Late Run Not Enough as Cavaliers Lose to Pelicans

Photo from: Layne Murdoch NBAE/Getty

After playing four games in five nights, the Cleveland Cavaliers ran out of gas in New Orleans, falling to the Pelicans 119-114.

The Pelicans were able to control the game for much of the night but a late comeback from the Cavaliers almost flipped the script.

The game was close for much of the first half but in the second half, New Orleans started asserting their dominance.  Ryan Anderson and Tyreke Evans provided the sparks for the Pellies, with Anderson stepped up big time in Anthony Davis' place, who left tha game after playing only 7 minutes.

Anderson scored 30 points on 8-14 3-point shooting and Tyreke Evans added 31 points and 10 assists.

The Pelicans held a 25 point lead halfway through fourth quarter, but the Cavs mounted a comeback, cutting the New Orleans lead to just 9 with four minutes left.  

The Cavaliers had trouble getting much out of anyone except LeBron James, who scored 41 points.  Kyrie Irving had an off night shooting, going only 2-13 from the field, but came on strong in the fourth quarter.  

Irving finished the game with 15 points and seven assists, but on 6-18 shooting.  

Defensively, this one one of the worst games the Cavaliers have had in a while.  The Pelicans shot 55.7 percent from the field and 42.9 percent from beyond the arc.

Three Things:

1. What Injuries?

Multiple Cavaliers may have had injuries recently, but you couldn't have guessed that tonight.  LeBron missed the previous game against the Oklahoma City Thunder but was on fire from the get go, with 25 points in 19 first-half minutes.  Kyrie Irving played 00 minutes following his injury scare on Thursday.  Matthew Dellavedova, who missed 14 games, has been back for four games now and shows no lingering signs of the knee injury that forced him to miss over a month of games.  Health is key in the NBA, especially early in the season for a team that is still trying to figure out how to play together.  Dion Waiters' left the game in the third and was transferred to the hospital, so hopefully that isn't too serious.

2. Kevin Love Has Officially Found His Groove

After a slow start to the season, Kevin Love is now fully integrated into the Cavalier offense.  Love now has a double-double in six of the Cavs' last eight games and has averaged 19.5 points and 11.4 rebounds over that span.  Ever since Love suggested that the Cavaliers tweak the offense to get him more touches in the paint, Love's game has become much more balanced.  Kyrie had an off night tonight and it's reassuring to know that whenever someone doesn't have a great game, Love is now in the position to fill those voids.

3. Make Sure Bad Defense Doesn't Carry Over

Before tonight, the Cavaliers defense had been one of the best in the league over the past 10 games.  Well, that changed.  The Pelicans scored 64 points in the first half, the most scored against the Cavs in a first half this season.  And, most of those points were scored without Anthony Davis playing.  The Cavs have played four games in five nights, so a little fatigue is understandable.  However, it is important that the Cavaliers don't fall back into the bad habits they had to start the season.

Statline of the Night

Ryan Anderson: 30 points, 8-14 3-pts, 4 rebounds

With all due respect to Tyreke Evans, who double-doubled with 31 points and 10 assists, Anderson stepped up big-time in the absence of Anthony Davis.  Anderson played 41 minutes and filled in as well as the Pelicans could have hoped.


What's Next:

Dec. 15, at home against the Charlotte Hornets, 7 p.m.
 

Game 21 Preview: Cleveland Cavaliers - New Orleans Pelicans

(AP Photo/Mark Duncan)

New Orleans Pelicans

Record: 10-11, tenth in Western Conference

Offense: 106.0 offensive rating (8th)

Defense: 106.4 defensive rating (6th)

Net Rating: -0.4 (14th)

Probable Starters     PPG     RPG     APG

Jrue Holliday              15.8       3.4        6.8
Tyreke Evans              15.4       5.4        5.6
Luke Babbitt               3.8        1.9         0.5
Anthony Davis           25.1      10.6       1.7
Omer Asik                  8.2        10.9       1.1

The Last Result

Nov. 10: Cleveland 118, New Orleans 111

The Match-Up to Watch

Kevin Love vs. Anthony Davis

Cavs fans are well aware of how big of a star Kevin Love is, and all fans of the NBA should know by now that Anthony Davis shines even brighter.  This is a match-up of two of the best frontcourt players in the game right now, with Davis being touted as the future of the league.  Davis has established himself as an amazing defender with range, quickness and instincts that are unparalleled among big men right now.   Love, as we know, is as good of an offensive big man there is in the game.  Watching these two match strength against strength will be what to watch for tonight.

The Number

19-26

That is the record of the teams that LeBron James has played on when James does not play, after the loss against Oklahoma City last night.  The Cavaliers are saying that James sat out the Thunder game due to general soreness, but this early in the season, they may be inclined to give James the night off again.  James is approaching 30 and has a ton of miles on his legs, and the Cavs don't play again until Monday.  Perhaps giving LeBron almost a week off, just to be safe, wouldn't be a terrible idea.

The Playlist

I know this typically isn't a song people listen to to get pumped for a basketball game but you can't think about New Orleans without appreciating some classic jazz.

Why Cleveland Will Win:

The Cavs may have had their 8-game winning streak snapped last night against the Thunder but even without LeBron, the team performed very well.  Holding a team with two Top-10 players in the league to only 103 points without your best player is no easy task.  The Cavs have been one of the best defensive teams in the league over their last 10 games after some early struggles.  And if LeBron comes back and Kyrie Irving truly is fine after last night's injury scare, the Cavs will just be too much to handle for the young Pelicans.

Why New Orleans Will Win

The Pellies may be sub-.500 but make no mistake, this team is much better than their record indicates.  New Orleans has the misfortune of playing in the Southwest Division, easily the toughest division in the NBA so far this year.  Whereas the Cavs have beaten up on their conference in the East this year, the Pelicans have been challenged by the West.  Fifteen of the Pelicans' 21 games this year have been against Western Conference teams, and they have a record of 7-8.  Despite the losing record, the Pelicans are in the top 10 in both offensive and defensive ratings, and this team is feisty.  Oh, and good luck trying to contain Anthony Davis.

The Prediction

Cleveland 107, New Orleans 103

Much like the game in early November, I anticipate this game to be close.  The Cavs have been rolling lately and if James is back, the Cavs have three of the best four players in this game.  That fact likely won't mean much to the Pelicans, though.  New Orleans is a young team that has a lot of players entering their primes and are used to going up against superior talent.  This team will fight until the very end, but after the month the Cavs have been having, I don't see them dropping two in a row.

Cavs Leave Fans Happy

(AP Photo/Mark Duncan)

The Cleveland Cavaliers picked up their first home win of the season, beating the New Orleans Pelicans 118-111, marking the team’s first win streak of the season.

The key matchup of this game featured the NBA’s best player in Lebron James versus the player who many see as the next best player in the league, Anthony Davis. While both these all-stars put up their typical all-star numbers, it was the teammates of these two that made the most noise in the Quicken Loans Arena.

The first half belonged to Ryan Anderson. Coming off the bench, he came in the game shooting lights out knocking down five three-pointers. The Pelicans entered halftime up 56-51 in large due to Anderson’s 23 first half points.

Second half, it was all about the Cavaliers Big Three. While Lebron went on to mess around and get a triple double, it was Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love who seemed to make all the shots that got fans up out their seat Monday evening.

For the game, Irving and Love combined to go 10-for-16 from deep and connected on seven treys in the second half. Coupled with Lebron’s 17 free throw attempts for the game, the Cavs were just too much for the Pelicans at home.

Three Things

1. Lebron lead and Kyrie Irving followed suite

Lebron was in attack mode the entire night, evident by his 17 free throw attempts. By attacking the basket, he got his teammates involved and made the game easier for others. Also in attack mode was Kyrie Irving. Criticized against Utah for his lack of passing, Irving played with poise, getting his teammates involved and while taking shots within the rhythm of the game, finishing the game shooting over 50 percent from the field.

2. In David Blatt we trust?

While it’s early and the Cavs are still trying to figure things out, keep an eye out on how many minutes the Big Three play down the road. Lebron James and Kyrie Irving are leading the league in minutes played per game, with Kevin Love rounding out the top five in that statistic. Not an encouraging sign after many media members pointed out last year Lebron looked gassed for the first time in his life. And while Irving and Love both have youth on their side, neither have played into the months of May and June, so all the mileage could eventually play a factor. Blatt and Cavs fans must remember the season is a marathon and not a sprint.

3. Cavs must address bench play

So far this Cavs bench stinks, no other way to put it. Coming into the game they ranked 29^th in the league in bench points scored and on average get outscored by 13.8 points per game. Against the Pelicans, the Cavs bench was outscored 44-16. Now while a team with Love, Irving, and James shouldn’t have to rely on its bench to outscore teams, it can use a boost, particularly on the nights one or two the stars are struggling. Hopefully Dion Waiters and Matthew Dellavedova can provide that spark once back healthy, and the bench as a whole can cut down into some of the minutes the Big Three are playing.

Statline of the night: Lebron James. 32 points, 12 rebounds, 10 assists, 9-for-17 from the field and 13-for-17 from the free throw line.

While other players may have made bigger noise Monday night, make no mistake that James was still the best player on the floor. Lebron looked at ease on the court, letting the game come to him all while posting a monster statline relatively quietly.

What is next: November 14, on the road against the Boston Celtics, 7:30 p.m. EST.