Shorthanded Cavs Clip Pelicans, Win Fifth Straight at Home

The shorthanded Cavs slugged one out and outlasted the Pelicans, 93-90, to snap a 7-game skid to New Orleans. Cleveland outscored the visitors by 11 in the fourth (33-24). Cleveland shot 43 percent from the floor, 29 percent from deep while New Orleans shot 39 percent and 20 percent from deep. The Pelicans won the battle on the glass, though, 51-37.

In his first start of the season, Cedi Osman scored only seven points, but handed out a career-best 12 assists. Brandon Goodwin played 27 minutes off the bench and contributed with a career-high 21 points with three made threes. Jarrett Allen scored 16 of his own and handed out eight assists and Kevin Love doubled up with 15 points and 11 boards. Isaac Okoro and Lamar Stevens were in double figures as well, with 14 and 11 respectively.

Full recap to come.

Miss any of the action? Find all the highlights and photos in the Game Tracker.

It’s been said that J.B. Bickerstaff has pushed all the right buttons so far this season. On Monday night, he pushed two more – both worked, and out came another victory.

With Darius Garland a late scratch with lower back issues, the Cavaliers started Cedi Osman at the point – his first start this season – and brought in Brandon Goodwin to run the squad in the second half. Osman proceeded to hand out a career-high in assists and Goodwin tied a career-high in points, as the Wine & Gold got back in the win column – taking the 93-90 slugfest in Cleveland.

The Cavs trailed by six with five minutes to play, but evened the score on Kevin Love’s short jumper with just under three minutes remaining. The two teams went back and forth from there – with Devonte Graham giving New Orleans a brief lead and Jarrett Allen tying the game at 90-apiece on a thunderous dunk with 1:31 to go.

The Cavaliers took a two-point edge on Isaac Okoro’s free throws with 50 seconds to play and after Jonas Valanciunas’ missed drive on the other end, Lamar Stevens split a pair from the stripe to seal the deal – snapping a seven-game skid to the Pelicans.

The win was Cleveland’s fifth straight at Rocket Mortgage and its 11th victory in the last 13 games.

Down their top playmaker, the Cavaliers were forced to rely on their defense on Monday night – and it didn’t disappoint, holding the Pelicans to 39 percent shooting from the floor, including 6-for-30 from long-range. Offensively, the Wine & Gold got just enough to secure the ugly win – netting just 17 points in the opening quarter but 33 in the fourth.

Goodwin, who inked a two-way deal with Cleveland just over three weeks ago, scored 12 of his 21 points in the fourth quarter – going 4-for-5 from the floor, 2-for-3 from long-range. Overall, the 26-year-old Goodwin went 8-of-11 from the field, 3-of-4 from beyond the arc.

Kevin Love was almost as good in the fourth – netting 10 of his 15 points in the final period on 4-of-6 shooting, drilling both three-pointers he attempted. On the night, Love finished with 15 points, going 6-for-15 from the floor, including 3-of-8 from deep, grabbing a game-high 11 rebounds to go with three assists and a pair of blocks.

Jarrett Allen chipped in with 16 points on 7-for-12 shooting, adding eight boards and two blocked shots and Isaac Okoro rounded out the Cavaliers starters with double-figures, finishing with 14 points on 4-of-5 shooting, including 2-of-2 from long-distance.

Lamar Stevens was the third Cavalier reserve to notch double-figures on Monday – finishing with 11 points on 5-for-6 shooting, adding four boards, a pair of assists, a game-high three steals and a pair of blocks.

Both Evan Mobley and Cedi Osman struggled shooting the ball from the floor, but Mobley blocked a team-high three shots – his ninth game this season with at least three swats – and Osman piled up 12 assists to lead both teams in the win.

Devonte Graham led the Pelicans with 20 points while Josh Hart doubled-up with 10 points and a team-high-tying 10 boards as New Orleans dropped its fourth straight.

Miss any of the action? Find all the highlights and photos in the Game Tracker.

Lamar Stevens drives inside, jump stops, and scores a lay-up around and over his defender for two in the second quarter.

After four ties and three lead-changes in the third quarter, the Pelicans began taking control early in the fourth quarter – grabbing a nine-point edge on Josh Hart’s three-pointer with 9:40 to play in the game.

The Cavs continued to grind away, and proceeded to outscore New Orleans, 20-11, over the next six minutes – tying the contest on Kevin Love’s turnaround jumper and holding the Pelicans to just a single field goal over the game’s final three minutes.

By the Numbers - 21 … games this season that the Cavaliers have held an opponent under the century mark – including in Monday night’s contest and against four of their last five foes. Cleveland is 18-3 in those games.

At 102.5ppg, the Wine & Gold have the top scoring defense in the Eastern Conference, have now held 10 opponents under 40 percent shooting and two opponents under 20 percent from long-range, accomplishing both in Monday’s win over New Orleans.

Cedi Osman, on getting the start at point guard on Monday and handing out a career-high in assists …

"When we talked before the game and J.B. said I’d be starting at point guard, I was like, ‘Yeah, OK. I’m ready.’ Offensively, I didn’t have a great game tonight, but I was just trying to find open shots for all my teammates. And I’m just happy we got the win."

Enjoy the best broadcast calls of the night from Cavaliers Radio Network's Tim Alcorn and Rafa Hernandez-Brito from Power 89.1.

After dropping the Pelicans on Monday night in Cleveland, the Cavaliers hit the road for their final Western Conference matchup away from Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse this season – traveling to face the Rockets on Wednesday night.

From there, the Wine & Gold travel to Charlotte for a matchup with the league’s highest-scoring team, facing the Hornets on Friday night. The Cavs are home for two – welcoming the Pacers to town next Sunday and the Spurs on Wednesday before hitting the road for the final three games before the All-Star Break.