HEAVYWEIGHT MONDAY
After winning three of four on their recent roadie, the Wine & Gold return home for a Monday night matchup between two of the league’s hottest squads – welcoming Tyronn Lue’s Clippers to town.
On Friday night, the Cavs closed out the four-game trip in style, outmuscling the Bucks to split the two-game set and the season series – holding Milwaukee to 43 points after intermission and pulling away for the double-digit victory. Donovan Mitchell led all scorers, Jarrett Allen kept his double-double streak rolling and Cleveland got another great night from its second unit.
The red-hot Clippers have won 13 of their last 15 dating back to Christmas and come to town on a five-game win streak, including the first two games of their current seven-game trip. On Saturday night, they handed the Celtics their worst home loss of the season. Kawhi Leonard led L.A. with 26 points. For Boston, Jayson Tatum finished with 21 points and the other four starters combined for 17 points on 5-for-37 shooting.
The Cavaliers have won three of four in the series against the Clippers, including a 23-point win here in Cleveland one year ago. The Wine & Gold welcome Detroit to town on Wednesday before traveling for two – facing the Grizzlies in Memphis on Thursday before a Saturday night visit to San Antonio.
STRONG, SILENT TYPE
Through his first three full seasons in L.A., Kawhi Leonard has been limited to 57 games or fewer in each one. But the five-time All-Star comes to Cleveland starting in his 41st this year – and he’s playing at an elite level at age 32.
Leonard comes to town leading the Clips in scoring at 23.6ppg on 53 percent shooting, with eight 30-point games and a 41-point night against Utah in early December. Over his last three outings, the efficient two-way star is shooting 64 percent from the floor.
The last time Leonard faced the Cavaliers was February 2021, scoring 24 points in a win here in Cleveland. He went for 40 points-plus in two of the previous three head-to-head meetings.
Cleveland’s top scorer, Donovan Mitchell, has also been its top assist man of late – handing out at least six helpers in each of the last eight games. On Friday night in Milwaukee, Mitchell led both teams with 32 points, adding eight boards and six assists. On the defensive end, he held Malik Beasley – the East’s top three-point shooter – to a single field goal attempt.
Mitchell has topped the 30-point mark in three of his last five outings against the Clippers.
DOUBLE TROUBLE
Jarrett Allen has been one of the best bigs in the Association over the past month-and-a-half, and he’ll soon be rejoined by his frontcourt mate, Evan Mobley.
On Friday night, Allen ran his consecutive double-double streak to 14 straight – finishing with 24 points and 14 boards, blocking a pair of shots and helping hold Giannis to 13 field goals attempts.
Over the 14-game run – with the Cavs going 11-3 over that span – Allen is averaging 18.8ppg and 14.1rpg on 62 percent shooting. Allen has doubled-up five times against the Clippers in his career, including a 20-rebound outing last November.
The Clippers will once again be without their top big man, Ivica Zubac, who’ll miss his seventh straight game on Monday with a calf injury. Mason Plumlee has stepped into the starting lineup and done an admirable job – averaging 8.2 points and 6.4 boards over that span.