Dribbles: Somehow, Someway, Cavs Do It Again, And Isn’t This Just Fun?

November 2, 2024

Random dribbles following the Cavaliers’ thriller of a 114-113 road win over the Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday. …

1. Wow. Just wow.

2. I write and talk for a living. And I don’t know what to say. That’s right, Amico is speechless. Imagine that. But the Cavs just have been winning that much, even in games you were sure they would lose.

3. So, yeah, make it 7-0, with one win to go to match the best start in franchise history (1976-77).

4. Coach Kenny Atkinson said before Friday’s win over the Magic that “five games mean nothing.”

5. Dear Coach, Cleveland loves you right now, but I beg to differ. Five-and-oh meant something, so did 6-0, and 7-0 is even better. People were wondering if this Cavs team could ever be anything more than second-round playoff fodder. This start is sort of offering evidence that, yeah, they could.

6. But Atkinson’s point makes sense. I’m sure not about to doubt the man. He’s been around the NBA for a long time — he understands that you gotta play the long game. He knows there are still 75 to go.

7. Still, all the experts say to live in the moment, and at this moment, the Cavs are atop the basketball world.

8. OK, about the game. Did you see this one? Wow.

9. Let’s start in the first half, where Milwaukee seemingly couldn’t miss on its way to building a 16-point lead. No big deal, I thought. The Cavs were on the road for the second game of a back-to-back against a team with something to prove. The Bucks (1-5) expect to contend but are off to an awful start. So I figured this was their chance to get back on track.

10. Next thing you know, the Cavs take a brief lead, before trailing just 62-61 at half.

11. Then came the second half, and back and forth it went. The Cavs up one. The Bucks up three. The Cavs back up. So many lead changes and ties. So many contributions — yet again — for the Cavs.

12. With nine minutes left, the Cavs went up 96-89, mostly behind some nifty passing and shot-making from Sam Merrill, Georges Niang and Ty Jerome. Yeah, not exactly the Core Four.

13. But the Bucks battled back behind (who else?) Damian Lillard and Giannis Antetokounmpo. The Cavs’ lead was just 111-109 with 1:25 left.

14. Then Jarrett Allen made a free throw. Then Antetokounmpo hit a hook. Then Giannis missed a layup — and Allen missed a dunk. When Donovan Mitchell missed a runner with 14.9 seconds left, the Bucks got the rebound and called timeout.

15. Sure enough, Lillard turned it into Dame Time, burying a midrange jumper with nine seconds left. Bucks lead, 113-112. Nine seconds left. Cavs call timeout.

16. The inbounds pass from Mobley to Mitchell was shaky. Mitchell had to make an awkward catch to avoid an over-and-back violation.

17. Then he started to dribble, and man, it didn’t go well. Mitchell fumbled and bumbled and almost lost the ball … before somehow gathering … to nail a midrange shot of his own. Three-tenths of a second remained. Ballgame. Cavs win again.

18. Mitchell finished with 30 points, the last two being the biggest of the young season, Merrill was electric with 17 on 5-on-9 shooting on 3-pointers. Allen went for 15 points and 12 rebounds, Mobley had 14 points, and Darius Garland had 11 with 10 assists. And man, Isaac Okoro was huge, adding 13 points in reserve, along with eight rebounds, and lots of determined defense.

19. Meanwhile, Caris LeVert missed the game with a knee issue, making the roles of Okoro, Niang, Dean Wade (eight points), Jerome and Merrill that much more vital. All delivered.

20. Mitchell to FanDuel Sports Cleveland: “Man. We don’t get that shot without Isaac Okoro’s (offensive) rebound, diving on the floor, calling timeout. That’s what it’s all about, doing the little things. I did my job, Isaac did his job, we all did our job.”

21. Mitchell wasn’t finished. “That’s a big win on a back-to-back,” he added. “As a group we continue to fight and claw.”

22. Lillard scored a game-high 41 for the Bucks — including a remarkable 10-of-15 on threes. Antetokounmpo added 34. The teams meet again Monday in Cleveland.

22. As for the Cavs, they are doing exactly what everyone wants to see — playing like a determined team that believes and can deliver in the clutch. Right now, yeah, it’s only seven games. But the Cavs have already offered seven nights in which they and their fans can feel incredibly proud.