Cavs end skid with 132-122 double overtime win

BY TIM SHIRER

CAVALIERS BEAT WRITER

(CLEVELAND, OH) - The Cleveland Cavaliers entered Friday night’s contest against the visiting Charlotte Hornets on a five-game skid. Their latest loss came on Wednesday night in Milwaukee against the Bucks 113-98. It took a lot of effort, but the Cavs were finally able to end the skid taking down the Hornets 132-122 in double overtime.

Jarrett Allen returned to the starting lineup and made an immediate impact on the game scoring the first points with a two-handed dunk on the game’s first possession. After the Cavs jumped out to a 4-0 lead the Hornets then scored the next seven points to take a 7-4 lead on a PJ Washington jumper at the 9:30 mark of the first quarter. Over the next 3:30 the Cavs used a bit of shock and awe on the Hornets as they outscored them 17-3 taking a 21-10 lead on a jumper by Donovan Mitchell who already had 11 points in the game with 6:00 left in the first period. The opening period was very much old-style NBA with a lot of defense as the score at the end of the first 12 minutes had the Cavs on top 28-14. Mitchell led all scorers with 11, Garland also contributed with eight in the first. Washington led the Hornets with seven points. The Cavs destroyed the Hornets on the boards outrebounding them 14-5.

The Hornets rejuvenated their stinger in the second quarter outscoring the Cavs 14-7 in the first five minutes to cut the Cleveland lead to 35-28 with 7:00 minutes left on the clock. The two teams basically traded baskets over the next five minutes and at the 2:24 mark after an Evan Mobley two handed slam dunk Cleveland led 50-42. Cleveland continued their strong rebounding in the final couple of minutes of the first half to extend the lead to 58-46. The Hornets outrebounded the Cavs 10-7 in the second period, Cleveland led in the half 21-15. Mitchell led all scorers with 18 points, Garland tallied 16 followed by Allen with 10 for the Cavs. Washington had 15 for the Hornets. Mobley led everyone on the glass pulling down 19 boards.

After Mobley scored the first points of the second half on driving hook shot by Mobley the Cavs turned ball over twice resulting in five Hornets points. Cavs coach J.B. Bickerstaff had seen enough and called a timeout just 1:26 into the third quarter. The Hornets cut the lead to 68-62 with 4:35 left on the clock on a 3-point basket by Kelly Oubre, Jr. Oubre, Jr. was then quickly accessed a technical foul after he shouted an obscenity toward a fan. Mitchell then drained the tech to extend the Cavs lead to 69-62. Oubre’s night continued to get worse as when the ball moved to the Cavs end of the floor Oubre’s accosted Mitchell on a drive to the basket and after an official reviewed was tagged with a flagrant 1 foul. Mitchell drained one of the two technical foul shots and the Cavs led 70-62. The technical foul fest continued as Isaac Okoro was accessed one followed by Bickerstaff. Charlotte made both followed by a jumper by Oubre, Jr. to pull the Hornets to within six points at 72-66 with 3:37 left in the 3rd. Meanwhile Mitchell headed to the Cavs locker room with a bag of ice on his nose after the Oubre, Jr. mugging. The Cavs despite the loss of Mitchell responded finishing the quarter strong outscoring the Hornets 9-4 to secure an 82-70 at the end of three periods. The quarter was all even scoring wise for the two teams. On the individual end even though he exited the game with more than three minutes left in the period Mitchell still led all scorers in the game with 22 points after three. Oubre, Jr. led Charlotte with 21. The Hornets outrebounded the Cavs 14-12 in the period, but the Cavs still held the overall edge 33-29.

The Cavs were not able to put the Hornets away as they hung around early in the fourth quarter until Charlotte cut the lead to nine points when Nick Richards got a rebound put in a layup and was fouled by Allen on the play and drained the fouls shot. Richards then scored on the next possession for the Hornets to close the gap to 92-85. The Cavs then turned the ball over and Charlotte cut the lead to 92-87 when Terry Rozier laid the ball in with 5:38 remaining. Bickerstaff had seen enough and called a timeout. The Cavs did everything in their power late in the game to keep the Hornets in the game. The Cavs led 103-93 with :52 left in the contest. In a matter of 23 second after a Cavs turnover and the Hornets draining two 3-point baskets the lead was just 103-99. Bickerstaff once again called a timeout to put an end to the Hornets momentum. After the TO the Hornets fouled Allen who drained both free throws to extend the lead to 105-99 with :28 left. The Hornets then cut the lead to 105-102 with :19 left after Washington drained another Hornets 3-pointer. After the Cavs took their final timeout, the Cavs inbounded the ball Allen was mugged by several Hornets, but no foul was called. The Hornets stole the ball missed a shot and a jump ball was then called. The Hornets got the jump ball and called a timeout. Oubre, Jr. then hit a 3-pointer with no time left to send the game to overtime with game tied 105-105. Oubre, Jr. once again showing his true colors as he made another gesture toward Cavs fans, no technical was accessed this time, however.

With the Cavs trailing 108-107 and 4:12 on the clock Miles Plumlee hacked Lamar Stevens for his sixth foul of the game. After Plumlee exited the floor Steven hit one of two free throws to tie the game at 108-108. The Hornets who were on fire from 3-point range went down and Oubre, Jr. nailed another one giving the Hornets a 11-108 lead. The Cavs cut it to one on a layup by Garland at 111-110. The Hornets responded with a Rozier layup to increase the Charlotte lead to three points. The Cavs once again cut it to one on a jumper by Mobley in the paint. The Hornet responded with two more to take a 115-112 lead with 1:51 left. The Cavs cut it to 115-114. The Hornets responded pulling back to three points at 117-114. Garland then tied the game at 117-117 :45 left. Charlotte once again responded with a three, this time by Rozier to give Charlotte the 120-117 lead with :22.5 left. Mitchell then shot a three in hopes of tying the contest, it was missed but the Cavs got the board, Garland fired a three with :13.1 left on the clock tying the game one more time at 120-120. Charlotte inbounded after a timeout, but the Cavs were finally able to stop the hot handed Hornets and send the game to a second overtime.

The Hornets who were careless with the ball all night turned the ball over for an easy layup by the Hornets to start the second OT giving the visitors a 122-120 lead. At that point the Cavs had turned the ball over 14 times resulting in 23 Hornet points. The Cavs then took the lead on a 123-122 lead when Mitchell was fouled hit the basket and converted the free throw with 3:54 left. The big blow to the Hornets came next when Oubre, Jr. fouled out of the game on a loose ball foul with 3:44 left in the second OT. The Cavs extended the lead to 125-122 with 3:22 remaining when missed a dunk and then put it back in. Garland then hit a jumper from deep to extend the lead two four points with 2:35 left. Mitchell then sealed the Hornets fate with a long range three with 1:54 left in the game. It was very apparent at this point that the Hornets were a snake with their head cut off without Oubre, Jr. on the floor. Mobley then added to the fun adding to his 21 points with a jumper in the paint to give Cleveland a 131-122 lead with 1:17 left in the second extra period. Garland then hit one of two free throws with :42.1 left giving the Cavs a 132-122 lead which ended up being the final score.

Garland led all scorers with 41. His last two home games he has scored a combined 92 points. Mitchell also contributed with 34 points. The Cavs had four scorers with more than 20 points as Mobley had 21, along with 18 rebounds and Allen also scored 20 finishing with 12 boards.