Random dribbles following the Cavaliers’ 122-107 home win over the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday.
1. This is what you’re looking for from the Cavs — beat the crummy opponents at home.
2. It sounds simple, but we couldn’t always count on that from the Cavs over the past two seasons. More likely, the Cavs themselves were the crummy team.
3. Not anymore. Not through 18 games.
4. Given all the early-season injuries, the Cavs (9-9) may be the NBA’s most-impressive .500 team. Most people didn’t have them pegged for .500 even if they’d been completely healthy.
5. Yes, that’s been written before in this space. But it really can’t be said enough. Plenty has gone less-than-perfect for this team. Collin Sexton missed five games. Darius Garland missed eight. Larry Nance Jr. just missed his second straight. And it’s to forget Kevin Love is even on the team, as he remains out with a calf strain.
6. There was also the Kevin Porter Jr. locker room incident, the ensuing Porter trade, and still all the trade rumors surrounding Andre Drummond.
7. If this were the Cavs of the past, they’d probably be doomed already. But these Cavs are very clearly different. Despite injuries, trades and speculation, they have totally kept it together on the court.
8. Granted, it was only the Pistons (4-14), and it’s hard to figure out the plan in Detroit — or if there even is one. Forget about that, though. The bottom line is the Cavs took care of business when they needed to, and they did it rather convincingly.
9. That was especially the case in the second half, when they Cavs turned a tight game into largely a laugher. The Pistons actually led 56-54 at halftime.
10. Sexton was brilliant with 29 points on 10-of-14 shooting. And to think he only took (and made) one 3-pointer. He also compiled five assists and five rebounds.
11. Drummond was also excellent with 23 points, 16 boards and an impressive five steals. One of Drummond’s buckets was a two-handed slam off a nifty behind-the-back pass from newcomer Taurean Prince (16 points, seven rebounds). And Darius Garland continued to look more comfortable with 14 underrated points of his own.
12. Drummond said Cavs coach J.B. Bickerstaff “challenged” the team at halftime, the idea being to ramp up the defense. “We came out there, we took the challenge and we completed the mission,” Drummond told FOX Sports Ohio’s Angel Gray.
13. Jarrett Allen, Cedi Osman and rookie Isaac Okoro each added 10 points and contributed in other areas. Dylan Windler (eight points) also had a nice night, as the Cavs outscored the Pistons by 29 points when Windler was on the floor.
14. The Pistons didn’t have power forward Blake Griffin, whose game has experienced a sharp decline anyway. Their best player now is small forward Jerami Grant, who scored a team-high 26 points. Grant has been remarkable after arriving in free agency via the Denver Nuggets.
15. All in all, the Cavs continue to have plenty about which to feel proud. They have a tough stretch ahead, starting with Friday’s visit to the New York Knicks. But if they continue to give this type of effort — and everything suggests they will — a regular season of fun awaits. It will be interesting to see how much better than can be once Love returns and they figure out what’s next with Drummond.
BOX SCORE | Cavaliers 122, Pistons 105
