The Cleveland Cavaliers’ Summer League group gets another shot this afternoon, and the task is simple enough: bounce back after a 99-93 loss to Indiana and clean up the rough edges against the Detroit Pistons.
That first game gave Cleveland a few bright spots even in defeat. Nae’Qwan Tomlin led the way with 20 points, and his night was about more than scoring.
He brought pressure on defense, finished with three steals and added a block. Meleek Thomas matched him with 20 points of his own and gave fans a first real look at his game: an energetic guard who isn’t shy about letting it fly.
Thomas scored 10 of his points in the fourth quarter while trying to drag Cleveland back into it.
There were also the kinds of issues that can sink a Summer League team fast. Cleveland gave up more three-pointers and sent Indiana to the line 25 times, while the Cavaliers had just 13 free throws. In this format, that kind of imbalance can wipe out momentum in a hurry.
Ernest Udeh, Jr., who holds one of Cleveland’s two-way roster spots, showed defensive presence but didn’t make enough of a dent around the basket. The other two-way players had a tougher night with the shot. Tristan Enaruma went 1-for-7, while Riley Minix took 15 shots, six from beyond the arc, missed all six threes, and still finished with 10 points.
Now the Cavaliers turn to Detroit, which also dropped its first Vegas Summer League game. The Pistons allowed 16 threes in their opener against Philadelphia, so Cleveland will be looking for more from deep, especially from Thomas.
Andrew Olson, the team’s shooting coach, will have one game of film to work with now and a clearer sense of where this group needs to tighten up. His role in shaping these young players will matter if Cleveland wants to leave Summer League with something to show for it.
Malaki Branham is the closest thing this roster has to a veteran, even at 23. A top-20 pick in the 2022 draft, he joined the Cleveland Charge in March before landing on this Summer League team. If the Cavs need steadiness while others are searching for their rhythm, Branham could be the one they lean on.
Cleveland and Detroit tip off at 4 p.m. EST, with the game available on Amazon Prime Video.
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