The Cleveland Cavaliers snapped their losing streak on Wednesday night against the Chicago Bulls, winning 121-105.
It all started at the defensive end for the wine and gold. The team played suffocating defense, holding the Bulls to just 12 points in the first quarter. At one point, the Cavs held them without a bucket for 13 straight possessions.
Young wingman Issac Okoro was one of the main reasons for that, nabbing a steal and playing tough defense on the outside. His defense allowed for a flashy dunk on the other end. He wasn't the only one either...
The Cavs ended with 20 takeaways from the Bulls, converting them into 23 points. When that's the case, it's easy to see how the Cavs were able to get the job done.
Next Man Up
With coach J.B. Bickerstaff out for personal reasons, assistant coach Greg Buckner took the reigns for the evening. With Coach Buck, as he likes to be called, getting his first opportunity to lead an NBA team as a head coach, the players wanted this win even more.
Both Collin Sexton and Darius Garland noted after the game that they wanted to get the win tonight, not only for themselves, but also for Buckner, who needed a new change of clothes following the team's celebration after the game.
Take a breather
Coach Buck not only lead a balanced attack, he managed playing time quite well, with Sexton leading the team in minutes at only 31 with Garland just behind him at 30 minutes.
It's also worth noting how Buckner deployed Kevin Love and Larry Nance Jr., who both looked like their old selves on the court. Between the two of them, they played 48 minutes total, with Love getting the lion share at 26 minutes and Nance at 22 minutes.
Love had a couple of key threes early and finished with 15 points on 5-12 shooting. Nance was moving well on both ends of the court, scoring 10 points while shooting 4-7 from the field and nabbing one steal.
Sexland stays hot, makes history
The dynamic duo of Garland and Sexton, coined Sexland by many, had a tremendous night, combining for 55 points, shooting 19-30 from the field (7-9 from three point), and 11 assists.
Garland also made history for himself tonight, surpassing former Cavaliers point guard Kyrie Irving as the fastest player to reach 200 three-point shots made in fourteen fewer games than the former number one overall pick.
The 2019 first round pick has really impressed this April, averaging 20 points and seven assists, while shooting 43.1% from three point. He really seems to be getting comfortable on the court after missing time due to injury both in his rookie season and at times this season.
What's next?
The Cavaliers will be travelling to Charlotte to face the Hornets on Friday night, tipping off at 8:00pm. Coach J.B. Bickerstaff is expected to return to his head coaching duties for the game.