Random dribbles following the Cavaliers’ 116-109 home loss to the New Orleans Pelicans on Sunday.
1. Well, the Cavs sure looked better than the previous night. That at least counts for a little bit.
2. In a day and age where pro sports teams try to sell moral victories as cause for celebration … hey, this was a win-win.
3. The Cavs (19-34) played well, kept things close and entertaining, and lost. That may be the best approach in these final 19 games.
4. S0 look out lottery, here we come (again). For the Cavs, the lottery has just been the way it’s gone every season since 2003 when LeBron James isn’t on the team. Without LeBron, they’ve been lottery-bound every time.
5. Nothing wrong with that this year, provided you are at least competitive the majority of nights. And competitive is what the Cavs were on Sunday — despite missing the starting backcourt of Collin Sexton and Darius Garland, starting center Jarrett Allen and versatile forward Larry Nance Jr.
6. Coach J.B. Bickerstaff: “I was proud of their effort. Just that grit that we talk about, that scrap, the selflessness.”
7. Matthew Dellavedova has been a pro’s pro since returning from a head injury, and he again ran the team admirably on this night. (Interestingly, Garland has also played better since Delly returned, and that may not be such a coincidence.) Delly finished with seven points, 10 assists and just made certain everyone got their touches.
8. Now if he could only find his jumper.
9. Anyway, Dean Wade was also again very good, scoring 21 points on 8-of-12 shooting and grabbing six rebounds. Kevin Love and Isaac Okoro each added 19, with Okoro having one of his better nights in the role of shooting guard. And hey, Cedi Osman actually got off the bench, scored 15 points and looked fairly decent overall.
10. Both Love and Osman made some shots to keep things close, and even give the Cavs the lead late, but then it seemed they started to settle. Love is 6-foot-10 and only three of his 17 attempts came inside the 3-point arc. His game seems to move further from the basket every season.
11. More Bickerstaff: “I thought we played well, I thought we moved the ball well. I thought we created open looks for one another, they just didn’t fall.”
12. That is true. But not all open shots are good shots. Sometimes, you can get better shots, more-makeable shots. But there’s no need to complain. Given the state of things (injuries, youth, etc.), the Cavs battled. They’ll take it.
13. Pelicans star Zion Williamson was amazing, tallying a game-high 38 points and throwing down at least one rim-rattling dunk. The Cavs were totally helpless in trying the defend Williamson and Brandon Ingram (27 points) — but actually did OK on everyone else.
14. The Cavs haven’t had a victory since everyone started ranting and raving over how they’ve matched last season’s win total. (Guilty as charged, by the way.) You know they want a top-three draft pick. Or at least top five again. They’re going to need lots of luck for that. And plenty of more losses. It will be better if they can keep fighting along the way. That’s what they did Sunday.
