The Cleveland Cavaliers picked up their second win in a row against a top-tier team with a 117-108 win over the Houston Rockets.
The Cleveland Cavaliers came out strong on the second night of a back-to-back. Tristan Thompson set the tone for the team as he was able to grab 20 rebounds, including nine on the offensive end. He finished with 16 points and four steals in the win. Collin Sexton carried the scoring load as he put up a career-high 29 points on 14-of-21 shooting with four rebounds and two assists. Jordan Clarkson closed the game out for Cleveland, contributing 12 of his 20 points in the final frame.
Pay it forward.
— Bally Sports Cincinnati (@BallySportsCIN) November 25, 2018
As one of the @cavs' veteran leaders, @RealTristan13 is using his experience to help young guys learn under him, just as he learned under LeBron.#BeTheFight pic.twitter.com/S9kS8QbEVY
Houston played this game without Chris Paul, who sat out the game for precautionary reasons. James Harden had an MVP-type night as he finished with 40 points and 13 assists, but it wasn’t enough to pull out the win in Cleveland.
The Cavs have put together three very good games and are slowly becoming the team that many hoped they could be. Here’s what we learned from the win.
Thompson continues to be a monster
Thompson embodied everything the Cleveland Cavaliers need to be in order to win. Thompson was a force on the offensive glass which almost single-handedly kept the offense afloat against an elite offense. Cleveland shot a lower percentage from the floor and connected on eight fewer three-pointers than Houston, but they still found a way to pull out the win.
The @cavs' prowess on the boards was a team effort, but @JordanClarksons gives a shout out to one teammate who was particularly monstrous there.#BeTheFight pic.twitter.com/HjcdvLOJkb
— Bally Sports Cincinnati (@BallySportsCIN) November 25, 2018
Their offensive rebounding was the main reason why they were able to survive, as they collected 51.0 percent of their misses, per ESPN. They finished with 20 offensive rebounds and 23 second-chance points in total. This is exactly what the Cavs need to do to win games.
Thompson continues to set the tempo for this team as the leader on and off the floor. His effort on the offensive glass the last two nights has made the difference against much more talented opponents.