Random dribbles following the Cavaliers’ 108-103 road loss to the Charlotte Hornets on Friday.
1. Offensively, the Cavs did most everything right — except take care of the basketball. And when you don’t take care of the ball, you are your own worst enemy.
2. Some of it was the result of the Hornets’ tightening up the defense. A lot of it was the result of some sloppy play by the Cavs.
3. Overall, the Cavs committed 16 turnovers. It was a big reason why they blew a 55-48 halftime lead.
4. Defensively, the Cavs were completely outmuscled on the boards. The Hornets recorded a whopping 18 second-chance points. Nothing else matters when you keep giving the other team extra possessions. Those are backbreakers.
5. Coach J.B. Bickerstaff returned after a one-game absence, and didn’t like what he saw in the aforementioned areas.
6. Bickerstaff on the loss: “The offensive rebounds hurt us for sure. We gave up 15 offensive rebounds. And then they won the turnover battle. If you give them extra possessions on the offensive boards, and you’re not taking care of the ball, that makes it difficult.”
7. Beyond that, the Cavs did OK. Collin Sexton recorded 28 points on 11-of-19 shooting. Darius Garland went for 27 on 12-of-20. Jarrett Allen made all six of his attempts for 15 points and nine boards. But Allen looked tired at the end, giving up some key plays to Hornets center Bismack Biyombo (11 rebounds, nine on offense).
8. Also, rookie Isaac Okoro had another one of those games where he was just sort of out there. He played 34 minutes, but gave the team very little. Okoro is a rookie, so he can be forgiven. But let’s face it, other than Sexton and Garland, no one else has been afforded such a massive opportunity.
9. Worse, with 13 games to go, the Cavs (21-38) haven’t exactly made huge strides since last season. They’ve taken some small steps, but it’s been nothing to write home about in the win column. They really need to get this offseason right. No one wants to wait until they’re 82-years old before the Cavs get good again.
10. A big key will be the front office admitting that not everyone is a perfect fit, and that the areas of needed improvement can’t just come from the key players getting older. There has to be at least a little sense of urgency.
11. Isaiah Hartenstein finished with 10 points and five rebounds, and he too was perfect from the floor (5-of-5). So the Cavs’ centers went 11-of-11 shooting, and they still lost.
12. Hartenstein barely ever played with the Denver Nuggets. But he’s become a pretty decent player in Cleveland. That’s both nice, and troubling. It makes you wonder if some of the numbers we always see are a little skewed — considering more often than not, they result in defeat.
13. The Cavs were outscored by 11 points when Kevin Love was the floor. He went 3-of-11 shooting, missing all four of his shots inside the 3-point line. It may be time to start giving more of his minutes to Dean Wade and even rookie Lamar Stevens, who didn’t play at all.
14. And what’s become of Cedi Osman? Is his time in Cleveland over? He may be wishing that’s the case after another DNP. It’ll be a surprise if Osman is still wearing a Cavs uniform next season.
15. This is a game the Hornets (29-30) wanted more than the Cavs, and it showed. Charlotte is currently eighth in the East and actually playing for something.
16. Terry Rozier, P.J. Washington and Miles Bridges each scored 25 points to lead the Hornets.
