The Cleveland Cavaliers dropped the tail-end of a back-to-back with a 119-95 loss to the Washington Wizards in D.C.
Back-to-backs are tough for good basketball teams and are nearly impossible for bad ones who are missing four rotational pieces. The Cleveland Cavaliers played this one like it was the second night of a back-to-back. They were careless with the ball on the offensive end, committing 23 turnovers, and were lifeless on defense. It was the perfect recipe for a road blowout loss.
Bradley Beal led the way for the Washington Wizards with 20 points on seven-of-16 shooting, and seemed to often be in cruise control. John Wall didn’t have his best shooting night, as he finished with just eight points on three-of-10 shooting. However, he was able to contribute nine assists, two steals, and a block in the win.
Collin Sexton was the lone bright spot for Cleveland in a game where they had no chance from the opening tip. In this one, he finished with a career-high 24 points on 9-of-16 shooting with three rebounds and two assists.
Tristan Thompson continued to show that he’s currently the Cavs’ best player. The Cleveland Cavaliers played their best basketball with him on the floor as he finished with only a minus-5 in what was otherwise a blowout loss. He contributed nine points, eight rebounds, two assists, and two blocks.
David Nwaba strung together strong back-to-back offensive nights as he finished with 11 points on five-of-eight shooting with seven rebounds, two steals, and a block. His defensive pressure continues to be impressive on the perimeter as well.
Here’s what we learned from another blowout loss.