things are coming together for them and this team — if they continue growing — will be really good later in the season.

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