Cavs Dribbles: It’s another date with Victor Wembanyama

Random dribbles ahead of the Cavaliers’ road game vs. the San Antonio Spurs on Saturday. …

1. For the second and final time this season, the Cavs square off with the No. 1 overall pick Victor Wembanyama, a player who reminds me very much of an improved version of 1980s (kind of) star Ralph Sampson.

2. I’m not going to get into Sampson too much, just know he was a 7-foot-4 center who would fit very well in today’s game. His best seasons came with the Houston Rockets and he could handle the ball and play on the perimeter. 

3. Sampson’s pro career started strong and fizzled at the end. I think there were some knee issues in there. Anyway, this year’s NBA All-Star Game is in Indianapolis. It was last there in 1985. Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Julius Erving and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar played in that game. But it was Sampson who was named 1985 All-Star Game MVP.

4. Someone else compared Wembanyama to Sampson. I think it was former coach/player Sam Mitchell on NBA TV. Either way, they do have plenty of similarities.

5. For starters, the Rockets finished just 29-53 in Sampson’s rookie season (1983-94). Wembanya’s Spurs (10-39) will be lucky to get that far. But the next year, Houston drafted Hakeem Olajuwon. Within two years, they were in the Finals against Bird’s Celtics.

6. Anyway, Wembanyama and the Spurs sure gave the Cavs fits in their first matchup in Cleveland. The Cavs hung on for a 117-115 win, but they saw firsthand how Wembanyama can alter a game. His length and skill are problems — and he’s only gonna get better.

7. Right now, though, the Cavs (30-16) are on a major role. They’ve won four straight, 100 of 11 of 17 of 21. They are very close to the team they believed they could be — and it’s because no matter who’s on the court, they’re playing as a team. 

8. Yes, it helps to have a true-blue star in Donovan Mitchell. We’ve always known about his ability to score. But I’ve never seen him facilitate like he has this season. It’s an added wrinkle that can take him to another level. I contend Mitchell has never been as good as he was in January. Maybe that’s why he was named Eastern Conference Player of the Month.

9. As far as I know, Jarrett Allen‘s status is up in the air. He may be a game-time decision. He missed the second half of Thursday’s road win over the Memphis Grizzlies after tweaking his ankle — missing his 17th straight double-double by one measly rebound.

10. Allen is officially listed as questionable with a left ankle sprain. No one else of note is on the injury report.

11. Cleveland’s .809 winning percentage since Dec. 16 is the best in the NBA. The Cavs have won six of eight on the road. They rank third in the league in opponent points per game (109.8) and are holding opponents to 103.3 points over the last 12.