Random dribbles following the Cavaliers’ 121-105 home win over the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday.
1. Every once in a while, the Cavs have a game like this and you wonder, where did THAT come from?
2. It also make you wonder why the Cavs can’t play this way more often — like, say, 50 percent of the time. That would make them a lot closer to .500.
3. Instead, they’re 21-37 and headed back to the draft lottery. But that’s OK for now. They clearly need help when you’re talking about the big picture.
4. As for the smaller picture, this was another example of what can happen when it all comes together. Collin Sexton (30 points) and Darius Garland (25) were fantastic individually, and very good together.
5. And, oh yeah, lead assistant Greg Buckner was coaching for the first time — as Buckner filled in for J.B. Bickerstaff, who missed the game for personal reasons.
6. Buckner on improving his head-coaching record to 1-0: “It was a blast, to be honest with you. You don’t get in this business to be an assistant coach, you get in it to be a head coach. This is cool and all, but I know our team has got bigger fish to fry.”
7. Buckner spent a decade in the NBA as a journeyman shooting guard. He’s been a hot coaching candidate over the past several seasons. This is his first year in Cleveland. Don’t be surprised to see him land a job soon if the Cavs should suddenly improve in the standings next season.
8. This was the Cavs’ first win at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in a month. And man, did they do it with style — taking a commanding 94-61 lead at one point. The Bulls (24-34) entered the game feeling good about themselves, too, They had won two of three heading into Wednesday. For one night, the Cavs put them in their place.
9. Kevin Love added 15 points and nine rebounds. He is a shell of his former self and sometimes play tentatively. That said, it’s nice to seem him pull out some veteran know-how from time-to-time.
10. Sexton also finished with seven assists, and for the most part, the ball moved for the entire team. When the Cavs do that, as Bickerstaff always says, they’ll give themselves a chance.
11. Sexton on the win: “We were playing free and having fun, which is big because when you feel better, you play better. You have to have each other’s back. We were passing up good shots to find better ones for our teammates tonight.”
12. Again, why the Cavs can’t do this more often, is anyone’s guess. Youth be darned.
13. Bulls coach Billy Donovan wasn’t above praising the Cavs. “They were the aggressive team right from the start,” he said. “… Sexton and Garland really were able to control and maintain the basketball.”
14. This was a far cry from the Cavs’ lackluster loss to the Bulls over the weekend. The players didn’t forget how that one went. “They all came in and said, ‘We got you today coach, we’re not going to allow them to come on our court and take care of business,'” Buckner said. “And that’s what they did, especially defensively in that first quarter. It may have been the best defense we played all year for an entire quarter.”
15. In case you missed it, Cavs rookie Dylan Windler underwent knee surgery — and while the Cavs aren’t saying as much, he’s likely out for the season. It’s been a tough road for Windler, who only missed two total games in high school and college combined.
16. Isaiah Hartenstein added 10 points and six rebounds. Larry Nance Jr. had 10 and four, respectively. And Jarrett Allen went for eight points and nine boards.
17. The Cavs visit the Charlotte Hornets on Friday. They are likely out of the play-in game. But there is still hope if that’s the goal. They just need more nights like Wednesday.
