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CLEVELAND, Ohio – Head coach JB Bickerstaff’s pre-game message was sharp, urging the Cleveland Cavaliers to end the first half of the schedule strong.
Rather the opposite. The Cavs wasted a 19-point lead in the third quarter, losing to the Indiana Pacers, 114-111, on Wednesday night. The loss ends a four-game winning streak and temporarily stops the positive momentum they worked so hard to create before the all-star break.
The middle finish is generally a bit wacky. It was no exception. Where are we going to start?
Cleveland, who entered the game 29th in turnovers, committed an impressive 19 of them in a botched first half littered with confusing decisions, lazy passes and mistakes stupid. Indiana turned those mistakes into 28 points, accounting for more than half of its production. And yet, the Cavs have always led by 10 points in the locker room.
“I thought they were extremely aggressive,” Bickerstaff said after the loss. “It wasn’t complicated, it was pretty straightforward what was going on, but we didn’t react well enough to the pressure.
The Cavs did a better job protecting the ball in the second half. But not their advance. The Pacers outscored the Cavs, 63-50, in the last 24 minutes, shooting 56.6 percent from the field. The game turned when second-year point guard Darius Garland came out with a strained left groin around seven minutes into the third quarter. At that point, the Cavs led by 17. Cleveland was outscored 54-34 after the injury, with Garland watching helplessly from the bench.
“Darius is a heckuva playmaker. He’s a guy that teams have to worry about when it comes to scoring and improving his teammates, ”said Bickerstaff. “He was one of our main ball handlers and playmakers and without him in the game it was getting a little more difficult and they obviously got to focus on Collin (Sexton), send him several bodies. I think we missed Darius a lot on the stretch.
Sexton’s draw 3 with less than 10 seconds remaining lasted a touchdown and while Dylan Windler managed to reclaim the offensive rebound and keep it a single possession play, the Pacers did a pair of free throws before the pitch. full that followed. the inbounds pass ticked the last second away.
Sexton recorded the team’s first double-double in a single half since LeBron James on February 7, 2018. Sexton’s 10 first-half assists, the same number he finished with, were the most important in a half since James. year. Sexton also added a high of 32 of 12 of 25 points from the field and 2 of 5 of 3 points.
Dean Wade, making his fifth straight start, added 17 points and six rebounds. Jarrett Allen recorded another double-double, totaling 17 points to go with 11 rebounds. Garland had 16 points and five assists in 19 minutes before his injury.
TJ McConnell of Indiana set an NBA record with nine interceptions in a half. He finished with 10 sweeps, a far cry from the record for a single game. It was part of a triple-double for McConnell, whose final deflection led to another empty possession from Cleveland and a run-out for the Pacers, pushing the lead to four with about a minute remaining.
“He deserved it, I’m giving it to him.” This is who he is all the time. Obviously, triple doubles aren’t… steals and assists and points for him, but he’s a pest all the time, ”Bickerstaff said of the Indiana backup guard. “He’s a supreme competitor all the time. He doesn’t back down from anyone. He puts pressure on everyone. We allowed him to have that impact.
For much of the night, it looked like Bickerstaff was going to get what he wanted: the Cavs building on their improved game over the previous four games – forty-eight minutes of connected team ball that sent them off. in the break full of confidence. Instead, the first half ended with a missed opportunity.
“It’s tough. But it makes it a lot harder when you are fighting instead of being outmatched,” Wade said. “Just mental mistakes. One of my turnovers was the start of it. This, especially in the fourth quarter, so I’m going to take responsibility for that. It’s very disappointing to shoot yourself in the foot.
They will have nine long days to regroup.
Special guest
Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski was a fan of Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse on Wednesday night. Stefanski, the NFL Coach of the Year, was shown on the video board in the first quarter, receiving a loud standing ovation.
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The Cavs are heading for the All-Star break. They will return on March 12, the start of a three-game road trip against the New Orleans Pelicans. The tipoff is scheduled for 8 p.m.
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New Cavs Face Masks For Sale: Here’s where you can buy Cleveland Cavaliers-themed face coverings for coronavirus protection, including a single mask ($ 14.99) and a 3-pack ($ 24.99). All NBA profits have been donated to charity.
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