CHARLOTTE, NC, Nov. 2 (U.S.): Garrett Allen said the Cleveland Cavaliers are on their way to changing the way they view the NBA.
He wants them to be known as the “hardcore” team.
“We want to play these games with people who know they’re going to have a fight on their hands,” Allen said. “For the past few years, it’s been like, ‘Oh, it’s the Cavs, it’s a holiday night. “I’m just being honest, that’s how people look at us. But know that we want people to look at us and say, ‘We need to give our best.'”
Allen brought his “match,” finishing 24 points and collecting 16 rebounds, as the Cavaliers snagged a frantic Rally in the final quarter by the Charlotte Hornets on Monday night for a 113-110 win and a positive end to a five-game run, the AP reports.
Lauri Markkanen scored 21 points, Evan Mobley added 15 points and had 10 rebounds, and Darius Garland scored 16 points — including two free throws with 14.9 seconds left — as the Cavaliers led 3-2 down the road.
“Looking back, we’ve shown the fight we have,” Markkanen said of the Cavs slipping in two games to improve to 4-4 this season. “We knew it was an uphill ride and we just tried to stay in for the moment. I thought we had to win again, but I think 3-2 was a good ride.”
Lamelo Ball finished 30 points and Terry Roser added 23 points for Charlotte, who overcame a volatile first half to reduce the 17-point difference in the last quarter to two before it fell short.
The Cavaliers capitalized on Charlotte’s eight turnovers in the first quarter to jump to 40-21. By the end of the first half, the Hornets had turned it over 13 times, leading the Cleveland to 22 points and trailing them by 16 points.
But Charlotte did not quit.
The Hornets trailed 101-84 with seven minutes to go before igniting Roser & Paul 10-0. The ball then hit the 3-pointer from a quick break with 1:01 to play to cut back the Cleveland 3’s lead and Rozier had the opportunity to tie the game on the next possession, but his 3-pointer from the right wing just hit the leading edge.
Charlotte was close to two on Rosier’s lead with 20 seconds left, but Garland’s two free throws helped seal the win.
“They smelled blood,” Markkanen said of the Hornets. “But I think we were able to do a good job of keeping our cool and going with the next possession.”
Charlotte’s coach James Borrego said he knew Cleveland’s length would give his team problems, but said the game caused a lot of “reckless interruptions.”
“We had eight transformations in the first quarter and last night we had nine transformations for the whole game,” Borrego said. “That’s what created all the abuse for them in the first quarter.”
The Hornets (5-3) are behind by at least 10 points in all but one of their eight games.
“We’ve been able to pull ourselves out of the holes so far this season, but we can’t count on doing it every night,” said Borrego. “It was a frustrating start to the match, but we won the second, third and fourth quarters.”
love
Cavaliers forward Kevin Love has yet to play after being put into NBA health and safety protocols just hours before Monday night’s game. Love has averaged 9.9 points and 7.3 rebounds for Cleveland this season in a reserve role.
“It’s a huge impact,” Cavaliers coach JB Bickerstaff said. “Not just Kevin as a player, but as a person around the locker room and on the floor with the guys who help the guys through a lot of the things they see. It makes their job easier as a basketball player. When the ball is in his hands, he is a threat.”
hitting the weights
Immediately after the match, Allen hit the weight room before meeting with reporters. “If I didn’t get something like that after a match, my body would deteriorate,” Allen said.
Hints
Cavaliers: Colin Sexton scored 17 points and seven rebounds.
Hornets: Charlotte led the league with 3 points with 41.5% but fired 15 of 39 (38.5%) against the Cavaliers.
the following
Cavaliers: Hosts Portland on Wednesday night.
Hornets: Start a five-game tour of the West Coast in the Golden State on Wednesday night.