Cavs News: Can’t take the Heat, Mobley rising star, trade deadline primer

The Cleveland Cavaliers hosted the Miami Heat last night in a showdown of the teams in 5th and 6th place in the Eastern Conference. The Cavs had nearly their full complement of players available, with only Kevin Love missing from their regular rotation. Unfortunately, the Heat were mostly healthy too, and put in a well-balanced effort all game long.

The two teams went back and forth for the entire game, but in the end it was the Heat coming out on top with a 100-97 victory. One game after shooting 60.6 percent from 3-point range in a win over the LA Clippers, the Cavs shot just 27.5 percent against Miami. The Heat shot 45.2 percent from deep. It’s a make-or-miss league after all.

Cleveland is now just 1.5 games up on the Heat for sixth in the East, and after the promise of the early season their win-lose-win-lose pattern recently is a disappointing result. If the Cavs can go on a run they can right the ship and recover lost ground in the standings, but if they have a losing streak things could get even more concerning.

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The NBA announced the player pool for the Rising Stars Challenge in All-Star Weekend. The group of 21 NBA rookies and sophomores were voted on by the league’s assistant coaches, and will be divided up into three teams of seven to play along with a fourth team made up of G League players.

Evan Mobley, who played in the game last year as a rookie, was one of the sophomores selected this time around:

The NBA Trade Deadline is just eight days away, and as countless rumors swirl around the Cavaliers it’s hard to know the foundational facts. We’re here to help with a “Cavaliers Trade Deadline Primer” explaining the Cavs’ financial situation, their draft picks, when the deadline will take place and who they have been linked to in rumors. Check it out!

Trivia: Yesterday we noted that Cedi Osman became the sixth Cavaliers player this season to hit at least six 3-pointers in a game. The other five? Donovan Mitchell has done it 10 times (only Stephen Curry has done it more) and each of these players has done it once each:

• Darius Garland – Nov 13th vs Minnesota (his 51-point game)
• Caris LeVert – Oct 28th vs Boston (41 points in OT win)
• Kevin Love – Oct 30 vs New York (8 3s, 29 points)
• Dean Wade – Oct 30 vs New York (8-for-11 from 3)

NBA news

LeBron James pushed even closer to the all-time scoring title with a triple-double against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden, scoring 28 points in the Los Angeles Lakers’ overtime win. Not to be outdone, Nikola Jokic had a triple-double of his own with 26 points, 18 rebounds and 15 assists in a win over the New Orleans Pelicans.

To complete the night of stars, Giannis Antetokounmpo had 34 points and 18 rebounds in a win over the Charlotte Hornets, while Kawhi Leonard dropped 33 on the Chicago Bulls to give the Clippers the win.

Coming up: The Cavaliers will face a difficult test as they welcome the Memphis Grizzlies to town on Thursday night.