Monday night featured the type of statement win that a team like Cleveland Cavaliers desperately needed amid a bid to turn their season around. Who was notably absent from that pivotal moment? Lonzo Ball.
The Cavaliers were on the road at Frost Bank Center, taking on the San Antonio Spurs. It was a matchup against a team who proved capable of bullying the defending champions in their recent results. In spite of that, Cleveland came away with an impressive 113-101 win over San Antonio.
Ball, who was fully healthy and available, never left the bench. The Cavaliers guard received a DNP from Kenny Atkinson. Instead, it was Craig Porter Jr. who filled the backup point guard role. Porter finished the night with two points, six rebounds, four assists, one block, and registered as a +12.
The production may not blow some away from a pure numbers standpoint. However, Porter gave the Cavaliers key minutes, especially down the stretch of the fourth quarter. The Cavs point guard was steady and reliable, laying down a strong case to keep Ball firmly seated on the bench from here.
Lonzo Ball's disappointing season is finally catching up to him
Ball has averaged 5.2 points, 4.2 rebounds, 4.6 assists, and 1.4 steals per game in 2025-26. Parts of his game have continued to be positives. However, his lackluster scoring touch has consistently made him a huge liability on the offensive end.
Ball has shot a dreadful 29.9 percent from the field during 2025-26. His 3-point clip is not much better, with him only knocking down 25.6 of his 4.7 attempts per game. Stating the obvious, but a true shooting percentage of 42.5 is downright horrific.
As a result, Ball could only muster up an offensive rating of 101 per 100 possessions for the Cavaliers. That reliably took away from whatever good will may have existed regarding his playmaking and defensive abilities.
It was not too long ago that Atkinson talked about the lows of an NBA season providing valuable intel. The takeaway for the Cavaliers head coach may have just been to gamble on going away from Ball off the bench.
"We wanted to look at some different combinations," Atkinson said after the game.
Granted, the Cavs coach also discussed Ball's long-term maintenance with his health as a motivating factor for keeping him sat. This may not be the passing of the torch to Porter just yet.
However, it is tough to ignore just how impactful the minutes were from someone who plays as hard as him. Even Atkinson acknowledged as much.
"CP really, his offensive rebounding, for a 6 [foot] 4 kid, it's amazing what he does. So really good minutes, really good energy," Atkinson said.
The Cavaliers' next matchup will be Wednesday against the Phoenix Suns. It will be worth monitoring whether Ball or Porter get the first look once Atkinson needs a point guard to come off the bench.