Random dribbles following the Cavaliers’ ugly 95-86 home loss to the Knicks on Tuesday.
1. For one night, the Cavs became the team that couldn’t shoot straight, and that’s what cost them in the end.
2. So say goodbye to 72-0. But it’s safe to say most fans are probably OK with 3-1, which is what the Cavs are today.
3. This was bad a loss, though. The Knicks (2-2) are better this season under new coach Tom Thibodeau. They will grind you down, suck the life right out of your offense. Thibodeau’s teams have always played that way. It worked against the young and usually energetic Cavs.
4. The Cavs were a miserable 7-of-32 shooting on 3-pointers. The Knicks sizzled their way to 56 percent (14-of-25) on threes. That was the game.
5. Cedi Osman started and went just 2-of-12 shooting overall. Collin Sexton (20 points) went 6-of-17. Darius Garland (17 points, six assists) was 6-of-17.
6. Add it up and the Cavs starting guards and small forward were a combined 14-of-56. Oh man, is what coach J.B. Bickerstaff had to be saying.
7. Osman sure does seem to play better off the bench against opposing reserves. But with Kevin Love (calf) and Isaac Okoro (safety protocol) out, Bickerstaff had no choice but to start both Osman and Larry Nance Jr.
8. But guess what? Every NBA team is going to have at least two or three or 10 clunkers during a season. That’s what this was for the Cavs. Thibodeau and his Knicks turned into a grind-fest — and the Cavs never got around to figuring out how to combat it.
9. They do deserve at least some credit for hustling defensively despite the struggles on offense. Win or lose, this version of the Cavs is very clearly better than the last.
10. Both Sexton and Garland stuck around to put up shots after the game. So that’s another promising sign.
11. Garland said, “That was our biggest problem. We couldn’t make a shot.”
11. Nance didn’t have one of his better games, but still finished with nine points, six rebounds, three assists and three steals. It might be time for the Cavs to make him a full-time starter. With Love out no less than three weeks, Nance will undoubtedly get an opportunity.
12. As for the play in the pivot, Andre Drummond was the Cavs’ MVP with 17 points, 17 rebounds and six blocked shots. He is a real difference-maker, and if the Cavs aren’t talking contract extension already, they should get the ball rolling here soon.
13. You also have to like what you’ve seen from JaVale McGee (11 points). He has been an endless bundle of energy, enthusiasm and athleticism off the bench. He also can be relied on to make shots, finishing 5-of-7 from the field. McGee is now 17-of-27 through the first four games.
14. Knicks forward Julius Randle did most of the damage, finishing with a triple-double of 28 points, 12 rebounds and an impressive 11 assists. He has the chance to shine under a good coach such as Thibodeau.
15. That said, Randle almost had a rare quadruple-double, as he also committed nine turnovers.
16. It should be noted that Bickerstaff picked up his first technical as head coach of the Cavs. At one point, he was so mad that his mask slipped right down off his mouth. Bickerstaff is one mild-mannered man, so he must have felt strongly about the state of the refereeing.
17. It’s only going to get tougher from here, as the Cavs now embark on six-game road trip that starts Thursday at Indiana. Tipoff is scheduled for 3 p.m., given that Thursday is New Year’s Eve.
18. Garland concluded this way: “This was the fourth game of the season. There are a lot of games left. When we go on this road trip, we just have to make up for it.”
