2-2-2022 at Rockets

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Cavs vs. Rockets Postgame: Kevin Love + Evan Mobley

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Cavs vs. Rockets Postgame: J.B. Bickerstaff

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Georgia

The Cavs never found a rhythm versus Houston, trailed from early in the second quarter to drop the second straight on the road with a final score of 115-104. Cleveland shot 51% field goals but just 56% free throws. They went 7-21 on 3-point field goals. Meanwhile, Wood and Green of the Rockets hit a combined 42 points. Houston hit 14 three point field goals and 23 total field goals. Cleveland now has a 15-53 all-time record in Houston.

For the Cavs: Evan Mobley hit a career-high 29 points, 12-20 field goals, 12 rebounds (5 offensive rebounds), 2 assists and a steal. Kevin Love hit 21 points, 8-20 field goals, a game-high 13 rebounds, 3 assists, and a block. Cedi Osman got 13 points, 5-12 field goals, and 3-6 3 point field goals. Jarrett Allen hit 11 points, 5-7 field goals, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, and a block. Isaac Okoro got 11pts, 5-7 field goals, 2 rebounds, and a block. Brandon Goodwin got a game-high 8 assists.

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

The point guard is the quarterback of a basketball team, and the absence of Cleveland’s starting QB was on display again on Wednesday night in Houston.

The Cavaliers never quite found their rhythm in the first of two on the road, falling behind by a point at the end of the first quarter and trailing the rest of the way – dropping a sloppy 115-104 decision to the 14-win Rockets at the Toyota Center.

The Wine and Gold have reversed some negative historical precedents this year, but struggling in Houston won’t be one of them – falling to 15-53 all-time on the Rockets home floor.

After leading Cleveland with 21 points off the bench in Monday’s win over the Pelicans, Brandon Goodwin started at the point on Wednesday. The 4th-year man performed admirably, handing out a game-high eight assists, but without Darius Garland – missing his second straight contest with a sore lower back – Cleveland looked disjointed for much of the night, committing 29 miscues that turned into 27 Houston points.

The Cavaliers shot 51 percent from the floor on Wednesday, but struggled again from the stripe, connecting on only 15-of-27 free throws. The Rockets went 23-of-33 from the stripe and drilled 14 triples to the Cavaliers’ seven.

Cleveland got another big night from their prized rookie, Evan Mobley, who led both teams with a career-high 29 points, going 12-for-20 from the floor, doubling-up with 12 rebounds, adding two assists and a steal.

Kevin Love also doubled-up in Houston – finishing with 21 points on 8-of-20 shooting, grabbing a game-high 13 boards to go with three assists and a block.

Cedi Osman, making his second straight start, chipped in with 13 points on 5-of-12 shooting, including 3-of-6 from long-range.

Jarrett Allen and Isaac Okoro each finished with 11 points in the loss – each going 5-of-7 from the floor; Allen snagged six boards and blocked a shot, Okoro grabbed a pair of boards to go with a steal and blocked shot.

Christian Wood and rookie Jalen Green each tallied 21 points for Houston, which snapped Cleveland’s four-game road win streak against Western Conference opponents. Former Cavalier, Kevin Porter Jr. finished with 16 points and a team-high seven helpers.

Big to big. Jarrett Allen to Evan Mobley who slams it down.

For the second straight road contest, the Cavaliers struggled to close the game down the stretch.

Despite trailing for most of the night, the Cavaliers stayed within striking distance and got from within eight points to within three, 105-102, on Evan Mobley’s and-1 with 2:44 to play. Unfortunately, that was the last meaningful bucket Cleveland would score.

Christian Wood scored on Houston’s next two possessions and Kevin Porter Jr. took care of the finishing touches, scoring on a three-pointer and alley-oop dunk to put the Rockets up 13 with 1:12 to play. Coach J.B. Bickerstaff emptied his bench from there.

By the Numbers - 17.8, 10.2 … Kevin Love’s scoring and rebounding averages in his last five games off the bench, with three double-doubles and three 20-point outings in the mix.

Love also became just the seventh player in franchise history to grab 4,000 rebounds – and now has 4,005 boards as a Cavalier, chasing Anderson Varejao (4,434) for 6th on the all-time list.

Coach J.B. Bickerstaff, on Wednesday night’s loss in Houston …

”We didn’t get the job done to the level that we’re capable of tonight. I thought there were too many moments where we were trying to do things outside of ourselves. You don’t make up for the absence of another guy by trying to be somebody else; be the best version of yourself. And I thought there were too many moments where we were out of ourselves. The game was choppy and rhythm-less with all the fouls, but we just didn’t do a good enough job tonight.”

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

The Cavaliers will try to even their mark on the mini-road trip when they travel to Tobacco Road for a Friday night matchup with the league’s highest-scoring squad, taking on LaMelo Ball on the Hornets.

The Wine and Gold return home for a Sunday evening meeting with the Pacers, and welcome the Spurs on Wednesday before hitting the road for the final three games before the All-Star Break.

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Rockets Pull Away Late, Drop Cavs in Houston

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Pick Six for Okoro

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Cedi Osman Knocks it Down

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Dunk by Lamar Stevens

Stevens Charges to the Bucket and Hammers it

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Clever Assist by Brandon Goodwin

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2‑2‑2022 at Rockets