Cavs settle for moral victory after failing to mount comeback vs Nets

Cavs lose their second straight game

An undermanned Cleveland Cavaliers squad attempted to rally back from a massive deficit but ran out of gas and fell to the Brooklyn Nets. The Cavs continued to scrap until the end but simply did not have enough, surrendering a 109-99 loss on the road.

Ricky Rubio remained stellar for the Cavs with 25 points to go with five assists, and four rebounds, while backcourt partner rising star Darius Garland put in 24 points in the loss. Kevin Love, Cedi Osman, and Dean Wade chipped in with 11 markers each to finish as the only other Cavaliers in double-figures.

On the other hand, Nets All-Star guard James Harden played one of his best games this season to finish with 27 points, 10 rebounds, and seven dimes. Kevin Durant and Patty Mills also shot the lights out to combine for 44 in the win.

Despite falling behind by as much as 23 points, the Cavs refused to back down, crawling back from the abyss to cut the deficit to as little as seven with 4:43 remaining in the game. However, besides missing a bulk of their best players, fatigue also appeared to set in and that was the closest Cleveland got to pulling off an improbable comeback.

The Cavaliers continued to play without Collin Sexton (meniscus), Jarret Allen (illness), Lauri Markkanen (health and safety protocols), and were now also without star rookie Evan Mobley, who suffered a sprained right elbow two nights ago at home against Boston.

A slippery slope ahead for the Cavs

Sure, a regression was always expected, but it is the injuries that really hurt them the most. The impact of not having four of the starting five players in uniform can not be understated. With a continuously brutal list of opponents ahead, the surprisingly competitive Cavaliers may well fall below .500 before the month ends.

While the team returns home to Cleveland ahead of matchups against juggernaut teams Golden State Warriors, Phoenix Suns, and a rematch against the Nets, struggles will likely continue for the now 9-7 team.

One way for the team to remain competitive, is just like tonight, continue playing like every game is theirs to lose, as well as swift comebacks for Allen and Markkanen, given Sexton and Mobley are both expected to miss about a month or so.

The Cavaliers’ ability to keep their heads above water appears to hinge on how soon some of the key players can work their way back onto the court. There will be a less than 24-hour turnaround until they host the Golden State Warriors at the Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse tomorrow night.