Cleveland Oh. – The Cavs were missing Donovan Mitchell but got contributions from 6 players to reach double figures as they defeated the Detroit Pistons 108-100. In a game that saw the Cavs Max Strus catch another “body” (dunk on an opposing player) and Darius Garland return and give the Cavs 28 points while shooting 6-8 from three, the Cavs were able to pull their overall record to 6-6, while bringing their In Season Tournament record to 1-1. They also now have a positive point differential, which may come in handy later on.
The first half saw the Cavs build a lead of as many as 16 points. Max Strus went 3-5 from three and led the Cavs with 15 points. Strus’ best moment of the night came in the second quarter, when Detroit rookie, Ausar Thompson tried to take a charge, but Strus was able to maneuver just enough, but still got enough contact to consider it a “dunk on.”
STRUS IS ON THE LOOSE. #LetEmKnow https://t.co/zOpjnFpUBs pic.twitter.com/kF3MPHIyGI
— Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) November 18, 2023
Craig Porter Jr. was also a bright spot for the Cavs. He finished with 12 points and 5 assist but did most of his damage in the first half as he came in and scored 6 straight points. Porter Jr. has become a steady hand while Ty Jerome is recovering from an ankle injury. While Porter Jr. is on a two-way contract, he has shown the ability to lead the second unit. The Cavs front office will have some decisions to make here in the future as Porter jr. is only allowed to be with the Cavs a certain number of days. Jerome has been out since the first week of the season and Porter has been holding the second unit down. He’s a rookie, so there are rookie mistakes, but because he is an older rookie, he has shown poise that will make it difficult to allow him to stay on a two-way contract.
The In Season Tournament is becoming a favorite. Teams that still have a chance are really locked in. the prize money of $500k might be a great incentive, but the opportunity to win a postseason-like tournament during the season is a plus. The Cavs lost their first game to the Pacers by 5 points but won tonight by 8. That means their record is 1-1, and they have a plus 3-point differential. Their next tournament game will be on the road against Philly. That game will be on TNT.
Detroit’s Cade Cunningham led the Pistons with 20 points. The third-year guard was limited to 9-21 shooting which was attributed to the Cavs defense. No other Piston scored more than 11 points. The Pistons were held to 43% shooting from the field, and 25% from three. The Cavs’ defense was hit and miss, but generally, they controlled the game. They will look to build on this win Sunday as the defending NBA Champion Denver Nuggets come to town. The Cavs are hoping to have Mitchell back. When the team is at somewhat full strength, the Cavs are a dangerous team. As long as they stay consistent, the Cavs can compete with anyone. Let’s see if Sunday can bring another win.
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