Cavaliers Beat The Portland Trail Blazers 109-95: Game Recap 11/15/23

Post-Game Recap

3 Key Factors Around the Victory

1 – Mobley 

Evan Mobley had his best game of the young season, going for 21 points and 12 rebounds with a plus/minus of plus 26.  

Mobley moved well without the ball tonight, getting open for easy shots, and he made his presence felt in the paint on the defensive end. 

2 – Mitchell 

Donovan Mitchell ended the West Coast swing on a strong note scoring 34 points while shooting 65% from the field, going 13 for 20.

3 – Lack of a point guard

The one negative in this game was the Cavs’ lack of a point guard was causing turnovers. The Cavs committed 18 turnovers, which they did in bunches during the game, giving the Blazers easy buckets.

The Cavs were without Darius Garland and Ty Jerome on Wednesday, leaving only rookie Craig Porter as the closest thing to a true point guard.  Mitchell and Max Struss also did a lot of ball handling in the game. 

Game Summary

On Wednesday night, Donovan Mitchell scored 34 points, leading the Cleveland Cavaliers to a 109-95 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers, who suffered their fifth consecutive loss. Evan Mobley contributed 21 points and 12 rebounds, helping the Cavaliers finish their western road trip with a 2-2 record.

Despite injuries impacting both teams, with Cleveland missing key players like Darius Garland, Ty Jerome, and Isaac Okoro, the Cavaliers maintained control throughout the game. Mitchell’s pullup 3-pointer extended Cleveland’s lead to 99-81 in the fourth quarter, with the Cavaliers eventually securing an 18-point advantage.

Shorthanded Portland, dealing with injuries to players like Scoot Henderson, Anfernee Simons, Malcolm Brogdon, and Robert Williams III, struggled to keep up. Jerami Grant led the Blazers with 17 points, while Duop Reath, a center on a two-way contract, contributed 16 points off the bench.

The Cavaliers led by 14 points in the opening quarter, but Portland managed to close the gap temporarily, taking a brief 34-32 lead on Grant’s layup. However, Cleveland regained control and held a 55-47 lead at halftime, eventually expanding it to 67-53 in the third quarter with Georges Niang’s 3-pointer.

Cleveland coach J.B. Bickerstaff acknowledged the team’s early-season inconsistency, attributing it to the challenges of integrating players back from injuries and adapting to new dynamics. The Blazers, on the other hand, returned home after a winless 0-3 road trip, hoping to rebound from a 115-99 loss to the Utah Jazz.

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