Inadvertently, the Cleveland Cavaliers, who have missed the playoffs for three consecutive years, have finally ushered in the dawn of their rise this season. So far, the Cavaliers have also achieved a record of 33 wins and 21 losses, reaching the 4th position in the East, basically holding the tickets for the playoffs in their hands. However, their situation in recent times has not been very optimistic, the team's first scoring point Garland has not been able to return this month due to a back injury, and Markkanen has also been absent due to an ankle injury.
This home challenge to the Holy City Spurs, what kind of posture should the Cavaliers take to face it? At the beginning of the game, Kelden Johnson on the Spurs side scored a three-pointer first, breaking the embarrassment of the game' opening. In the following part of the first quarter, the Spurs were always able to bite the lead and play a 30-29 single-quarter score to achieve a feat of domination. However, after entering the second quarter of the showdown, the situation changed, and the Cavaliers, who were in a backward state, were able to fight back strongly.
Garland, who returned to the field, broke out in the second quarter, with an efficient output of 4 of 5 shots, delivering 9 points, 2 rebounds and 2 assists, helping the team to play a 28-18 single-quarter score, not only recovering the 1 point behind in the first quarter, but also achieving a 9-point reversal. Cleveland returned to form, taking back the lead, and they were always able to bite the lead in the next game. Yes, after the easy side of the fight, Garland can actually continue to threaten, and with 100% shooting rate of 4 of 4, he handed over 9 points, 2 rebounds and 1 steal, once again helping the team to play a 27-25 score.
By the time of the crucial final-quarter showdown, the point difference between the two sides had reached 11 points, and the Cavaliers were bound to win the game. The Cavaliers, who entered the regular showdown in the fourth quarter and maintained their lead, did not give the Spurs any chance, but played a 21-19 score with the drums, and won the game with a total score of 105-92, thus successfully surpassing the Chicago Bulls in the East with a record of 34 wins and 21 losses! Looking back at the game, the overall performance of the players on the Cavaliers side is still outstanding.
Not only did five players score in double digits, but Garland, the team's big player, even sent a game-high score of 27 points, as well as 5 rebounds and 6 assists, with an efficient shooting rate of 12 of 15 shooting in the 30 minutes of playing. Of course, Garland also got 6 turnovers, creating a lot of opportunities for the opponent to counterattack, but he used the data on the field to prove that he was indeed a veritable successor of the old Zhan and had the ability to lead the team to win. That's right, Garland is the Cavaliers' first Cavaliers player to be named an All-Star after LeBron James!