The Cavs made their home opener far more stressful than it needed to be, but this time they at least found a way to close.
Cleveland held off the Brooklyn Nets 125-121 on Saturday night at Rocket Arena, surviving a late surge in front of a sellout crowd to pick up its first win of the season.
It looked for a while like the Cavs might cruise. They led by 14 at halftime, then opened the third quarter by scoring the first four points to stretch the margin to a game-high 18. The lead swelled to 22 before Brooklyn started firing away from deep and attacking the foul line, dragging itself back into the game late.
With about 30 seconds left in the fourth quarter, the Nets had trimmed the deficit to four after a barrage of 3-pointers and repeated trips to the stripe. One of those threes came from Chaney Johnson, and the reaction inside the building made it clear everybody knew exactly where this could be headed.
Cleveland fans have seen too many ugly endings lately.
Thursday in Philadelphia brought a 29-point collapse. Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals against New York ended with a 22-point meltdown. So when Brooklyn kept chipping away, the tension in the arena was impossible to miss.
Down four and with possession after a Cleveland turnover, the Nets then gave the ball right back with an errant inbounds pass. James Harden went to the line and pushed the Cavs ahead by six, only for Brooklyn to respond with Julius Randle’s uncontested layup to make it a four-point game again. Harden split a pair at the line on the next trip, leaving the door open just enough for one more charge.
Michael Porter Jr. then buried Brooklyn’s ninth 3-pointer of the fourth quarter, cutting Cleveland’s edge to two.
Sam Merrill settled things down from there, knocking down two clutch free throws to push the lead back to four and finally let the Cavaliers breathe.
The offense was plenty good enough to win, with five Cavaliers finishing in double figures and three topping the 20-point mark. Donovan Mitchell scored 22 points on 7-of-15 shooting and was perfect on six free throws after signing a four-year contract extension this summer.
Jarrett Allen added 21 points on 7 of 8 shooting. Evan Mobley turned in a double-double with 20 points and 10 rebounds.
Jaylon Tyson chipped in 15 points off the bench, while Harden scored 12 and newcomer Peyton Watson finished with 11.
Porter led Brooklyn with 28 points, and Randle added 23.
Before the game, Kenny Atkinson pointed to the leaguewide issue of big leads disappearing, saying it had to do with turnovers and the threat of the 3-point shot. Brooklyn used exactly that formula to nearly steal one, forcing eight Cleveland turnovers in the fourth quarter and 23 overall. Nine of the Nets’ 13 made shots in the final period came from beyond the arc.
For one night, though, the Cavs escaped.
In Other News...
Mario Hezonja Already Gives The Cavs A Bench Weapon They Needed
Mario Hezonjas first game back in the NBA came with the kind of confidence the Cavaliers have been looking for on the bench. After six years away, he stepped in for Cleveland and immediately looked comfortable attacking mismatches, giving the offense a different look and providing support around the teams top scorers. Hezonja described his job simply enough: help teammates like Donovan Mitchell and James Harden by making life a little easier for them.
For a Cavs team trying to balance immediate results with bigger-picture health, that kind of presence can matter. Head coach Kenny Atkinson singled out Hezonjas performance as a positive even in a loss, which says plenty about the early impression he made. Cleveland does not need him to be a headline act, only a usable bench option who can change a stretch of a game, and his debut suggested there may be more there than a one-night cameo. [Read more 🡒]
Cavs May Have Found An Off-Bench Option Sooner Than Expected
Mario Hezonjas second game of the season gave the Cavaliers a small but encouraging glimpse of a possible off-bench spark. Against the Brooklyn Nets, he filled a limited role with points, rebounds and a steal, and he looked comfortable enough to fit into the flow without forcing things. The shot-making was part of the appeal, too, as he buried a corner 3-pointer and showed enough creativity to make a few possessions feel a little livelier than they might have otherwise.
For a Cleveland team heading into matchups with Minnesota, Washington, Atlanta and Milwaukee, those kinds of minutes matter, especially when the rotation is still taking shape. Hezonja did not need a featured role to make an impression, and the Cavaliers will now have a quick chance to see whether that early feel carries over as the schedule stiffens. [Read more 🡒]
Jarrett Allen Just Showed Why The Cavs Need Him In Close Games
In a tight home opener against the Brooklyn Nets, Jarrett Allen gave the Cavaliers the kind of night that reminds everyone why he matters when games get tense late. Cleveland needed him in a close contest, and Allen delivered as the player of the game with 21 points, 8 rebounds and plenty of presence around the rim, while Donovan Mitchell, James Harden and Evan Mobley all had their own notable stretches in a game that stayed competitive throughout.
The Cavs have built plenty of their identity around star power, but performances like this are about the margin between winning and losing when the matchup turns into a half-court grind. Allens blend of scoring and defense gave Cleveland stability in a game that could have slipped, and it only reinforced how valuable his interior work becomes when the final minutes demand clean possessions and stops. [Read more 🡒]