Dribbles: Cavs Skip Past Wolves As De’Andre Hunter Fits Right In

February 10, 2025

CLEVELAND — Random dribbles from the Cavaliers’ easy 128-107 home win over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday. …

1. The Cavs went up 16-0 and that was about all she wrote. Minnesota never threatened after that.

2. So that’s that as far as the game goes. What everyone came to see was how De’Andre Hunter would fare in his first night with the Cavaliers.

3. Verdict: Not too shabby.

4. Hunter got the start in the absence of injured Max Strus (ankle) and immediately showed why the Cavs wanted him.

5. He offers size, athleticism, and determination at the wing spot. He can play small forward or power forward in a “stretch four” role. That means he can battle on the boards and hit 3-pointers.

6. The Cavs knew all this already. On Monday, fans got to find out, too. Hunter forced nothing on his way to 12 points via 3-of-7 shooting. That included 3-of-4 on threes. He fit right in.

7. Coach Kenny Atkinson: “He was a big reason for the 16-0 start, kind of what we envisioned. This gives us another elite defensive wing who makes threes. He’s low-usage, too.”

8. I did have to smile when Hunter said after the game that he didn’t think he’d wind up in Cleveland. He heard the same rumors that we did before the trade deadline. But he felt the Cavs were “too good” to make a deal. Totally understandable.

9. Atkinson, though, said president of basketball operations Koby Altman was aggressive. “We talked about how hard it would be to lose guys who helped you start 41-9,” Atkinson said of his conversations with the front office. “All credit goes to Koby. It takes an aggressive GM to (make the trade). He could have just as easily stood pat. I love how he went for it.”

10. Meanwhile, All-Stars Evan Mobley and Donovan Mitchell were dyn-o-mite. Mobley erupted for 28 points and 10 rebounds, showing no fear inside despite the presence of 7-foot-100 Wolves center Rudy Gobert. Yes, Gobert looks 7-foot-100. (For the record, he’s listed at 7-1).

11. Anyway, Mobley also swatted four shots, a couple of which seemed to sail into next week. “Paint. Threes. Transition,” Atkinson said, rattling off how Mobley dominated. “After that injury he had a little bit of a lull there. But he’s back. He was impressive.”

12. Mobley on the win: “We just came out here ready to play. That was our main focus tonight — come out ready. I feel like these games are tough emotionally (as the All-Star break is right around the bend).”

13. Mitchell scored 23 on an array of floaters, drives, and threes. He finished 10-of-14 from the field, making this feel almost like a scrimmage. It all seemed so effortless.

14. So, yes, the Cavs (43-10) were the same old well-oiled machine. Darius Garland added 17 points, Ty Jerome scored 15 and Jarrett Allen collected another double-double with 14 points and 13 boards. By the middle of the fourth quarter, it was end-of-the-bench time.

15. That’s not to disparage what those guys did. Heck, Tristan Thompson collected five rebounds in less than five minutes.

16. The Timberwolves (30-24) were basically a one-man show, and it’s fair to say Anthony Edwards is generally worth the price of admission. And he sure was on this night, scoring 44. The Cavs tried everything defensively. “We blitzed him. Some zone. Box-and-one,” Atkinson said, before drawing a laugh. “Nothing worked.”

17. I’ll never understand why Minnesota traded Karl-Anthony Towns to New York before the season. Yes, I know. It was contract-related. But they don’t look nearly as potent as the team that reached the Western Conference finals last season. That’s the case even when Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo play (both were out injured).

18. Anyway, the Cavaliers seemed to get a really good one in Hunter, and this was just a tiny sample of that. Hard to believe, but this team may be even better after the break.