The San Antonio Spurs won their third consecutive victory on the road with a more difficult-than-expected victory against the Cleveland Cavaliers, after a game in the career of Keldon Johnson and an exceptionally strong start. The Spurs, hoping to avoid the need for a late rally, rose to a 15-point lead in the first half, with a consistent and solid midfield defense, while willingly sharing the ball at the other end. Cleveland represented little offensive outside the diversity of his young defensive stallions. While the Cavaliers had a lively race over the third and fourth periods, the young Spurs’ nucleus made the difference in the final minutes.
San Antonio was led with balanced performances from Johnson (23 points and 21 rebounds), DeMar DeRozan (20 points and 7 rebounds) and Dejounte Murray (22 points and 6 rebounds). Cleveland’s Darius Garland (29 points and 8 assists) and Collin Sexton (29 points and 5 rebounds) provided most of the scoring firepower, while his bench, out of Lamar Steven’s surprise performance (15 points), was defeated by Spurs’ reserves.
Comments
- If you had Oral Roberts or North Texas as your counter choices today, you are truly prescient! There was only one player in the Spurs franchise from each school (Oral Roberts): Greg Sutton.
- I don’t know what the worst name is: Quicken Loans Arena or Rocket Loans Fieldhouse.
- Jakob Poeltl and Derrick White suffered two fouls in the first 18 seconds. Poeltl’s second foul was a very questionable mark, where he returned to Isaac Okoro on the edge in his attempt to dunk. It seems that the best defenses against Poeltl are the referees and the free-throw stripe?
- Keldon cuisine: Johnson is so strong that when he fails a rare internal attempt, he is able to use his second jump ability (without the weight of Zion Williamson) to put himself in a great position to access the star fruit.
- Defensive IQ of Derrick White: In possession of the ball at the end of the first half, White defended a high pick and roll, faded into the paint to dodge the cutters, defended the crossbar player directly, closed a cross pass and pulled the Cavaliers’ wrong shot.
- Game Sequence: Out of reception in the first period, DeRozan deftly delivered the ball to Johnson at the base line; who spun around a flying Jarrett Allen for Drew Eubanks for a monster dunk.
- It was nice to see Tre Jones gain some experience in the first half.
- It is disheartening to see that Kevin Love went from being the last stop in the 2016 finals at Stephen Curry to playing less than 15 minutes per game a mere five years later.
- A lively Spurs team scored a quick touchdown in the opening minutes, while the backcourt of Darius Garland and Collin Sexton provided most of the home team’s score. San Antonio helped its big shots with fewer people skillfully in the Cavaliers’ attacks and managed to recover the rebounds and, although it won the lead, a cold spell and a sloppy execution towards the end of the first quarter allowed Cleveland to close the deficit. The Spurs left the verse at 25-22.
- Shortly after converting a tray with a degree of difficulty to the left at the beginning of the second period, Poeltl was sent back to the bench with his third foul. A 15-1 streak highlighted by Johnson e-1 and a setback, Rudy Gay dug into the transition and Derrick White’s strong shot gave San Antonio a 15-point lead. Meanwhile, in the middle of the quarter, Sexton and Garland accounted for 86 (!!!)% of Cleveland’s total points. Allen recalled that he was 2.10 meters tall and made a statement on the offensive signs and painting with some success. A Gay pull-up jumper provided the Spurs’ last points for the break and they came out with 54-42.
- After a comeback at the start of the second half, DeRozan asserted himself and converted a handful of free throws and a pair of jumpers to increase San Antonio’s lead to 18. In the middle of the third, Sexton and Garland still had two⁄3 Cavaliers’ points. DeRozan’s consecutive Patty Mills trio made 75-53. Cleveland inexplicably missed the Spurs in three three-point attempts in the period alone. San Antonio’s complacent game, coupled with an inspired effort by Cleveland reserve Lamar Stevens, allowed the Cavaliers to take 15 points in the last quarter.
- The Cavaliers’ reserves showed a demonstrably greater effort – with a steal and burial by Stevens closing the gap to 10. A pair of successive difficult layups converted by Dejounte Murray combined with Johnson’s 20th rebound and rebound temporarily interrupted the Cleveland run. A Sexton three and a floater were compensated for by DeRozan and Murray’s layups. Despite missing 7 of his first 9 shots, Mills landed what Sean Elliott called a “terrible, great” shot from behind the hoop.
- It wouldn’t be an exciting end for Spurs without a set full of final moments. Two San Antonio prizes led to Cleveland’s four quick points and scored from 109 to 103. White’s two free throws seemed to freeze the game, but the Cavaliers’ relentlessness made the final result more difficult than necessary.
For the Cavaliers fan perspective, visit Fear the sword.
Santo António takes on Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks on a SEGABABA Saturday night at 20h CT.