Even the stormiest of weather can't last forever.
The Cleveland Cavaliers finally managed to clear some stormy waters with a 110-91 victory over the Detroit Pistons. The Cavs seemed to turn a new leaf after a turbulent week that saw the squad drop three games by a combined eight points, including a 4-point loss to the Houston Rockets that saw guard Darius Garland drop a near-season-high 39 points. Cleveland had played in calmer waters for most of the season as they garnered a record of 36-6, the best in the league and a testament to how far they had come from seasons past.
Not even the most troubling of trends could keep the Cavs from claiming their second victory of the season over a familiar face in Detroit head coach J. B. Bickerstaff.
How did the Cavaliers right the ship?
The guard duo of Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland, who are now in their third season together, led The Land with a combined 43 points in what would ultimately be a bout on the interior for both sides. Cleveland and Detroit hit a combined 27.5% of their 3-point attempts. Only one Cavalier shot at a rate above 35%.
Garland, who has proven to be a sharpshooter for the Cavs in recent matchups, went three for 11. The 6th-year Cavalier still found ways to be efficient in and around the paint as he routinely scored off the pick-and-roll. Mitchell battled against Detroit's taller guards to overcome a cold spell in the second quarter and finish the game with six makes on 12 tries from the floor.
Center Jarrett Allen, a fifth-year stalwart on the interior for Cleveland, ended the night with what would be his 25th double-double of what is quickly becoming a historic campaign for the Cavs. He logged 16 points and 11 rebounds as he continued to be an interior anchor for the East's highest-ranked squad with quick dunks and rolling layups. He added four assists as he continuously found his frontcourt partner in forward Evan Mobley in the right place at the right time.
Though it didn't show up on the stat sheet, Mobley's confidence from the mid-range and his post moves off drives would ultimately lead to a double-double of his own. The former USC sensation ended the night with five offensive rebounds, one off from his season high, as he fought to gain extra possessions on the inside. He would only be outdueled on the boards by 3rd-year center Jalen Duren, who garnered seven rebounds on offense and 16 total rebounds while swatting away three shots.
The Cavs will move on to face the Miami Heat before beginning a short 3-game home stretch. The Heat are in sixth place in the Eastern Conference with a record of 23-22 and a home record of 12-9. Miami went through a few rough patches of its own as it began the new year, but seems to be finding its footing with a 2-game win streak. Miami is 6-8 in the month of January with a handful of short losing streaks of their own.
Guard Tyler Herro, a former SEC rival of Garland's Vanderbilt Commodores, is leading the Heat with a career-high 24 points per game. The former Sixth Man of the Year scored 30 points in an overtime win over the Orlando Magic on Monday. Center Bam Adebayo, another former Kentucky Wildcat and a 3-time All-Star, nearly added a triple-double in 44 minutes of play. The duo may be a formidable one to look out for as the Cavs look to continue righting the ship before starting off their February schedule.
The Cavs will tip off against the Heat at 7:30 p.m. EST on Wednesday in the Kaseya Center. The game will be broadcast on FanDuel Sports Network.