Cleveland Cavaliers embarrassed by short-handed Golden State Warriors in 120-114 loss

CLEVELAND, Ohio — The Cleveland Cavaliers have a brand new chief within the clubhouse for worst lack of the season. And this one can be onerous to prime.

Regardless of Golden State enjoying with out 4 of its regular starters on the finish of an exhausting street journey, the Cavs misplaced to the Warriors’ B group Friday night time, 120-114. It’s Cleveland’s third loss within the final 4 video games and first at house since Dec. 26 in opposition to the Brooklyn Nets.

Humiliating. Shameful. Pathetic. Baffling. Ugly. Decide an adjective. All of them match.

The Cavs have been unprepared, unmotivated and lifeless. It began from the bounce, when the Warriors exploded for 15 factors within the first 4 minutes — and simply saved rolling, even with their finest gamers in road garments.

“We didn’t respect the sport. It’s that easy,” Cavs coach J.B. Bickerstaff stated following the loss. “They’ve bought champions over there, and we thought a few of these guys have been out so we have been gonna take it evenly and we bought what we deserved.”

Following the Warriors’ additional time loss in Boston about 24 hours earlier, coach Steve Kerr sat famous person Stephen Curry together with Klay Thompson, Draymond Inexperienced and Andrew Wiggins. Reserves Andre Iguodala and James Wiseman have been additionally unavailable. Kerr stated earlier than tipoff he was enjoying the lengthy recreation, attempting to juggle his rotation and discipline a aggressive lineup whereas additionally getting sufficient relaxation and restoration for his high-minute regulars.

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Curry not too long ago returned after lacking 11 video games with a shoulder damage and logged 43 minutes in Thursday’s loss to Boston.

These absences appeared to be a break for the Cavs — although they didn’t have main scorer Donovan Mitchell due to a groin damage or veteran backup Ricky Rubio, held out for upkeep associated to his surgically repaired left knee.

As an alternative, Cleveland bought punked by the undermanned Warriors — a gaggle of feisty snipers who shot the lights out.

Constructing the result in 20 factors within the third quarter, earlier than holding off one other signature, too-little-too-late comeback try from the Cavs, Golden State — sans almost everybody — poured in 23 triples. It was simply two away from matching a season excessive. Solely 4 off the franchise report. The Warriors went 23 of 43 from deep, lots of them uncontested. The 14 makes within the first half have been a season finest.

“They’re good basketball gamers, and when you’re gonna disrespect them, they’re gonna make you pay,” Bickerstaff stated. “We got here out of the gate tender and disrespectful, and so they have been on the market taking pictures warmup pictures with no contest, no challenges, no person of their area and so they gave us what we deserved.”

Jordan Poole, the one accessible member of Thursday’s beginning group in Boston, led the best way. He completed with a game-high 32 factors on 10 of 23 from the sector and 5 of 12 from past the arc in 41 minutes. Ty Jerome added 22 factors on 9 of 13 taking pictures and three of 4 from deep, together with a well timed dagger to push Golden State again in entrance by seven factors after the Cavs had trimmed the result in simply 4 across the two-minute mark. Donte DiVincenzo completed with 17.

In all, eight Warriors made at the least one triple. Steph who? Klay who? Golden State didn’t want the Splash Brothers to overwhelm Cleveland’s disinterested protection.

The Cavs completed with a defensive score of 122.0, nicely off their second-ranked season mark. The Warriors led for almost 43 minutes. There have been simply seven lead adjustments and two ties.

“I don’t suppose we neglected them. They within the league for a motive,” Darius Garland stated. “They bought it going within the first quarter. Once you get going within the first, you get assured, in order that leads all through the whole recreation and that’s what it was.”

Garland completed with 31 factors and 10 assists. Caris LeVert chipped in with 22. Evan Mobley added 17 factors and 7 rebounds.

“I put together for each recreation the identical approach,” LeVert stated. “However I feel clearly we didn’t play nicely. We didn’t play the best way we needed to play. There was quite a lot of breakdowns defensively, quite a lot of scouting report miscues, stuff that we don’t usually do. We simply didn’t play nicely in any respect. They nonetheless are champions, and the best way they play, they unfold the court docket. They transfer the ball and shoot quite a lot of 3s. However we simply didn’t actually determine it out tonight.”

Previous to the sport, Bickerstaff stated his group wanted to take knowledgeable strategy and play to the identical normal regardless of going in opposition to a short-handed group.

No approach round it. The Cavs failed to satisfy that normal. Woefully. Embarrassingly.

All-Star message

Whereas the Cavaliers have been pushing for Garland to hitch backcourt mate Mitchell in Salt Lake Metropolis for the 2023 NBA All-Star Sport, Garland continues to lag behind within the fan voting, which implies his All-Star destiny will doubtless be within the palms of NBA coaches who’re accountable for selecting the reserves. So, what’s Bickerstaff’s message to his fellow coaches?

“It’s the identical as final yr: he impacts profitable,” Bickerstaff stated. “That’s what we worth is profitable. We would like guys to symbolize the best issues and Darius represents all the best issues. He’s selfless. He’s an incredible teammate. He’s a hell of a participant, on prime of all these issues, however he’s what we would like gamers to be as coaches. He’s serving to a group win at a stage that I feel needs to be acknowledged.”

Up subsequent

The Cavs will host the Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday night time. Tipoff is about for 7:30 p.m.

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