After three-and-a-half games mired in an early-season funk, Cavaliers coach David Blatt saw that his squad needed a serious spark. And in the second half of Tuesday’s matchup with the Blazers, the Wine and Gold went small to get a big win – overcoming an 18-point deficit to snap their slide with a 105-100 win at The Q.
Cleveland actually began chopping away on Portland’s edge near the end of the first half – slicing the Blazers’ big lead in half at halftime. But when the Wine and Gold went with a lineup that included Jared Cunningham in the backcourt and Kevin Love at the 5, the squad’s energy and defensive presence picked up noticeably.
And when Richard Jefferson canned a trey late in the third quarter to give Cleveland its first lead since the game’s opening minutes, the Cavaliers had taken total control of the action.
Of course, for all the talk of lineup changes, the Cavaliers’ constant – LeBron James – was spectacular again down the stretch, notching 14 of his team-high 33 points in the final quarter. It was the second time in as many outings – and eighth time this season – that the four-time MVP has posted double-digits in the fourth quarter.
On the night, LeBron went 14-of-24 from the floor, doubling-up with a game-high 10 boards to go with three assists, two steals and a game-high three blocks – one more than the Blazers as a team.
Kevin Love followed up with 18 points, a team-high four assists and a career-high-tying four steals on the night.
Matthew Dellavedova, in his third straight start, finished with a season-high 17 points – going 7-for-12 from the floor, including 3-of-5 from beyond the arc. Mo Williams, who Delly replaced in the starting lineup, was strong again off the bench – rounding out the Cavaliers in double-figures with 13 points on 5-for-10 shooting.
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