Deprived of two of their All-Stars, Donovan Mitchell outside and Jarrett Allen inside, the Cavs received the Wolves tonight. Quickly dropped to score, the locals ran after the score throughout the match, offering themselves a chance to come back close in the very last minute thanks to an incredible fireworks display from Darius Garland (51 points – personal best – including 27 in the 4th quarter)… but in vain!
Thanks to a Karl-Anthony Towns duo (29 points, 13 rebounds), D’Angelo Russell (30 points, 12 assists) in tune, the Wolves came to win in Ohio (129-124) to end a series of three losses in a row. We can even say that it is their first significant victory since until then, they had only dominated the Rockets, the Lakers, the Spurs and the Thunder twice.
Determined not to chain another setback, Wolves went 21-3 in five minutes at the end of the first quarter to present double the points scored than their opponent (32-16). That 20-something gap would hold for the entire game, until that incredible fourth quarter that saw Garland catch fire and bring his Cavs down to just 3 points.
Too little too late as Edwards, then Prince in the throws put the distance between the two teams back in the dying seconds.
WHAT YOU MUST REMEMBER
– Wolves go away in the first quarter. Really not on their plate at the start of the match, like Kevin Love promoted holder who misses his first six shots, the Cavs have seriously unscrewed (7/25 on shots including 3/10 from afar) and took the lightning from entry (40-20 in the first quarter). Completely dropped on the scoreboard as Russell and the Wolves found their cruising speed, the Cavs eventually fought back, but far too late in the fourth quarter. “We will go nowhere without a D-Lo at a better level. He started the season slowly but I don’t see his difficulties linked to his role but more to hesitation.will conclude Coach Finch.
– Failed reunion. No Donovan Mitchell at kickoff to “check” Rudy Gobert. The All-Star guard was out with a sprained ankle.
– Garland does not abdicate. Not so long ago, he was on the sidelines with his sunglasses to protect his injured eye. But, last night, Garland was obsessed with one thing, only one: this indecent gap behind which his Cavs ran all evening. And, finally, in the last quarter, he managed to reduce it by the sheer force of his wrist, with 27 points in 12 minutes, 8/16 on shots including 6/10 from 3-pointers! “I didn’t even know I had 50 points until I got on the bench. Nobody told me and I didn’t pay any attention to it, because I wanted to win the match above all else. But that’s one of the great things about this group is that nobody cares about individual stats. It’s the team above all. »
TOPS & FLOPS
✅ Darius Garland. On his own, he scored more points than Wolves in the last quarter (27 against 25)! Unfortunately, his team was starting from too far… But what an incredible fireworks display, a real “masterclass” of outdoor shooting for Garland who ended with his career record at 51 points including a last quarter all fired up including a 6/10 3-point. “It was an incredible performance, a real lesson in scoring from Darius,” confirms Kevin Love who has seen others. “It was beautiful to see. He found his positions, he held the team together and gave us a chance at the end. That’s all one can ask for. »
✅ The Towns-Russell duo. Like his team in full doubt about this start to the season, D’Angelo Russell hesitates to shoot. And it shows with the veteran point guard who is running at less than 15 points for the first time since his rookie season… Last night, he was much more determined, with 15 points (6/6 on shots including 3/3 to 3 -points) from the first quarter and his best game of the season: a double double with 30 points and 12 assists. At the same time, his friend Towns was also very good, notably scoring 16 points at 6/6 in the 3rd quarter, to complement his leader and finish at 29 points and 13 rebounds.
⛔️ Anthony Edwards. If he scored an ultra-important shot as the Cavs came back at top speed late in the game, Edwards generally missed it. With 10 points, 8 rebounds and 4 stray bullets, all at 5/13 on shots with many bad choices, the young rear of Wolves did not know how to follow up after his good performance against Memphis (28 points, 6 rebounds, 6 pass).
THE FOLLOWING
– Cleveland (8-5) : displacement (and shock of the Eastern Conference) Wednesday against Milwaukee.
– Minnesota (6-8) : continuation of the “road trip” to Orlando on Wednesday.
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