Cavs Vs Mavs: 4 Things We Learned
In one of the most exciting games of the season, the Cleveland Cavaliers outlasted the Dallas Mavericks, 110-107. Kyrie Irving‘s late dagger was the highlight of the Cavs big win.
The Cleveland Cavaliers outlasted the Dallas Mavericks in a 110-107 overtime thriller. Kyrie Irving put the nail in the coffin when he hit a three with 15 seconds to play in overtime to put the Cavs up four.
While the fourth quarter and overtime were exciting, the first three quarters were far from it. The Cavaliers came out flat and were trailing by 16 points halfway through the first quarter. They battled back and forced overtime thanks to clutch baskets (and even clutch free throws) from LeBron James and a crucial defensive stop from Iman Shumpert. The Cavaliers controlled overtime and escaped Dallas with a game they didn’t deserve to win.
Here’s fourth things we learned from the win.
Matthew Dellavedova can score 6 points in 8 seconds.
Delly ignited the slumbering Cavs with an exciting second quarter sequence that included two threes and stealing the inbounds. There are many things that Dellavedova brings to the table, but scoring 6 points in 8 seconds isn’t exactly something you come to expect from him. Then again, you learn to expect the unexpected when it comes to Delly.
The offense will go as far as Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving take them.
LeBron is the best player of the team, but the offense is at it’s best when Love and Irving are on their game. This game showed that. The Cavaliers struggled in the first half mostly because Love and Irving struggled. They shot a combined 4 of 20 from the field in the first half and didn’t appear to have their shot with them.
The Cavaliers offense looked bad in the first half due to Love and Irving’s slow start. When neither player is hitting their shots, the ball movement ceases and the offense suffers. The Cavs settled for contested outside shots and isolation plays far too often in the first half.
Fortunately Love and Irving broke out of their funk in the second half, and naturally so did the offense. As their play picked up, so did the ball movement. As a result the Cavaliers were able to complete the comeback and even shot over 60% in overtime.
Timofey Mozgov showed signs of life.
It’s no secret Mozgov has been struggling for most of the season. Mozgov turned that around on Tuesday night in Dallas and appeared to show signs of the guy the Cavs traded for last season.
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Mozgov showed on Tuesday night just how valuable he can be off the bench. He finished with 10 points, nine boards, and a block. More impressively he was a plus 18 in just over 20 minutes of play. Mozgov showed us why the Cavs should think long and hard before they include him in a trade.
Iman Shumpert may have the best hands in the NBA.
Shumpert’s hands were on display on Tuesday night. He had crucial steals in the most pivotal times of the game including a game saving steal in the waning seconds of regulation when he stripped the ball from Dirk Nowitzki. The steal was just more proof that Shumpert has arguably the best hands in the league. Not many guards could make that steal, and even less could deliver their own child.
The Cavaliers west coast trip continues when they head to San Antonio to take on the Spurs on Thursday night.