1 stud, 1 dud for Cavs in last night’s demolition of Utah

Cavs dud: Limiting of turnovers

There really isn’t a lot to point out in the negative column after Monday night’s win. The Cavaliers were hot from the field and played a very efficient game. The only real problem last night, and it’s something that has happened many times before, is the turnovers. Utah, a team that only forces opponents into 14 turnovers per game, forced the Cavaliers into 20 turnovers last night.

While a lot of the turnovers happen on the break when the Cavs can be at their best, it’s still tough to stomach 20, considering six are coming from the point guard. Darius Garland‘s turnovers are slowly becoming a problem on the offensive end. He seems to be trying to get too deep into the paint at times and is also over-dribbling.

Hopefully, as Garland and Mitchell become more seamless as a backcourt duo, the turnovers will start to slow down. But, for as good and efficient as the Cavaliers were last night, the only thing that kept the Jazz in the game, for the most part, was Cleveland’s turnovers.

Now, during a game in December, you’ll take the win and not think twice about it. Even having said that, if the turnovers are still a major concern three or four months from now, that may be a much bigger problem.

After their embarrassing loss to the San Antonio Spurs a week ago, the Cavaliers have reeled off four straight wins, with three coming in the friendly confines of Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. They still sit in third place in the Eastern Conference, two games behind the Milwaukee Bucks at the head of the Eastern Conference.

Speaking of the Bucks, the Cavaliers will welcome Giannis Antetokounmpo and company to Cleveland on Wednesday night. In the only other two meetings between the two this season, Milwaukee has collected both victories, winning by an average margin of victory of 15.

In what will surely be one of the last big matchups of the 2022 calendar year, the Cavaliers will have to try and find a way to slow down Antetokounmpo, who’s averaging 31 points per night this season, while shooting an absurd 53% from the field.

Luckily the Cavaliers, and Cedi Osman, put the Jazz to bed early last night so Donovan Mitchell and some of the other starters were able to get a little bit of rest.

They will absolutely need it if they want to beat the best team in the Eastern Conference on Wednesday.