Random dribbles as the Cavaliers get set to host the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday.
1. The Clippers fought to the finish in a loss at Brooklyn on Tuesday, but don’t expect them to have a letdown. They are 3-0 in back-to-back games this season.
2. Clippers star forward Kawhi Leonard was his usual fantastic self in logging 39 minutes. Fellow star forward Paul George played 36 and was also very good. Leonard has appeared in 18 of 22 games, George in 19. There is no sense either will skip Wednesday.
3. The game also is the debut of new Clippers coach Tyronn Lue vs. the Cavs. Lue will go down in Cleveland lore as the man who guided LeBron James, Kyrie Irving and the rest to the 2016 championship after taking over for David Blatt midway through that season.
4. The Clippers (16-6) only committed eight turnovers and attempted 20 more shots than the Nets in the loss. “Usually, we win games like that,” Lue told reporters.
5. If the Clippers do that against the Cavs … yeah, the Clippers will win. I actually Dribbled about the Clippers last night and you can read that here.
6. The Cavs (10-11) remain without Kevin Love and will again be minus Larry Nance Jr. (wrist). Andre Drummond (sore lower back) is listed as questionable. The Clippers will still be without feisty point guard Patrick Beverley (knee).
7. Jarrett Allen replaced Drummond in the lineup in Monday’s win over the Minnesota Timberwolves. Allen came through with 23 points and 18 rebounds. There’ are several reasons I don’t think Drummond will finish the season in Cleveland, and Allen is a big one.
8. Darius Garland was also big with 19 points and 11 assists. “Defenses have their hands full,” Cavs coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. “Darius has the ability to make all the shots in the pick-and-roll, and Jarrett has the ability to vertically space and catch the ball in the pocket and make moves and make outlet passes.”
9. I wrote about the extremely trying schedule ahead for the Cavs. You can read about that here.
10. Tipoff is scheduled for 8 p.m. EST. Sinclair Broadcasting, which owns FOX Sports Ohio, is still in a battle with YouTube TV and HuluTV, causing a lot of you to miss the games. I have YouTube TV. So I know how you feel. I’ve heard there’s no resolution on the horizon.
