Cavs Top 3: Darius Garland leads Cleveland Cavaliers to lopsided win over the Portland Trail Blazers

The Cleveland Cavaliers extended their win streak to four games after their win over the Portland Trail Blazers.

You can argue that losing Damian Lillard, Gary Payton Jr. and Keon Johnson meant the Trail Blazers were short-handed, but they’re 1-5 in their last six and Lillard has played in most of those games. I would contend that the Trail Blazers are simply a team that is struggling at the moment.

So I don’t see the Cavs’ domination of them the same way as their wins over the Hornets or Heat. Granted, we’d be dismissed if we didn’t point out that the Cavs have gotten lucky on this win streak that so many of their opponents are dealing with injuries. The Cavs have as well, however. Dean Wade, Kevin Love and Caris LeVert have all missed time during this stretch.

So the Cavaliers have been dealing with their own issues as well. If anything, the Cavs have proven that they’re deep enough to survive bouts with injuries, while these other teams aren’t. This is a strong sign for their future.

The Cavs defeated the Trail Blazers 114-96 on Wednesday and will face off with the Milwaukee Bucks again on Friday.

Cleveland Cavaliers top 3 vs. the Atlanta Hawks

1 Point –Donovan Mitchell

Even though Donovan Mitchell posted a game-high 34 points, on great efficiency, the Trail Blazers were able to pound him all night defensively, which is partly why he had a team-worst BPM of -5. This was a huge reason why he only netted the One Pointer.

2 Points – Jarrett Allen

We value double-doubles very highly here, so seeing Jarrett Allen put up 24 points and 13 rebounds, all while posting a BPM Of +19 is more than enough to warrant the second spot on the list.

3 Points – Darius Garland

Darius Garland had one of his best nights ever as a two-way player, posting 24 points, 12 assists, and a BPM of +26. He wasn’t as efficient as Allen or Mitchell when it came to shooting the ball, but he did put up some solid shooting stats regardless. His all-around play is why he’s the top dog tonight.

Cavs Top 3 Seasonal Standings

1. Donovan Mitchell – 30 Points
2. Darius Garland – 21 Points
3. Jarrett Allen – 13 Points
4. Cedi Osman – 12 Points
5. Evan Mobley & Kevin Love – 10 Points
6. Caris LeVert – 5 points
7. Dean Wade – 3 Points
8. Isaac Okoro – 1 Point