Cavs News: Cracked Pistons, desert Durant, trade deadline

Jarrett Allen, Cleveland Cavaliers. Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images
Jarrett Allen, Cleveland Cavaliers. Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images

No Donovan Mitchell. No Darius Garland. That sounds like the recipe for a letdown win for the Cleveland Cavaliers, who were missing both of their starting guards to minor injuries last night against the Detroit Pistons. Did they stumble and end up with a loss against the Eastern Conference’s worst team?

Nope.

The Cavs’ defense absolutely cracked the Pistons, who shot just 37 percent from the field and 25 percent from 3-point range. In the year 2023, when NBA offenses are at the most efficient they have ever been, the Pistons could only get to 85 points in the game, the sixth-lowest output for any team this season. Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley walled off the paint and the Pistons couldn’t survive on a diet of contested jumpers.

The Cavaliers outscored the Pistons in the paint by a margin of 70-32, and absolutely insane stat. Allen was the best player on the court, leading all scorers with 20 points, hauling in 16 rebounds (including nine offensive boards!) and leading the way by savagely destroying the rim at every opportunity:

Raul Neto has a cool 14 points, eight assists and four steals in the spot-start, illustrating the Cavs’ incredible depth this season. Evan Mobley had 19, and Isaac Okoro had only seven but was a team-best +29 and chipped in two blocks. The Cavs have now won four-in-a-row, the second-longest streak in the NBA behind the Milwaukee Bucks.

More Cavs news

Last night a big-time trade went down, with the Los Angeles Lakers trading Russell Westbrook in a three-team deal that landed De’Angelo Russell, Malik Beasley and Jarred Vanderbilt on the Lakers. That was supposed to be the big event of the evening, and many of us in the Eastern Time Zone went to bed.

Then the fireworks went off, as Kevin Durant – former MVP, scoring champion, two-time Finals MVP and gazillion-time All-Star – was traded from the Brooklyn Nets to the Phoenix Suns. The Suns gave up Mikal Bridges, Jae Crowder and Cameron Johnson alongside four unprotected first-round picks. Does this make Phoenix the favorite in the West? How does this change the East playoff picture? We’ll be unpacking those questions today and tomorrow here on the website.

The Trade Deadline isn’t over, though, so there is still plenty to discuss. Here on the site we ranked three potential trade targets from Good to Better to Best. Then this morning, Matthew Fagan pitched a trade with the Dallas Mavericks that could happen after the Kyrie Irving deal.

NBA news

The Boston Celtics took down the 76ers in Philadelphia, which leaves the Cavs just one game back for third in the Eastern Conference. Jaylen Brown left with a facial injury that will likely cause him to miss multiple games. The Miami Heat won a close game with the Indiana Pacers and will likely pass the Nets soon for fifth in the East.

Out West, the Sacramento Kings came back to avoid an upset loss to the Houston Rockets, and with all of the drama on the trade market they are still a clear third in the West. Right on their heels are the Mavericks, who got a team-high 24 points from Kyrie Irving to key a win over the LA Clippers. The Blazers beat the Warriors and the Timberwolves beat down the short-handed Jazz to keep things interesting.

Coming up: The Cavaliers fly to New Orleans to take on the Pelicans on ESPN Friday night.