CLEVELAND, OH - The Cleveland Cavaliers picked up their first win of the new year on Wednesday night with a 140-101 win over the Washington Wizards. The Cavaliers’ 140 points and 37 assists were both season-highs for the team, with six Cavaliers scoring ten or more points.
Cavs wing Max Strus led the offensive charge early with a game-high 11 points in the first quarter. Strus finished the game with 24 points on 9-13 shooting from the floor, including 6-8 from beyond the arc. Donovan Mitchell, Caris LeVert, Jarrett Allen, Georges Niang, and Sam Merrill also scored in double figures for the Wine & Gold on Wednesday night.
The Wizards cut it down to a two-point Cavaliers lead with 4:09 left in the second quarter, but a 16-6 Cavaliers run before halftime would allow the team to keep their foot on the gas and cruise to the 39 point win.
Sharing the Wealth
When young Cavs star forward Evan Mobley went down with an injury in mid-December, it was apparent that some of the players would have to step up to fill the void left by the big man, especially Cavs center Jarrett Allen. To his credit, not only has stepped up on the glass averaging 16.4 rebounds per game in his last five games, but also his passing, which he has averaged six assists per game.
Frequently through the more consistent flow of offense, Allen has found himself able to kick the ball outside to open three point shooters, like Strus, Mitchell and LeVert.They have also had more consistent handoffs with players like Strus and Mitchell to create more spacing for either the open three point shot when defenses collapse or an easy lane to the basket.
While the loss of Mobley and Garland is a tough loss, it’s good to see players like Allen get a chance to showcase just how much they’ve grown in an expanded role.
Fire Away, Fire Away
This Cavaliers team has been focused on getting up more three point attempts, and a big proponent of that is Cavaliers wing Sam Merrill. While the young forward has been coming off the bench and saw little playing time early in the season, Merrill has played in 15 minutes or more in his last six games and shot 21-48 (43.7%) in that same span.
Merrill, 27, showed a quick release with his shot, utmost confidence when shooting at the basket, plus an underrated playmaker, as he secured a new career-high six assists in the win. He shows a decisiveness with his decision making, while also staying prepared and ready when needed.
What’s next?
The Cleveland Cavaliers (19-15) will face the Washington Wizards (6-27) again on Friday at Rocket Mortgage Field House, with the game tipping off at 7:05 PM.
