Cavs: Looking back at 3 most entertaining games of 2019-20 thus far

#2: February 24 – A 125-119 comeback W over the Miami Heat

The second-most entertaining Cavaliers game to this point of this season was a thrilling fourth quarter comeback against the Miami Heat on February 24.

This one was really, really ugly through three quarters, and that was with Miami without Jimmy Butler (personal reasons) and Tyler Herro (ankle injury). Through the end of three, the Cavs were down 19 points, and were in desperate need of a spark.

That’s when Bickerstaff rolled out a funky lineup of Garland-Kevin Porter Jr.–Larry Nance Jr. (at the 3 position!)-Love-Thompson, and that group got after it right away, and it was evident that Nance was bothering Miami sharpshooter Duncan Robinson in a big way. Robinson had been scorching the Cavs in the first half of this one, with 15 points, all from three-point range, and while he didn’t score in the third, Miami was still controlling this one and cruising along.

From there, Nance didn’t give Robinson any air space, and at the other end, was a mismatch inside at 245 pounds compared to the more slender Robinson, as Nance got a few big interior buckets on post-ups, and Larry eventually would have 16 points on eight-of-11 shooting, to go with eight rebounds, two assists and two steals.

While Bam Adebayo did end up having 22 points, 13 rebounds, a remarkable nine assists, to go with four blocks and three steals, per ESPN, Thompson, a bench contributor (and has been since the deadline when he and Drummond have both been able to go), and the Cavs were much more physical against Adebayo in the fourth.

Bam ended up having six turnovers in this one, and more aggressiveness defensively against him and Goran Dragic, who had been killing Cleveland and had 22 points and six assists off the bench, in the fourth was huge in turning the tide of this game.

All in all, the Cavaliers conceded just 12 fourth quarter points, and what then happened at the other end, when Cleveland had 31 points, was most notably the KPJ show.

He ended up having a career-high 30 points in this one, and as KJG’s Corey Casey highlighted, Porter had half of those points in the fourth quarter/OT. Plus, then in overtime, Love, KPJ and the Wine and Gold would grind it out, winning that stretch 14-8 and capping what would go on to be the tied for the biggest fourth quarter comeback in team history, according to ESPN Stats & Info.

Darius Garland played well in the fourth quarter stretch, too, and ended up having 14 points, seven assists, two steals and a block in the game, but again, this performance by Porter was unreal to watch, and it was understandable why Fox Sports Ohio re-aired it on Saturday.

This one also showed how KPJ is at least at the moment, arguably the Cavs’ most promising young player moving forward.

So what’s been the most entertaining Cavaliers game thus far of 2019-20 going into the NBA’s season suspension? To me, it was way back.