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WRAP-UP
As the calendar year starts coming to a close, these young Cavaliers might just be learning how to win.
The Wine & Gold made it two straight – while improving to 7-5 against teams with a sub-.500 record – rallying past the Grizzlies to take a 114-107 decision on Friday night at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse.
Memphis led by seven halfway through the fourth quarter when Cleveland kicked it into gear – closing the contest on an 18-4 run to take their fourth straight against the Grizzlies at home, improving to 19-4 all-time against them on the corner of Huron and Ontario.
The Cavaliers got strong outings from their starters – with Kevin Love and Tristan Thompson doubling-up and Darius Garland and Cedi Osman notching double-figures. But it was the Wine & Gold’s bench that did much of the heavy lifting.
Matthew Dellavedova led the squad with eight assists, John Henson set the Cavaliers high-water mark this year with seven blocked shots and Jordan Clarkson exploded for a season-high 33 points – going 12-of-17 from the floor, including 6-of-8 from long-range to go with six boards.
Love and Thompson each doubled-up in their third straight contest.
Love scored seven of his 21 points in the fourth quarter, drilling both three-point attempts – including a bomb with 1:03 to play that gave Cleveland the lead back for good. On the night, the five-time All-Star went 6-of-13 from the floor, 5-of-11 from deep and 4-of-6 from the stripe to go with 13 boards.
Thompson wasn’t quite as productive offensively – finishing with 10 points on 5-of-14 shooting – but he managed to lead both squads with 15 boards, adding three assists and a block.
Darius Garland didn’t have his best shooting night either, but good enough to finish with 14 points, adding five boards and a pair of assists.
Cedi Osman rounded out the Cavaliers in double-figures – his third straight such game, fourth in his last five – finishing with 13 points on 5-of-9 shooting, including a 3-of-5 mark from long-distance.
As a team, the Wine & Gold drilled 17 three-pointers, outrebounded Memphis, 60-46, and handed out 26 assists.
Jaren Jackson Jr. led the Grizzlies with 24 points, Jonas Valanciunas doubled-up with 14 points and 14 boards and rookie Ja Morant – who nearly jumped over Kevin Love on a first-quarter dunk attempt – led both squads with 11 assists.
HIGHLIGHT
John Henson rejects a shot at the rim which leads to a Kevin Porter Jr. fast break slam on the other end.
TURNING POINT
Through the first three quarters of Friday’s contest, there were 15 ties and 22 lead-changes.
But the Grizzlies took charge to start the fourth, taking a 12-point edge on Grayson Allen’s four-point play with 10:23 to play in regulation. The Cavs continued to chip away, but still found themselves down a touchdown with 6:11 to play on Jaren Jackson Jr.’s three-pointer.
But buckets by Collin Sexton, Jordan Clarkson and Tristan Thompson got Cleveland to within one and Kevin Love’s free throw tied the game at 103-apiece with 3:15 to play.
Ja Morant would give the Grizzlies back the lead on a floater with 1:25 to play, but Love drilled his second triple of the quarter to put the Cavs up a deuce – a lead they would not relinquish.
BY THE NUMBERS
2,005 … offensive rebounds that Tristan Thompson has grabbed over the course of his career – becoming just the second Cavalier in franchise history – along with Zydrunas Ilgauskas to top the 2K mark.
With 108 offensive rebounds this season, Thompson ranks second only behind Detroit’s Andre Drummond in that category.
QUOTABLE
John Henson, on his role with the Cavs …
"(You) just kind of got to find your niche. Each team is different. Each team is built different. Every year is different. I think my niche is just kind of doing the small things off the bench, finishing when I can and protecting the rim. That’s kind of the role that it’s shaping up to be and I have to be good at it.”
CALLS OF THE GAME
Enjoy the best broadcast calls of the night from Cavaliers Radio Network's Tim Alcorn and 87.7 La Mega's Rafa Hernandez-Brito.
UP NEXT
The Cavaliers round out their three-game homestand on Monday night before breaking for Christmas – welcoming Trae Young and the Atlanta Hawks to town for the first time this year.
On the other side of the Christmas holiday, the Wine & Gold hit the road for three – traveling to face Boston next Friday and the Timberwolves the following night in Minnesota before wrapping up the 2019 calendar year on New Year’s Eve in Toronto.