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After this one, it won’t be easy to see the bright side of things. THE Cleveland Cavaliers were spanked in a game they should have won handily given New York’s depleted rotation – which suffered another blow when Jalen Brunson was injured on the field. Knicks“Opening of possession.
Isaac Okoro is one of Cleveland’s only positives in this game. He scored 17 points, grabbed 5 rebounds and delivered 4 assists. Okoro made 3-8 from three-point range, nearly matching his total of four in last year’s entire series against New York.
Okoro still has room to grow, but he has been a more dynamic part of the Cavaliers offense. A simple pick-and-pop like the one below would have seemed like a fever dream just a season ago. But Okoro is over 40 percent from downtown this season and has started to demand attention from opposing defenses.
Sam Merrill is someone else who has earned respect on the perimeter. The no-lights motion shooter knocked down seven three-pointers, single-handedly keeping the Cavs alive at different points in the game.
Finding a way to play Merrill became a topic of conversation. With Cleveland’s growing rotation, Merrill often received DNPs by coach’s decision. Still, he’s been such an impactful shooter that it’s becoming increasingly difficult to justify keeping Sam off the floor.
STOCK REDUCTION:
Hardness That’s what the Cavs seemingly lacked during last year’s collapse against New York. If this game is any indication, they are still searching for their hearts.
The Knicks punked them again. Addressing the Cavaliers directly even with a carousel of injuries putting them at a disadvantage. Overly physical play led to another Knicks victory – and the Cavaliers shouldn’t be happy about it.
NBA fans and media will tell you that the regular season doesn’t matter. In many ways, this is not the case. But considering the history between these two teams, a lackluster effort from the Cavs carries more weight than it should.
Even without Donovan Mitchell or Caris LeVert, the rest of the Cavs should have been playing with fire. This fury was nowhere to be found. If the Cavaliers want to have any chance of winning a playoff series, they’ll need to do some serious soul-searching throughout the regular season.
Because at the end of the day, these games matter.
