LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Clippers gave the Cleveland Cavaliers a beautiful Valentine’s Day gift. No roses, chocolates, edible arrangements or even a mixed ribbon.
Just a golden opportunity to end your miserable skid. The Cavs wasted it.
Not even the Clippers seating their two best players – Kawhi Leonard and Paul George – was enough to put Cleveland back on the winning streak. The Cavs were attacked by another Western Conference brute, 128-111, on Sunday night. It is the fourth consecutive defeat to open this relentless journey. It is the seventh consecutive defeat in general. It is ninth in the last 10 games, while the team’s rapid fall into the NBA’s weakness continued.
With Andre Drummond resting, wearing a cream-colored sweatshirt with “goodbye” written on his chest, Cavs coach JB Bickerstaff has returned to the five-man starting line partly responsible for the only win in the past two weeks – Darius Garland, Collin Sexton, Isaac Okoro, Taurean Prince and Jarrett Allen. This change did not help either.
Once a force, the defense was Cleveland’s Achilles heel again on Sunday night, shadows of the past two seasons, when Cavs came in last.
George lost his fifth consecutive game with an injury to his right toe. Leonard was detained because of a left leg injury. Imagine what would have happened if the two dressed? The short-handed Clippers scored 70 points in the first half. Then they opened for five in a row in the third quarter, forcing Bickerstaff to ask for just 39 seconds in the second half – a sinister sign.
“Honestly, I think it all started at the end of the second,” said Bickerstaff. “There came a point when it was a six point game and we had some expensive decision mistakes and that gave me a boost and I think it went up to 12 in the interval. I think that momentum is over. “
Los Angeles has become the sixth opponent in the last seven games to reach the 120-point mark. The Clippers hit 47.7% of the field and 43.3% of the 3 point range. Lou Williams had the season’s record of 30 points to go with 10 assists, providing another education for newcomer Okoro in Cleveland.
“I don’t think there is a problem with crime right now. I think we need to be better defensively, ”said Cedi Osman. “I mean, it is not enough, especially against this type of team. We have to play harder. You see the other teams, they are not letting us score easy, but we lost so many easy points tonight. “
The Cavs were led by Sexton, who scored 22 points. Garland and Osman scored 20 points each. Allen had 15 points and 10 rebounds.
After Friday’s defeat in Portland, in which Drummond seemed uncommitted and uninvolved in team meetings, continuing a series of poor individual displays and disturbing play from the team’s point of view, Bickerstaff mentioned the possibility of a role change for the twice All-Star, which became the target of criticism.
Sunday provided another chance to see what it would be like, with Allen surrounding the young and dynamic Cleveland defense court. This is the future of the team.
But it became clear with another defeat: Cavs’ current problems are deeper than an enigmatic player. Deeper than an initial group in difficulty, responsible for lethargic beginnings. Deeper than a few injuries – Kevin Love, Larry Nance Jr. and Matthew Dellavedova.
The Cavs entered a dark place. They are weeks away from the trend in the right direction and unable to find the answers. They need to locate them quickly, before they start to fragment.
Next
The Cavs will end their trip against the Golden State Warriors on Monday night. Tip is set to 10 pm
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