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Mitchell, who has Cleveland fans dreaming of another title run, took over in the second half and scored 29 points with the kind of performance James had routinely during his 11 seasons for the Cavs. To do that, the Cavs must stay healthy and be more consistent. They won’t surprise teams around the league like they did last season. There should be another jump for Mobley in his second season, and the return of veteran guard Ricky Rubio will add depth and veteran presence in the backcourt.
Rookie Ochai Agbaji has an opportunity to earn minutes in the rotation and provide shooting on this roster. Caris LeVert has a chance to showcase his skill set with this group and his overall fit. And the three-big lineup of Lauri Markkanen, Mobley and Allen can see more time on the floor together and strengthen their connectivity.
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Mobley is averaging 15.1 ppg and 9.5 rpg and is shooting 55.7 percent from the floor, and Allen averages 14.2 ppg and 10.5 rpg and has converted 60.8 percent of his field goal attempts. The Cavs sit at the top of the standings, while the Magic sit near the bottom. With both teams down a starting center and a backup big the Cavs maintain their edge, and are accordingly favored by 10 points at home per WynnBet. In his prior games at the Cavs, the large Slovenian contingent of fans in CLE often show up and show out when Doncic, a Slovenian superstar, is playing in Cleveland. Cleveland actually has the largest Slovenian population outside of Slovenia in the world, so Luka not being in action lost some of the games’ luster from the jump.
Cavaliers legend Campy Russell will join Cayleigh at the desk throughout the season. Carr, Fratello and Winters will also contribute to the show on a regular basis. Should Stevens indeed get ruled out, some combination of Caris LeVert, Cedi Osman and Isaac Okoro figure to soak up his minutes. With Mitchell facing his old teammates and vice versa for Sexton and Markkanen expect a very heated battle.
GAME LOG
Stevens was the only player in the contest to collect double-digit rebounds, and he also scored a season-high 18 points to register his first double-double of the campaign. This level of production is not usual for him, as he entered Wednesday averaging just 7.8 points and 4.6 boards over his previous 12 games despite logging a hefty 26.8 minutes per contest. With that in mind, it's probably best to take a wait-and-see approach rather than running out to snatch him off the fantasy waiver wire.
The content on this site is for entertainment and educational purposes only. All advice, including picks and predictions, is based on individual commentators’ opinions and not that of Minute Media or its related brands. No one should expect to make money from the picks and predictions discussed on this website. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call GAMBLER. From here on out, they have nine home games coming up and only hit the road four times. Having a nice 15-8 record for the Wine and Gold could become an even more impressive mark.
Cavaliers' Donovan Mitchell: Erupts for 41 points
Cleveland’s home opener will be on Oct. 23 against the Washington Wizards. The Cavs will open the season on the road against the Toronto Raptors on Oct. 19. This is the second consecutive season Cleveland will start on the road. It will be an early test for each club with both expecting to contend for an Eastern Conference playoff spot. It’s also a matchup of two top-five picks in the 2021 NBA Draft and the top two NBA Rookie of the Year finishers in Scottie Barnes and Evan Mobley.
Over the past 19 years Jeff held many roles with the network, including Cavs sideline reporter, high school football and MAC football play-by-play, and host of multiple sports programs. He played a critical role in the network’s coverage of so many memorable Cleveland sports moments and will always be regarded as one of Cleveland’s most professional and beloved sports broadcasters. Allen's seven field-goal attempts were the fewest among Cleveland's starters, but the big man made six of the tries to finish with 14 points. He rounded out a fine stat line with six boards, three assists and two steals. Allen failed to record a block for the first time in six games, but he also finished with zero turnovers for the second straight contest. The Cavs play the Lakers on Tuesday, Dec. 6 and it will be another return of LeBron James.
The Cavaliers’ slate of games in the rest of December feature a bunch of home outings, and the Wine and Gold could feast. Cleveland's six-game stay continues Monday with a visit from the Utah Jazz, as the holiday season gets into gear. The Cavaliers didn't take top honors during the NBA's annual postseason awards distribution, but finishing high in several categories signals big things for the team's future. The Cavaliers had a 97.6 percent chance of landing the 14th pick in the 2022 NBA Lottery, and that's just how it shook out on Tuesday night in Chicago.
Los Angeles has a 9-12 record at the moment and still struggling. However, James is starting to warm up and this game could be one big highlight reel of James, Mitchell, and Mobley countering buckets all night. The world will be watching, and we should expect to see a great game by Cleveland. Lots of food and good times and right now the Cavs are playing very well. They beat the Orlando Magic most recently on Friday and now play the New York Knicks in a rare away game this month on Sunday night.
The Cavaliers will get its first cracks at both of the teams that knocked it out of playoff contention, the Atlanta Hawks and Brooklyn Nets, on Nov. 21 and Dec. 26 respectively. The eight-time All-Star had scored 99 points in his previous two games and had been playing as well as he has in several seasons after being plagued by injuries. The first home game has a softer landing, however, with an Orlando Magic team coming to town that is packed with talented players but dealing with injury issues of its own as those players come together.
Now, the league acknowledges that growth and is banking on a continued rise from Cleveland. They shocked teams early by using a big-man lineup of three players, as well as a collective defensive identity and playing with a purpose. They rose through the Eastern Conference standings, even moving into the No. 4 spot in late January.
Isaac Okoro figures to draw another start in Stevens' absence, while Cedi Osman and Caris LeVert will be candidates for increased roles off the bench. The final home game of the month will be against the always-overhyped Brooklyn Nets. They are led by Kevin Durant and the controversial Kyrie Irving. While that is welcomed news, since that time, Irving has turned into a very polarizing figure. These last three home games for Cleveland in December will be played against some of the biggest superstars in the Eastern Conference. This game could be a letdown game for the Cavs even though Sacramento is having a better season than most expected.
Cleveland came back from double-digits in the second half and fourth quarter to beat the Indiana Pacers just last night. Donovan Mitchell was excellent, scoring a season-high 41 points while making eight triples on the night. Darius Garland recorded a 20-point, 10-assist double-double in the win. For the second time in four days, the Cavs take on the Dallas Mavericks, but this time, it's in Cleveland. The Wine & Gold recorded a 15-point win in Dallas on Wednesday night.
A first-round series would benefit their younger players in learning the nuances of the postseason and what a seven-game series is like. Many in the organization believed the Cavs could have made the playoffs last season if they had stayed healthy down the stretch. Acquired in an offseason trade with the Utah Jazz this past summer, Mitchell averages 29 ppg and is shooting 49.6 percent from the field and 41.9 percent from three-point land.
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