The Cleveland Cavaliers were out of gas.
They played the red-hot Philadelphia 76ers on the road on Tuesday night, a short-handed win over the reigning MVP and a team that had been nearly unstoppable thus far this season. The game went to overtime, with multiple players cracking 40 minutes. The Cavs then had to fly straight home to Cleveland to host the Miami Heat the following night, the Heat having had the day off on Tuesday to leisurely make their way to Northeast Ohio.
That made the result of the game disappointing but not unexpected. It was what many analysts call a "schedule loss." The Cavaliers started out flat, going down 16-2 to the Heat, and they would never recover. Head coach J.B. Bickerstaff waved the white flag early, letting a group of youngsters play the entire fourth quarter. Cleveland ultimately lost 129-96 to the defending East champions.
The Cavaliers just didn't have it
The Cavs were unlucky to lose by 33 points, as the Heat shot a blistering 20-for-35 from deep, 57.1 percent. Yet many of those looks were wide open shots as the Cavaliers' defenders were slow to react. Kyle Lowry shot 7-for-10 from deep en route to a game-high 28 points, while Heat rookie Jaime Jaquez Jr. pitched in 22 points on 7-of-10 shooting from the field. Missing All-Star big man Bam Adebayo didn't slow them down one bit.
The Cavaliers were down multiple key players of their own, including Donovan Mitchell and Dean Wade, and it showed. It was a complete drubbing by Miami, but there is still information to be gleaned from the contest. Here are players who stood out, for good or for ill, in Wednesday's loss.
Craig Porter Jr. cooked
The Cavaliers were riding high heading into Wednesday's game, winners of four-straight despite multiple backcourt injuries. The sheer volume of guards missing from the lineup made it possible for undrafted Craig Porter Jr. to get playing time, and he has taken full advantage.
Against the Miami Heat, Porter was pressed into the starting lineup and was one of the most active players on the court. He led the team with 16 points on a tidy 6-of-12 from the field, and he chipped in five assists, a steal and two blocks. He seemed unfazed by the Miami defense and played with energy on both ends of the court that many of his teammates didn't have.
Sam Merrill was scorching
Called upon for a handful of minutes during the competitive portion of the game, and then given extended playing time with the two-way players to close out the game, Merrill had a chance to prove himself worthy of more playing time.
His gravity was palpable as he raced around the court, and he shot 3-for-5 from deep. He can operate in this offense the same way that Max Strus can, sprinting off of screens and cutting at the right moment to spring free. He won't be in the rotation when everyone is healthy, but he is proving that he can be relied upon for some floor-spacing down the road.
Jarrett Allen was burnt out
Jarrett Allen was absolutely dominant in his last two games entering Wednesday, with a historic plus-minus against Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets, followed up with a strong showing against Joel Embiid and the Philadelphia 76ers. His size and movement on defense allow the Cavs to matchup up with a wide variety of opponents.
The aftermath of those victories, however, was a Jarrett Allen who was clearly exhausted. He was largely invisible on offense, shooting 1-for-2 from the field for four points. He had only four rebounds, and chipped in four turnovers, a few of which were mental mistakes he may not have made in a different circumstance. Add it all up and you have an explanation for his game-worst -24 plus-minus.
Darius Garland was contained
Darius Garland and Donovan Mitchell are still learning how to complement one another's games when sharing the court. With Mitchell sidelined over the past few games it was a chance for Garland to spread his wings and run the offense. That worked extremely well against the Denver Nuggets and Philadelphia 76ers, but Garland didn't have it back home agiainst the Heat.
Garland finished the game with 14 points, taking just two 3-pointers and matching turnovers (3) with assists (3). He couldn't find a rhythm against the Heat's amorphous defensive looks. With Mitchell out, Garland has to step up and be the number one option each game; he was not on Wednesday.
Emoni Bates was outmatched
The Cavaliers had their full complement of two-way players available against the Heat, and so Bickerstaff was able to put all three on the floor for much of the fourth quarter. Craig Porter Jr. didn't only play but he started, but at the other end of the spectrum was Emoni Bates.
Bates shot 1-for-5 from deep; it's a small sample-size, but if he isn't making shots he is a liability because of his poor defense and athleticism. His shots were largely not great in-rhythm looks but rather 3-pointers that he tried to create off-the-dribble.
There are many inside the Cavaliers organization and outside who believe Bates can develop into a future starter. If that hope is ever to be realized, he likely has to begin by finding ways other than shooting to help his team win. Agaisnt the Heat, Bates and largely the entire team just didn't have it.