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PHILADELPHIA – It wasn’t pretty, it took five more minutes and they almost ruined it with a few late errors, but the Cleveland Cavaliers matched their longest winning streak of the season – and they can thank their young nucleus promising for it.
The Cavaliers won their third straight game, beating the East-leading Philadelphia 76ers for the second time this season, 112-109 in overtime. This time around, Philly had MVP contender Joel Embiid, who finished with 42 points (but not Tobias Harris).
With Andre Drummond (personal reasons), Kevin Love (calf), Matthew Dellavedova (concussion), Taurean Prince (personal reasons), Cedi Osman (back spasms) and Larry Nance Jr. (fractured hand) all sidelined Saturday night – veterans expected to provide support – the children of the Cavs learned to fend for themselves.
Head coach JB Bickerstaff discussed the burden the youngsters have been forced to carry due to the injuries. He admitted the growing pains that come with it. His hope: the organization will be better. This experience will eventually bear fruit. Call it baptism by fire.
Sexton scored 28 points, a team-high 11 of 27 shots, with five rebounds, three assists and three steals in 45 minutes. With less than two minutes to go and the Cavs trailing by one, Sexton drained a 3-point green light before greeting 76ers assistant coach Sam Cassell, letting the opposing bench know how well his… uh. ..
Darius Garland has scored 11 of his 25 points in overtime. He also had nine assists. Garland said early Saturday morning that even though opposing defenses have been determined to keep him out of the paint, he will continue to play his own game. That’s exactly what he did, sliding down the lane for some nifty finishes and patented floats, two of which came in overtime to keep the Sixers at bay.
Isaac Okoro had his best night as a rookie before stepping down. He scored a career-high 15 points with eight rebounds, three steals and three assists. Okoro collected Cleveland’s first three points in OT.
Jarrett Allen, the defensive anchor, has fought Embiid throughout. Allen finished with 14 points and 10 rebounds. Even Dean Wade, the 24-year-old substitute starter, contributed with six points and 12 rebounds. The Cavs are 3-0 since Wade’s inclusion in the starting squad.
After leading the entire first half, taking a nine-point lead into the break, the Cavs opened with six straight misses, forcing Bickerstaff to call the time-out, trying to regroup. The Cavs missed two more shots before Okoro’s offensive rebound allowed them to finally break the ice in the third quarter. Despite coming out of the locker room and scoring 16 points in the third, the Cavs were hanging on to a two-point lead heading into the fourth quarter.
They’ve done just enough games in the last 17 minutes. They showed sufficient balance against one of the best in the league, 14-2 at home, overcoming four back-to-back misses at the end of the settlement, then an expensive rollover that allowed the 76ers to make it a game. with a possession with 20 seconds to play in OT. . Cleveland fought to the last buzzer, capping a grueling February with a third straight win.
Back home
Undrafted rookie swingman Lamar Stevens, originally from Philadelphia, was back home for the first time in his NBA career. Stevens enjoyed extended playing time, failing to score in 19 minutes.
Broken streak
Early in the second quarter, Dylan Windler missed a 3-point turn, ending a streak of nine triplets that covered two games. It was the longest straight streak beyond the arc since Kyrie Irving in 2015. He finished with eight points, not a trey among them.
following
The Cavs will complete the two-game mini road trip in Houston on Monday night. The tipoff is scheduled for 9 p.m.
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New Cavs Face Masks For Sale: Here’s where you can purchase 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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