Unpacking the James Harden-Evan Mobley combination for #Cavs without Jarrett Allen:
“It's great we're getting reps at it. I hate JA being out, but the positive is James and Evan can get some synergy with that single-big lineup.”
END 3Q: #Cavs 87, Sixers 66
PHI: Grimes 17p, 5r, 3a. Payne 12p, 6r, 4a. Bona 8p, 7r.
CLE: Harden 21p, 5a, 4r, blk. Ellis 17p, 2r. Mitchell 13p, 4a, 2r, 2stl. Wade 9p, 9r, 2a, blk. Mobley 9p, 6r, 3blk. Bryant 8p, 6r, 1a, blk.
HALF: #Cavs 56, Sixers 44
PHI: Grimes 14p, 4r, 1a. Payne 9p, 5r, 3a. Bona 4p, 3r. Edwards 5p, 1r.
CLE: Mitchell 13p, 3a, 2r, stl. Harden 12p, 3r, 1a. Ellis 14p, 1r. Mobley 5p, 3r, blk. Wade 3p, 4r, 1a, blk.
END 1Q: #Cavs 26, Sixers 20
PHI: Grimes 8p, 1r, blk. Oubre 4p, 1r, 1a. Barlow 4p, 1r. Payne 2p, 4r, 1a.
CLE: Harden 7p, 2r, 1a. Mobley 5p, 1r, blk. Schroder 4p. Tyson 3p, 1r, 1a, blk.
James Harden hits 29,000 points for his career at the free-throw line.
Starters:
76ers - Payne, Grimes, Oubre, Barlow, Bona
#Cavs - Harden, Mitchell, Merrill, Wade, Mobley
After a brief hiatus, I've got some NBA exclusives coming your way this week. Excited to share 'em.
Payton Pritchard's doing it again! These are some tough, tough shots. He and Jaylen Brown have made them look easy.
END 3Q: Celtics 86, #Cavs 69
BOS: Brown 20p, 8r, 6a. Hauser 15p, 4r. Tatum 14p, 2r, 2a. Scheierman 13p, 8r, stl. Pritchard 9p, 7a, 3r, stl.
CLE: Mitchell 21p, 6r, 3a, stl. Mobley 20p, 8r, 3blk. Harden 13p, 7a, 4r.
The non-Mobley minutes have been dreadful this afternoon. Celtics just ripped off nine straight points in 53 seconds, two threes from the left wing by Sam Hauser. Boston up 81-55, and there are boos out.
The #Cavs' bench was outscored 19-2 in that first half. Cleveland is actually outscoring the Celtics in the paint 18-16, believe it or not. But uh, 9% from three and 29% from the field for *10* second-quarter points is crazy.
HALF: Celtics 56, #Cavs 36
BOS: Tatum 14p, 2r, 1a. Brown 11p, 4r, 3a. White 6p, 6r, 4a. Pritchard 7p, 2r, 2a. Scheierman 7p, 5r. Garza 5p, 1r, 1a.
CLE: Mobley 14p, 4r, 3blk. Mitchell 12p, 3r, blk. Harden 6p, 4r, 3a.
END 1Q: Celtics 35, #Cavs 26
BOS: Tatum 12p, 2r, 1a. Brown 7p, 3r, 2a. Hauser 6p, 2r.
CLE: Mobley 9p. Mitchell 8p, 2r. Harden 5p, 2r, 2a.
Jaylon Tyson is available for #Cavs.
Starters:
Celtics - White, Brown, Tatum, Hauser, Queta
#Cavs - Harden, Mitchell, Merrill, Wade, Mobley
Jaylon Tyson (neck strain) is a game-time decision. Injury happened when he got tangled up with Detroit’s Jalen Duren on Tuesday. JT’s trending better, but gotta go through a pregame warmup before determining his status for #Cavs vs. Celtics.
Injury notes on Donovan Mitchell, Max Strus, Jarrett Allen, and Dean Wade from #Cavs practice: "It makes you feel optimistic, right? You're starting to get whole."
Donovan Mitchell and Dean Wade were full participants on Friday at #Cavs practice. Max Strus went for "90 percent" of it.
Jarrett Allen didn't participate and only did some conditioning, though Kenny Atkinson shared that his knee injury is "not a long-term thing."
Some background on #Cavs two-way big man Olivier Sarr and his resurgent G League season after a devastating injury two years ago.
Kenny Atkinson is now one of three #Cavs in franchise history to win the NBA Coach of the Month award as many times as he has.
It's hard to fault the #Cavs for being extra vigilant with Donovan Mitchell's latest groin injury: "Don't want this thing nagging going into crunch time here.”
#Cavs HC Kenny Atkinson says Jarrett Allen took a “knee to knee” to the right leg and we’ll see how it looks tomorrow.
Although it appeared to be non-contact, Atkinson doesn’t feel it was a twist or anything for JA.
END 3Q: #Cavs 89, Pistons 80
DET: Duren 15p, 10r, 1a, blk. Harris 17p, 3r. Cunningham 8p, 10a, 4r, stl. Thompson 9p, 6r, 2a, blk.
CLE: Harden 12p, 6r, 5a. Tyson 15p, 4a, 3r, 2blk. Mobley 14p, 4r, 3a, 2stl. Schroder 11p, 5r, 5a. Bryant 9p, 4r, blk.
Jarrett Allen (right knee) is doubtful to return for #Cavs.
HALF: #Cavs 54, Pistons 48
DET: Cunningham 8p, 6a, 3r, stl. Duren 9p, 4r, blk. Thompson 7p, 6r, 1a. Holland 6p, 2r.
CLE: Tyson 12p, 2r, 2a, 2blk. Harden 10p, 4r, 3a. Mobley 9p, 4r, 4a, stl. Allen 6p, 3r, blk. Schroder 5p, 3a, 2r. Bryant 5p, 4r.
