Cavaliers win seventh straight stopping Grizzlies in a physical game 129-123

BY TIM SHIRER

CAVALIERS BEAT WRITER

(CLEVELAND, OH) - The Cleveland Cavaliers (47-10, 27-4 home) welcomed the Memphis Grizzlies (37-20, 16-14 road) to Rocket Arena on Sunday night. The contest was the first meeting between the two teams this season. The Cavs entered the game holding the best record in the NBA and the Grizzlies held the second seed in the NBA’s Western Conference 8.5 games behind the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Cavs were shorthanded on Sunday night with Darius Garland (left hip contusion) out. But even without Garland the Cavs were able to take down the Grizzlies 129-123 and win their seventh straight game.

The Cavs took an early 5-4 lead when Isaac Okoro was fouled. He hit one of two free throws, after he missed the second free throw Mobley got the rebound and dropped the ball in with 10:16 left on the clock. With 7:31 left Mobley drove the line right past Grizzlies rookie Zach Edey to give the Cavs a 13-9 lead. Ja Morant responded with a three point shot and pulled the Griz to within 13-12 with 7:14 left in the opening quarter. Cavs floor boss Kenny Atkinson called an immediate timeout. After the timeout with 6:35 left in the quarter when Jaylen Wells hit a three point and gave the Grizzlies a 15-13 lead. The Cavs went on an 8-2 run to take a 21-17 lead capped off by a Donovan Mitchell layup with 4:51 left. Memphis coach Taylor Jenkins took a timeout to calm his troops. With 2:07 left in the period Ty Jerome hit a fall back jumper to give the Cavs a 27-20 lead. The Cavs led 31-23 with :28.1 left in the quarter, Luke Kennard hit a three pointer and was fouled by Jerome, his second. Kenard hit the free throw and the Cavs lead was 31-27. As time ran out on the quarter the Cavs led 33-29. Mitchell led all scorers with 12 first quarter points. Morant led the Grizz with eight points. Memphis barely outshot the Cavs from the field 43% (10 of 23) to 42% (14 of 33). The Cavs destroyed the Grizzlies on the boards 21-7.

With 10:55 left in the second quarter the Grizzlies took a 34-33 lead when Jaren Jackson, Jr. scored in the paint. The Grizzlies lead grew even further with 9:50 when Edey was fouled by Dean Wade and hit 1 of 2 free throws to give Memphis a 37-34 lead. The Cavs tied the game 37-37 on the next possession when Mitchell drained a three. With 8:47 left the Cavs took a 41-39 lead on a jumper by Mitchell. Just like when Edey was at Purdue he was getting all the calls in the paint. With 7:10 left he was fouled (wink, wink) by Jarrett Allen and cut the Cavs lead to 43-42. With 5:57 left De’Andre Hunter hit a jumper and put the Cavs up 48-42. The Grizzlies were not going away and with 3:42 left and Atkinson was accessed a technical foul for using some choice words Vince Williams converted the technical free throw and the game was tied 50-50. With 2:47 left Kennard gave the Grizzlies a 54-52 lead. The Cavs quickly tied the game 54-54 when Jerome hit another floater with 2:34 left. With time running out the Cavs capped the first half with a three-point buzzer beater by Max Strus to give the Cavs a 61-56 halftime advantage. Mitchell led everyone in scoring at the half with 22 points. Kennard led the Grizzlies with 11 first half points, Morant had 10 in the first 24 minutes. The Grizzlies shot 46% (20 of 44) while the Cavs shot 43% (24 of 56). The Cavs continued to dominate the boards outrebounding Memphis 32-18 in the opening half. The Grizzlies bench however did out score the Cavs bench 27-18. The Cavs did win the battle of the paint, outscoring Memphis 26-20. The Cavs also won the second chance points battle in the first half 14-4.

The Grizzlies outscored the Cavs 7-0 to start the third period and with 10:25 left on the clock they took a 63-62 lead when Wells hit a wide open three point shot from the top of the arc. The Cavs then went on a mine 9-2 run to take a 71-66 lead with 8:35 left courtesy of a Mitchell three point shot. With 8:12 left and the Cavs were sporting a three point lead the Grizzlies floor boss Jenkins picked up a technical, but Mitchel could convert it into points, but on the next possession Okoro hit a three. Then with 7:28 left and the Cavs up 74-71 the Cavs called a timeout and a scuffle broke out near the Cavs bench between Mitchell and Desmond Bane, both benches cleared. Both Morant and Mitchell were accessed technical fouls as well as Tristan Thompson for leaving the bench. When asked about the scuffle after the game Atkinson made no excuses and thought it was wrong that Morant got involved in a tussle that was between Mitchell and Bane. The Cavs then challenged an out of bounds call and won the challenge but could not convert into points as they turned the ball over and the Grizzlies cut the Cavs lead to 77-73 with 6:20 left on the clock in the third quarter. The game continued to be close and with 4:29 left Hunter was fouled, he hit both free throws and gave the Cavs an 85-78 lead. With 2:44 left and the Cavs leading 89-80 the Cavs were accessed a defensive technical. Kennard hit the technical foul, and the Cavs lead was at eight. Near the end of the third quarter Bane began to work himself into a nomination for an Oscar as he drew two pathetic foul calls, and both were against Sam Merrill. Phantom foul calls in favor of Memphis seemed to be the theme of the third quarters as time ran out the Cavs led 93-88. Mitchell led all scorers with 27 through three quarters. Wells was leading Memphis with 16 points. The Cavs were shooting 46% (35 of 76) while the Grizzlies were shooting 45% (31 of 69).

Just 14 seconds into the final quarter the Grizzlies cut the Cavs lead to 93-90. The Cavs then turned the ball over on three consecutive possessions, but they did not result in any Memphis points. The Cavs finally scored when Jerome was fouled and hit both free throws with 10;18 left in regulation. Then after a failed Grizzlies possession Jerome struck from three-point range to give Cleveland a 98-90 lead with 9:50 left. With 9:14 left Merrill hit a three from the corner and Grizzlies coach Jenkins had seen enough and called a timeout. With 7:52 left Jerome hit another three giving the Cavs a 104-95 lead and then on the next Grizzlies possession Edey was called for an offensive foul and the Cavs lead was up to 11 points as Jerome scored off the turnover with 7:35 left. The Cavs, with 4:15 left the Cavs lead was cut to seven points at 113-106 when Morant hit a running jumper in the paint. After Mitchell hit two free throws and the Grizzlies failed to score at the other end, Mobley, on a pass from Strus, slammed it home, giving the Cavs a 116-106 lead with 3:27 left. Then with 2:54 left and the Cavs up 116-109 Allen dunked on a pass from Mobley, and he was fouled on the play. Allen could not convert the free throw, and the Cavs led 118-109. With 2:11 left and Jerome at the foul line he hit one of two and the Cavs led 119-112. After the Grizzlies scored at the other end, cutting the Cavs lead to five points Strus nailed a three extending the Cavs lead to 122-114 with 1:45 remaining. Morant was fouled at the other end and hit both free throws. After the Cavs took a 124-116 lead the Grizzlies cut the Cavs lead to three points after Allen fouled Jackson, Jr. with :42.4 left on the clock. With :26.6 left in regulation Mitchel was fouled and only hit one of two and the Cavs led 124-120. The Grizzlies then called a timeout. With :23.4 left Strus was called for a foul on who else but Jackson, Jr went to the line. He missed both free throws and Strus pulled down the rebound with :20.1 and he was immediately fouled. Strus hit both free throws to give the Cavs a 127-121 lead. For some reason with :15.6 left Hunter fouled Morant. Morant hit both cutting the Cavs lead to 127-123. With :09.0 left Morant fouled Mitchell. Mitchell hit both and the Cavs led 129-123. The Grizzlies could not get a shot off in their final possession and the Cavs secured the win.

Donovan Mitchell led all scorers with 33 points and six assists. Jerome had 26 points off the bench and Mobley had 25 points and 13 rebounds for his 26th double double of the campaign and 93rd of his career. Mobley fell just short of his first ever triple double as he had eight assists on the night. Allen also notched a double double his 32nd of the season and 221st of his career. Jackson, Jr. led the Grizzlies in scoring with 22 in a losing effort. Morant also had 21 for Memphis.

The Cavs edged the Grizzlies in shooting from the field 47% (46 of 99) to 46% (42 of 92). Memphis did outshoot the Cavs from three-point range 38% (15 of 39) to 28% (13 of 47). The game was loaded with personal fouls, 51 total in the game. The Cavs committed 25 and the Grizzlies committed one more at 26.

The Cavs will now head out on the road for a tough two games against the Orlando Magic (28-30, 17-11 home) and the Boston Celtics (40-16, 17-10 home). First stop Orlando at 7 pm on Tuesday at the Kia Center. They will finish the trip in Boston at TD Garden on Friday night at 7:30 pm.