Cavaliers shoot down Rockets 128-120
BY STONE LEXINGTON
CAVALIERS BEAT WRITER
Sure, most of Cleveland’s attention may have been focused on the Cleveland Indians Tuesday night. After all, the Indians were set to play for their first World Series title since 1948. Nevertheless, the Cleveland Cavaliers had their own game to play Tuesday, a cross-conference matchup with the Houston Rockets.
The Cavs, keeping with Cleveland’s winning ways of late, defeated the Rockets 128-120 in Quicken Loans Arena.
“I was pleased with us just keeping our poise and being able to win this game,” Cavs head coach Tyronn Lue said. “I knew it was going to be a tough game for us when I saw it on the schedule.”
Kyrie Irving led Cleveland with 32 points and four assists, while Kevin Love finished with 24 points and five rebounds. LeBron James nearly reached a triple-double, totaling 19 points, 13 rebounds and eight assists. Cleveland made 16-of-32 three-pointers Tuesday evening.
“The way our offense is constructed and the way guys are playing, the shooters that we have on the floor, guys are going to get open shots every night,” Lue said. “It just depends on if they make them or not.”
The game was originally scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. Eastern Time, but with the World Series taking place across the street, the Cavs got the NBA to move the game up to a 6 p.m. start time. Lue said the time change shouldn’t be used as an excuse if the cavs didn’t play well against Houston, and the change to the game’s start time proved to have no ill effects (aside several defensive lapses) on the Cavs.
The matchup with the Rockets was the Cavs’ first game against a Western Conference opponent this season. Cleveland had relative success against the West a season ago, finishing the 2015-16 campaign with a 22-8 mark. The Cavs excelled in their first test against the West this season, but not before the Rockets gave them everything they could handle.
In a close fought game, the Cavs held a slim 85-84 lead heading into the fourth quarter. When Rockets point guard James Harden (41 points, seven rebounds, 15 assists) converted two-of-three free throws with 1:26 to play, Cleveland held a 119-116 lead. But less than 30 seconds later, Cavs shooting guard J.R. Smith sank his fifth three-pointer of the night to put the home team up 112-116 with 1:08 remaining. When Irving sank a three-pointer on the Cavs’ next possession, Cleveland took a 125-116 lead that essentially iced the game.
With the Cavs off to a 4-0 start this season after winning the NBA championship this summer, and the Indians competing in the World Series, Lue was asked if winning is contagious.
“I would hope so,” Lue said. “If they win it tonight, then we have to come back and win it again. So, hopefully it is contagious.
“It’s just great for the city. I’m happy for the Indians, and hopefully we can just continue to piggyback off of each other. The Browns are off to a rough start, but so was Cleveland a couple years ago before LeBron came back, before Kevin came here, before Kyrie was drafted.”
Lue added that he has faith that the Browns will turn their fortunes around.
“All teams are not great all the time, so it’s going to take some time. Next year, or the next couple years, the Browns will come around and things will be better. The city of Cleveland right now is on fire.”
That fire could turn into an all-out inferno should the Indians win the World Series.
POSTED 11/01/2016 22:44
Lake County Sentinel
