Beaten in Milwaukee on Wednesday to kick off their six-game Eastern Conference road trip, the Kings reacted very well to Clevelandsigning an imperfect match but on the whole successful and serious, to afford a deserved success against the Riders (106-95).
Very well launched after a first quarter at 7/9 behind the arc, Mike Brown’s men quickly took a 14-point lead. But an awakening of the Cavaliers in the second act, under the impetus of a good passage of Darius Garland (11 points in the second quarter), relaunched the debate just before the break (49-49).
This was followed by a disputed and balanced second half… until this rather surreal “money-time”. Indeed, after an ideal start in the last quarter, a “run” of 10-0 fueled by three losses of ball in a row from the Kings, the Cavaliers seemed totally in control, at +8 (95-87) to four minutes from the end of the game. But suddenly, JB Bickerstaff’s men completely broke down, accumulating ball losses (8 in the last quarter!) and isolation phases without tail or head in attack. And the sentence was irrevocable: a 19-0 from the Kings to end the match, and a Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse sounded.
After this horrible end to the game, the Cavaliers then lost ground in the Eastern Conference standings, while the Nets (15-12) slowly but surely got closer. While the Kings have shown character and are approaching them discreetly but calmly from the podium of the conference.
WHAT YOU MUST REMEMBER
– For the Kings, a 19-0 that attests to an established identity. From 87-95 to 106-95, in just over four minutes, the last four. It was a somewhat lunar end to the game, with two dynamics that couldn’t be more opposite. The Cavaliers on one side, suddenly unable to play basketball on both sides after having started the last quarter well. And the Kings on the other, sluggish and passive at the start of this final act, before furiously going up a notch in defense, punishing the Cavaliers’ (8) ball losses on several occasions on the counterattack, before an award-winning shot from Kevin Huerter would serve as a knockout blow. We knew that these Mike Brown version Kings had character, but this perfect end to the game, after having hunkered down for almost ten minutes in the last quarter, will probably be particularly beneficial for the construction of the identity of this group. This year, the Kings count in the Western Conference.
– Matthew Dellavedova, remembering Cleveland. In the absence of De’Aaron Fox, the Australian point guard was the surprise guest of the Kings rotation on the position of point guard. In relay of Davion Mitchell who logically started in place of “Swipa”, the former Cavaliers, facing his former team, did a good job: 3 points, 4 assists and 3 steals in 16 minutes. Nothing very flashy, but actions from the shadows which each time did good to his team.
TOPS & FLOPS
✅ The starters of the Kings. Who carried the team to success by compiling 83 of 106 points. We note in the first place the enormous double-double of Domantas Sabonis (18 points and 19 points), basic man in the attack of the Kings in the absence of De’Aaron Fox, heroic in a painting of the Cavaliers however not very welcoming with the long arms of Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley. the rookie Keegan Murray also scored 18 points, in the form of six award-winning shots, taking advantage of many fine shooting positions thanks to the shifts created by his teammates. in the wings, Harrison Barnes (20 marks) and Kevin Hurter (19 points) are true to themselves with three award-winning shots each and extensive activity in all areas (3 rebounds and one block for Barnes, 5 rebounds, 2 assists and 3 steals for Huerter), and especially decisive baskets in end of the game, to fuel the saving 19-0. Finally, Davion Mitchell is statistically the most discreet with 8 points and 6 assists, but that doesn’t matter because the real value of his presence on the field was not quantifiable, but observable: defense. It is not Darius Garland, with 5 ball losses, who will say the opposite.
✅⛔️ Darius Garland & Caris LeVert. Exactly, Darius Garland. The leader of Cleveland signed a really mixed game, with 19 points on 18 shots and therefore 5 ball losses. Even if we can still note 6 assists and 2 interceptions. This mixed feeling is also applicable to the performance of Caris LeVertwho scored 22 points on 21 shots… Despite 6 rebounds and 6 assists, he finished with a +/- of -21, the weakest of his team (Garland at -13, the second weakest).
✅ Cedi Osman. He was clean and efficient, with 17 points at 7/14, including 3 pellets behind the arc, 4 rebounds and 3 steals. In 35 minutes, while the rotation of the Cavs was tightened to eight players (Donovan Mitchell, Kevin Love and Dean Wade absent).
⛔️ Kings free throws. There is certainly this incredible “finish” which saves the furniture, but the Kings, before this 19-0, were not far from giving up their arms, having nevertheless played well throughout the match. One of the reasons: a free throw conversion rate that exceeded 60% success, barely: 20/32! That’s 12 wasted points, and the Kings could’ve been biting their fingers without a heroic endgame. This should serve as a warning and even a red flag, as a 19-0 in four minutes won’t happen in every game.
THE FOLLOWING
– Riders (16-10): “back-to-back” at home, against the Thunder (01:30)
– Kings (14-10): trip to New York, on the night of Sunday to Monday (00:00)
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