The Cavaliers got the result they needed Saturday night. The way they got there, though, was enough to raise the blood pressure of everybody in Rocket Arena.
Cleveland beat the visiting Brooklyn Nets 125-121 in its home opener, but a game that looked comfortably in hand turned into another tense finish. The Cavs led by 14 at halftime, then pushed that margin to 18 and eventually 22.
For a while, everything was working. Donovan Mitchell was in rhythm, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen were producing, and the offense looked sharp.
Then the fourth quarter arrived and nearly wrecked the whole thing.
Brooklyn poured in 41 points, hit nine 3-pointers and forced eight Cleveland turnovers in the final period alone. The Cavs finished with 23 turnovers overall, a number that made the late wobble feel less like a fluke and more like a warning sign. The Nets kept chipping away until the deficit was down to two in the closing seconds, turning what should have been a routine finish into another survival test.
Sam Merrill finally settled things by knocking down two free throws.
Cleveland will gladly take the 1-1 start, especially after Thursday’s collapse against the 76ers, when a 29-point lead disappeared in a loss. Saturday was different only in the final result.
The lead was still there. The calm was not.
And after Brooklyn’s comeback push, the game carried the same familiar feeling of a team making life harder than it needs to be.
That is what stands out most through two games: the Cavs can look excellent when the offense is flowing and the ball is moving, but they have also shown how quickly things can unravel once turnovers pile up and the opponent starts raining in 3s. Coach Kenny Atkinson talked before the game about how leads disappear in today’s NBA, pointing to turnovers and the 3-point shot. Brooklyn delivered a pretty clear case study.
There was plenty Cleveland did well, and it shouldn’t get buried under the ending. Mitchell finished with 22 points.
Allen added 21 and was especially efficient, making seven of his eight shots. Mobley posted 20 points and 10 rebounds.
Jaylon Tyson chipped in 15 points off the bench, continuing to make himself useful. Peyton Watson added 11.
Still, the finish overshadowed all of it.
The Cavs spent much of the offseason trying to move beyond the way last season ended, and these first two games have not exactly helped the healing process. They already blew a 22-point fourth-quarter lead against the Knicks in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals, and now they’ve followed Thursday’s Philadelphia collapse with another near-disaster at home.
It’s only two games, and the season is nowhere near long enough to make sweeping judgments. Cleveland has talent, experience and, yes, a win.
But good teams don’t just build big leads. They hold them.
That’s the piece the Cavs still need to prove.
They’ll get another shot Monday night against the Timberwolves.
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 Win Couldnt Hide A Late Problem Fans Already Fear
The Cavaliers opened their home schedule with a 125-121 win over the Brooklyn Nets, and for most of the night it looked like a comfortable one. Cleveland built a sizeable halftime cushion behind strong work from Donovan Mitchell, Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley, then spent much of the second half trying to keep Brooklyn from turning the game into something messier than it should have been.
Instead, the fourth quarter brought the sort of nervy finish that can linger for a team with bigger ambitions. The Nets kept letting fly from deep and made a real run at erasing the gap, forcing Cleveland to answer possession by possession before the Cavs finally steadied themselves at the line in the closing moments. The win counts, but the late wobble is the kind of early-season warning sign fans notice right away. [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 🡒]