For this edition of the Paris matchup, the Cleveland Cavaliers faced off against the Brooklyn Nets. Although Cleveland won 111-102, there were some major takeaways. Here’s a look back at Cleveland’s win in Paris.
With Darius Garland, Evan Mobley, and Ty Jerome still injured, Cleveland went with a starting lineup of Donovan Mitchell, Max Strus, Isaac Okoro, Dean Wade and Jarrett Allen.
The obvious standout is Mitchell, finishing with 45 points, 12 rebounds, six assists and four steals while shooting fifty percent. He did commit seven turnovers, but still managed to finish with the highest plus/minus on the team at plus 11.
Allen also had a solid night finishing with 12 points, 12 rebounds, four assists and two steals. This is his eighth consecutive double double as he continues to be an anchor for this injury-ridden team.
Caris LeVert was a bright spot off the bench, scoring 21 points, three rebounds, an assist, a steal and two blocks.
The biggest issue for the Cavs coming out of Paris will be dealing with yet another injury. Strus was pulled during the first quarter due to injuring his knee. He’s currently listed as day-to-day with right knee soreness. He did have one of the more interesting stats of the game. Despite leaving the game early and putting up a goose egg across the board going 0-2 from the field, he finished tied for the second highest plus/minus on the team at plus eight.
Losing Strus is a blow to the already thinned out Cleveland roster. Now dealing with injuries to three of the five players in their ideal starting lineup, it could be a trying stretch for this Cavaliers team. Expect to see some interesting lineups and more time given to the G-League players.
Although Cleveland never trailed, and led by 26 at one point, it was a much more contested second half than the numbers indicate. Turnovers and sloppy play led to an uncertain outcome up until the final minutes. The Cavs are leaving France with a dub as a souvenir, but they should look much more coherent when playing a team like the Nets.
While Cleveland did commit a total of 11 turnovers, seven of them came from Mitchell. This means the rest of the team only turned the ball over four times. Not only that but no player other than Mitchell turned the ball over more than one time. Considering that turnovers have been one of their biggest hurdles this season, this is a plus. They also did this while forcing 16 turnovers from Brooklyn.
Despite this game being a little too close for comfort at times and adding another injury to the roster, most of the on-court takeaways are positive for the Cavs.
Following Cleveland’s win in Paris, they play next against Chicago at 7:00 on January 15, 2024.
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Featured photo courtesy of NBA.com
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