Hill posts best effort of 2017-18
From 15- to 20-minute workloads in Sacramento to a critical role in Cleveland, Hill has had quite the change of scenery since the trade deadline. With Isaiah Thomas and Derrick Rose moving elsewhere, the bulk of the point-guard minutes were now in new hands.
Hill found his form in the third, knocking down 6-of-7 shots from the field for 16 points over 10 minutes, 51 seconds. His agility off the pick-and-roll helped create space on mid-range jumpers and floaters in the paint. When Hill was off the ball and James drew coverage, he drained a pair of treys from the corner.
“Just staying aggressive, just trying to find that rhythm,” said Hill. “Just letting the game come to you, taking shots. Putting more focus on the defensive end, and the offense will take care of itself.”
Over the past six games, the Wine and Gold had depended on James for late-game production, leaning on his efforts in the absence of Kevin Love (hand). Hill is averaging 10.1 points per game this season – his lowest since 2011-12 – but an elevated role on a championship-caliber roster might be enough for him to stuff the stat sheet.
“I’ve never moved to another team in the middle of the season,” Hill said. “Just trying to figure things out. Our coaches are doing a great job of implementing us in different situations.”
The 31-year-old out of IUPUI shot a team-high eight free throws, including two conversions to expand the lead to four points with 13 seconds left in the game.
More in Cavaliers
-
Cavs take 2-0 lead over Magic
Cleveland Oh. – Well, the 2024 playoffs couldn’t have started any better for the...
-
Cavs will need Niang and Strus to shoot better for Game 2
Cleveland Oh. – Later tonight, the Cavs will go into Game 2 looking to...
-
Cavs Win Game 1 Over Magic with Defense
Cleveland Oh. – The Cavs opened the NBA Playoffs with a pretty dominant win...
-
Cavs Clinch Playoff Spot with Win Over Pacers
Cleveland Oh. – So, after all that, the Cavs have clinched the playoffs and...
Recent Comments