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Craig Porter Jr

Cavaliers Sign Craig Porter Jr. to 4-Year Contract

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The Cavaliers solidified their backcourt depth with the signing of Craig Porter Jr. on Wednesday.

The Cavs originally signed Porter on a two-way contract last July after the 6-2 point guard went undrafted out of Wichita State.

On Feb. 14, Cavaliers President of Basketball Operations Koby Altman announced that the Cavaliers have converted Porter’s contract to a “standard NBA contract.” It’s been widely reported that Porter signed a four-year deal.

Unfortunately for Cavs fans, Porter was quickly assigned to the Cleveland Charge for tonight’s game at Grand Rapids.

In 32 games – including five starts – Porter hasn’t played like an undrafted rookie.

The poised point guard is averaging 6.5 points, 2.8 assists (sixth among NBA rookies), 2.5 rebounds, 0.53 steals and 0.38 blocks, while shooting .509 from the field in 14.7 minutes per contest.

Porter, who also was a member of the Cavaliers’ 2023 Summer League Championship team, has scored in double figures on nine occasions and handed out five or more assists eight times this season.

In a win over Denver on Nov. 19, Porter recorded a career-high 21 points on 7-of-10 shooting from the field – including a perfect 7-for-7 from the free-throw line – four rebounds, four assists, two steals and one block in 25 minutes off the bench.

His 21 points were the most by an undrafted Cavaliers rookie since Matthew Dellavedova on March 26, 2014, at Detroit.

Against New Orleans on Dec. 21, Porter dished out a career-high 11 assists, which were the most assists by an undrafted Cavaliers rookie since Dellavedova in 2014 against Detroit.

He also recorded the most rebounds ever by a Cavaliers undrafted rookie with 12 boards during a win at Dallas on Dec. 27.

For me, Porter’s signature moment came during the Cavs’ Nov. 22 overtime win at Philadelphia, with Porter driving into the chest of Joel Embiid with 54 seconds left in OT, hanging in midair and scoring to put the Cavs up 118-116.

Porter had 12 points and nine assists off the bench in that game.

Cavs 76ers

Sixers Outhustle Cavaliers, Snap 9-Game Winning Streak

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If ever there was a “trap” game, this was it.

Heading into Monday night’s home matchup against Philadelphia, the Cavaliers were riding a nine-game winning streak – the longest active streak in the NBA at the time. Some of those wins were so non-competitive that they looked more like a Harlem Globetrotters game than a legitimate NBA contest.

Meanwhile, the 76ers have been reeling in the absence of reigning NBA MVP Joel Embiid, who had surgery performed on his left knee earlier this month. While the Sixers’ lengthy injury report included Tobias Harris, Robert Covington and Nicolas Batum, they recently added prolific sharpshooter Buddy Hield and Cameron Payne via trades.

Other than Tyrese Maxey, this was a Philadelphia starting-lineup configuration that the Cavs hadn’t faced before.

The warning signs were there.

“These are the games you cannot take lightly,” Serena Winters of Bally Sports declared just prior to tipoff.

Brad Daugherty put it this way: “The problem when you play against a team that’s not at full strength is they’re gonna be a little freeer than you are. So they’re gonna take some tough shots; they’re gonna take a lot of shots. You don’t want to get lulled into doing that. You want to be disciplined, take advantage of your offense. Execute – that’s what’s gotten you here.”

The execution wasn’t quite there from the opening tip for the Cavs, who stumbled on their first possession and trailed 34-33 after the first quarter. Particularly troublesome was the fact that the 76ers shot 67% from the field in the first frame, matching the Cavs with 20 points in the paint.

Without Embiid, the Sixers took a page out of the Cavaliers’ playbook, playing aggressive defense, attacking the basket, gobbling up 50/50 balls, firing away from 3-point range and playing with an overall sense of urgency – a formula that served the Cavs well when Darius Garland and Evan Mobley were out.

The Sixers led throughout the second quarter and went up 66-62 at halftime. Philadelphia had the edge in paint points, 36-30, and shot 59% from the field.

“Give them credit – they’re attacking our paint,” Cavs assistant coach Luke Walton told Winters at the start of the third quarter. “The surprise for us [is] we’re an elite defensive team, and we don’t let people do that to us. We gotta play with much more physicality in the second half and really just get back to doing defensively what we’ve done so well all season long.”

Shortly after Walton’s comments, Sixers backup center Paul Reed started off the third quarter with an easy layup. Reed scored in the paint again on the Sixers’ next possession to make it 70-62 Philadelphia.

The 76ers continued to score effortlessly in the paint until a disgruntled J.B. Bickerstaff called a timeout with 9:14 left in the third.

The Cavs responded by ratcheting up their defense and getting some baskets in transition, taking a 77-76 lead with 7:00 left in the third. The 76ers weren’t fazed.

Still, the Cavaliers fought hard, taking a 92-91 lead on a Jarrett Allen dunk at the end of the third quarter. Considering that the Cavs had a 33-2 record when leading after three quarters, it looked like they had a good shot to extend their winning streak to 10.

The Cavs extended their lead to 94-91 early in the fourth, but the Sixers didn’t wilt. Maxey, who finished with 22 points, and Kelly Oubre Jr. (24 points) showcased their jumpshots all night.

Hield’s layup put the 76ers up 106-102 with 5:40 left in the game. Hield, who finished with 24 points, nailed a 3-pointer on the Sixers’ next possession – and then another to make it 113-104 with 4:28 remaining.

The Cavs trailed 115-107 with 3:17 left.

Somehow, the Cavs had a chance to win it. Donovan Mitchell, who led all scorers with 36 points, intercepted an errant inbounds pass with 53.4 seconds left and drove to the basket, scoring on a floating bank shot. Hield fouled out on the play, and Mitchell converted the free throw to make it 120-116.

On the next 76ers possession, the Cavaliers finally got a stop. After Max Strus and Garland missed 3-point attempts, Mitchell coolly drained a 3-pointer to make it 120-119 with 14 seconds left.

The Cavs had a chance to win at the buzzer, but Garland – who is still trying to find his rhythm after missing six weeks due to a fractured jaw – missed a 3-point shot as time expired. Philadelphia prevailed, 123-121.

Dean Wade was out with an illness, and the Cavs certainly missed his dogged defense. Georges Niang and Sam Merrill played, but both reserved were held scoreless.

Mitchell, the Eastern Conference Player of the Week, wasn’t making any excuses.

“I don’t mean to say this in a harsh way, but we kind of deserved to lose this game just based off of how we started,” Donovan Mitchell told reporters after the game. “We came out as if one, they were gonna lay down and let us just continue to do what we do, but I think also we just didn’t put forth [the effort], especially defensively. Offensively, we got what we wanted. But [defensively] we didn’t come out the right way, and the basketball gods don’t reward you for that.”

Mitchell added that there’s no reason to panic. However, with the addition of Hield, it sure looks like the 76ers are going to be dangerous if and when Embiid returns this season.

Zhaire Smith

Cavaliers sign Zhaire Smith to 10-day contract

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The Cleveland Cavaliers have signed Zhaire Smith to a 10-day contract, the team announced.

The 6-3 guard has started in 32 games this season for the Cleveland Charge, averaging 12.8 points, 4.4 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.28 steals per game while shooting .404% from the 3-point line in 33.4 minutes.

Prior to Cleveland, Smith played two seasons (2018-2020) with the Delaware Blue Coats, the Philadelphia 76ers’ NBA G League affiliate. He played in 39 games – 30 of which were starts – for the Blue Coats, averaging 11.7 points, 3.1 rebounds and 1.9 assists in 26.6 minutes.

In 13 career NBA games with the Philadelphia 76ers during parts of the 2018-2019 and 2019-2020 seasons, he holds career averages of 3.7 points and 1.2 rebounds in 11 minutes. Smith started in two of those games.

He also appeared in four games for the Oklahoma City Thunder during the 2023 NBA Summer League, averaging six points in 14 minutes.

The Phoenix Sun selected Smith as the 16th overall pick in the 2018 draft after one collegiate season at Texas Tech (2017-2018). He appeared in 37 games (21 starts) for the Red Raiders, averaging 11.3 points, five rebounds and 1.8 assists in 28.4 minutes and was selected to the All-Big 12 Defensive Team.

Smith will wear No. 19 for the Cavaliers, which was last worn by Damon Jones. (Fun fact: Cleveland radio personality Kenny Roda often referred to Damon Jones as “Amon Ones,” because he had no D and no J.)

Donovan Mitchell

Report: Lakers’ List of Offseason Targets Includes Donovan Mitchell

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While the Los Angeles Lakers were quiet at the NBA trade deadline, there’s some chatter that the team has aspirations to land another star this summer to pair with LeBron James and Anthony Davis.

With three first-round draft picks in their quiver, the Lakers believe they have enough ammunition to make a splash in the offseason.

Donovan Mitchell is the latest name to be linked to the Lakers’ wish list.

Citing The Athletic’s Jovan Buha, CBS Sports is reporting that Kyrie Irving, Trae Young and Mitchell are potential targets for the Lakers.

This isn’t the first time that Irving has been mentioned as a potential target, and Los Angeles reportedly was in hot pursuit of Young’s backcourt partner, Dejounte Murrary, in recent weeks.

However, this is the first I’ve heard about their interest in Mitchell, who currently ranks fourth in the NBA with 28.5 points per game. January’s Eastern Conference Player of the Month ranks third in the NBA in steals.

As much as it would pain Cavaliers fans to see Mitchell go to the Knicks, it would be just as horrifying to see him playing alongside LeBron and AD. However, it seems unlikely at this point.

“If Mitchell was available, either because Cleveland wants to trade him or he asked to be dealt elsewhere, the New York Knicks would likely be the most aggressive team to land him, as they tried to get him when he asked out of Utah,” Jasmyn Wimbish wrote for CBS Sports. “The Knicks have been making incredibly savvy moves recently, are the No. 4 team in the East and are armed with draft picks to facilitate a trade of that magnitude. So the Lakers would have to put their best package out there if they want to contend with a team like the Knicks or the 76ers who can also put together a strong package to land a third star.”

The Cavaliers have expressed zero interest in trading Mitchell, and understandably so. They gave up a king’s ransom for Mitchell in 2022, trading Lauri Markkanen, Ochai Agbaji, Collin Sexton, three unprotected first-round picks and two pick swaps for the 6-3 shooting guard. And they’re the hottest team in the NBA right now with Mitchell leading the way.

Mitchell signed a max extension with Utah during the 2020 offseason. The 27-year-old could become a free agent at the end of the 2024-2025 season or exercise his player option for 2025-2026. The national media seems to think it’s a foregone conclusion that he’ll be long gone by 2025.

Photo by Erik Drost/Wikimedia Commons

Jarrett Allen

Jarrett Allen Narrowly Misses 17th Straight Double-Double

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They say all good things must come to an end, but this one almost didn’t.

One night after Jarrett Allen set a franchise record with his 16th consecutive double-double, Allen appeared to notch his 17th straight dub-dub in the first half of the Cavaliers’ Feb. 1 matchup at Memphis. Allen went into the locker room with 14 points and 10 rebounds.

However, at the beginning of the third quarter, it was announced that the NBA had taken away one of those rebounds from Allen’s stat line.

Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com reported that the Cavs contacted the NBA for an explanation.

“Even though the courtside statistician inside Memphis’ FedEx Forum awarded Allen with a rebound at the 5:02 mark of the second quarter, the stats crew in Secaucus, NJ, determined that Allen did not establish firm control of the board following Jaren Jackson Jr.’s top-of-the-key 3-point attempt,” Fedor wrote.

Unfortunately, Allen didn’t get much of a chance to officially haul in rebound No. 10.

With 9:33 left in the third quarter, Allen fell awkwardly after colliding with the Grizzlies forward Vince Williams Jr. Allen checked out of the game at the next timeout, and it was reported that he suffered a left-ankle injury on the play.

While Allen didn’t make it to double-double No. 17, his impressive run of 16 consecutive double-doubles remains etched in Cleveland Cavaliers history.

Photo by Erik Drost/Wikimedia Commons

Cavs Spurs

Cavaliers’ Bigs Upstage Wembanyama, Spurs Buckle

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Rookie of the Year frontrunner Victor Wembanyama has been the talk of the NBA since San Antonio drafted him with the No. 1 overall pick last June.

For the most part, Wembanyama has lived up to the hype, averaging 20 points and 10 rebounds per game in his rookie campaign. The 7-foot-4 Frenchman leads the NBA in blocks – which you’d expect – but his skill set goes much deeper than that. He can run the floor like a guard, he can make 3-point shots and his passing acumen is off the charts.

All the hype seemed to add some extra juice for Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley. The recently reunited Cavaliers frontcourt was dominant in a 117-101 Cavs win in San Antonio.

In just his third game back from knee surgery, Mobley had 28 points and 10 rebounds, and took a page out of Wembanyama’s playbook by connecting on all three of his 3-point attempts.

Allen had 26 points and 16 rebounds in what is turning into a career year for the affable center.

Donovan Mitchell led all scorers with 31 points.

There wasn’t much intrigue in this one – that is, until Mitchell and San Antonio’s Zach Collins were ejected with 54.7 seconds left in the game.

Mitchell took umbrage to Collins elbowing him in the face on a moving screen, and went after the San Antonio center. Although Mitchell was merely standing up for himself, both players received Flagrant 2 penalties and were ejected.

While San Antonio fell to 10-40 with the loss to the Cavs, Wembanyama kept the home fans entertained with some high-flying dunks.

Donovan Mitchell

It’s Official: January Was Donovan Mitchell Month

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Fresh off a 45-point performance in which he willed the Cavaliers to a win over Detroit, Donovan Mitchell received some well-earned accolades.

Prior to tipoff against Memphis on Feb. 1, the NBA announced that Donovan Mitchell will be an Eastern Conference reserve for the 2024 All-Star game. He joins Jalen Brunson, Tyrese Maxey and four others as reserves. (Frankly, Mitchell should be a starter, but we’ll leave that for another post.)

Earlier in the day, the NBA announced that Mitchell had been named the NBA Eastern Conference Player of the Month for January.

Mitchell averaged 28.6 points, 7.6 assists, 5.2 rebounds and 2.1 steals per game in January, leading the Cavaliers to an 11-2 record. He also posted three double-doubles, his most in a single month of his NBA career.

Giving Mitchell the nod was a no-brainer.

No other player in the league finished the month of January with averages of at least 25 points, five rebounds, seven assists and two steals. Speaking of steals – an underrated part of his game – Mitchell is second in the NBA with just under two steals per game, behind only Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

Amazingly, this is only the second time that Mitchell has won the monthly honor, and his first time as a Cavalier.

Mitchell closed out the month with 45 points, six rebounds, eight assists and two steals against a Pistons squad that’s been playing better in recent weeks.

“You’ve got a guy who’s a closer,” J.B. Bickerstaff said of Mitchell after the Pistons game. “You’ve got a guy who you feel like when the game is on the line, you have him and they don’t – and that’s going to give you an opportunity to win.

“And we’ve seen it before, but every time you watch it, you marvel at it because of his ability to do it in the big moments, and when it was needed.”

January Highlights

Where to begin?

Among Eastern Conference leaders, Mitchell ranked second in steals per game, third in plus/minus (+195), fourth in points per game and sixth in assists per game.

Mitchell had at least one steal in 12 of Cleveland’s 13 outings, including eight multi-steal games in January (tied for second-most in the East).

He scored 20 points or more 11 times, including five games of at least 30 points and two 40-point performances. Mitchell and Joel Embiid were the only two players in the East to have multiple games scoring more than 40 points.

Mitchell’s eight games with at least four triples were tied for the second-most in the NBA.

In the Cavaliers’ Jan. 11 win over Brooklyn in Paris, Mitchell exploded for 45 points, 12 rebounds, six assists and four steals, becoming the fifth player in NBA history to reach those totals in a single game and first NBA player to do so since 1994.

In Cleveland’s 40-point win over Milwaukee on Jan. 17, Mitchell tallied his 11,000th career point and became the fastest player in league history to accumulate 11,000 points and 1,200 three-pointers made (443 games), as well as just the fourth NBA player since 1973-1974 to finish with at least 30 points, five rebounds, five assists and three steals in 26 minutes or less.

Bickerstaff said Mitchell stepped up in a big way as Darius Garland and Evan Mobley recovered from their respective injuries.

“The Player of the Month I think was a need thing. He knew that he needed to do just a little bit more because of the bodies that were down,” Bickerstaff said. “He took on the role of the lead ball handler, the lead creator, and he was doing the job to help everybody tick up where we needed them to tick up, and on both ends of the floor, he was contributing. But I think the most impressive thing is in the moment when you needed him most, he found a way to dig down and go out and get it done, and it was infectious throughout the team, and that’s leadership for us.”

A Perennial All-Star

 The 73rd NBA All-Star Game, scheduled for Feb. 18 in Indianapolis, will be Mitchell’s fifth All-Star appearance and his second as a Cleveland Cavalier.

For the season (as of Feb. 2), Mitchell is averaging 28.1 points, 5.4 rebounds, 6.4 assists and 1.9 steals per game.

Mitchell’s scoring average is superior to both Eastern Conference starting guards, Tyrese Haliburton (23 points) and Damian Lillard (25.1 points). Mitchell also holds the statistical edge in rebounds and steals.

The seventh-year guard from Louisville is one of just two NBA players this season averaging at least 25 points, five rebounds, five assists and 1.5 steals – the other being Gilgeous-Alexander.

Mitchell told Bally Sports Ohio’s Serena Winters that he got the news from his mom during the pre-game shootaround in Memphis.

“It’s a blessing. God is good,” Mitchell told Winters. “I wouldn’t be here without my teammates – both awards – I wouldn’t be able to be in this position without the trust of my teammates, this organization, so I’m very grateful. All the hard work you put in at the end of the day comes to fruition, so God is good. I’m very thankful.”

thompson suspended

Tristan Thompson Receives 25-Game Suspension for Violating NBA Anti-Drug Policy

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Say it ain’t so, Double T.

The NBA on Tuesday announced that Tristan Thompson must serve a 25-game suspension for violating the league’s anti-drug program.

Thompson tested positive for ibutamoren and SARM LGD-4033, according to the NBA.

Ibutamoren is a growth hormone, and the alien-sounding SARM LGD-4033 is “used by bodybuilders and weightlifters for muscle enhancement,” according to the Associated Press.

This is a tough pill to swallow (unlike ibutamoren and SARM LGD-4033, apparently).

In his second stint with the Cavs – he was part of the franchise’s first and only NBA championship in 2016 – Thompson has played a bigger role than most people probably assumed he would. With Evan Mobley sidelined since mid-December, Thompson has stabilized the Cavs’ frontcourt, providing quality minutes off the bench as a tenacious paint patroller.

At 32, Double T is in the prime of his life. (I’d trade a kidney and a first-round draft pick to be that young again.) But in basketball years, I guess he’s getting a bit long in the tooth. Still, it sure seemed like he was defying father time.

Now we know why.

I suppose Damian Jones is the logical choice to fill Double T’s shoes, which is a booby prize if there ever was one. Jones has seemed about as unplayable as Robin Lopez was last year. I’d love to be wrong on this one, but some players are journeymen for a reason.

Don’t count out Pete Nance, whom the Cavaliers recently signed to a 10-day contract. The 6-11 Nance is an Akron, Ohio, native and he’s a Nance, which immediately endears him to many Cavs faithful. It would be easy to root for a guy like that if the Cavs give him an opportunity.

Thompson Must Be an Idiot

Double T coming back to Cleveland and thriving as a perpetual pest in the post had all the makings of a feel-good story, especially with the team playing so well in recent weeks. This is the team that drafted him, and this is where spent most of this career – including some lean times during the pre- and post-LeBron years.

Maybe the pressure to perform at peak, vintage Double T energy was too great. Or maybe he wasn’t aware that his personal trainer was slipping banned substances into his shamrock shake.

At the end of the day, it was a costly mistake – for the Cavs and Thompson. This is a 25-game suspension without pay. More importantly, the Cavs are in the thick of a hotly contested Eastern Conference playoff race, and Thompson’s steadying presence and veteran leadership will be missed.

G Wagon

G-Wagon Finds Another Gear, Cavs Rout Giannis-Less Bucks

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At full strength, the Milwaukee Bucks should’ve been the ultimate heat check for the Cavaliers.

The Cavs were riding a five-game winning streak. Sans Darius Garland and Evan Mobley, the Cavs were 10-3 since Dec. 16, showcasing a new identity – predicated on passing, defense and a nightly barrage of 3-pointers – in the face of two devastating injuries.

But alas, the Cavs didn’t play the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday.

With Giannis Antetokounmpo nursing a banged-up shoulder ­– and sporting a business-casual look on the bench – the Bucks who visited Rocket Mortgage Field House on Jan. 17 were a sad shell of the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference.

Without their superstar, the Bucks, um, looked like deer in the headlights. (Sorry – needed to get that out of my system.)

The Cavs pounced, racing to a 22-2 lead midway through the first quarter. And when the Bucks started showing some signs of life toward the end of the first frame, Georges Niang took a souped-up “G-Wagon” out of the garage.

Niang came into the Bucks game averaging 9 points a game off the Cavs’ bench. While Niang is a streaky 3-and-D guy – when he misses, he really misses – he brings a much-needed burst of tenacity and attitude to an otherwise mild-mannered Cavs bunch.

Against the emasculated Bucks, G-Wagon was hitting on all cylinders.

Niang finished with a career-high 33 points on a ridiculous 13-of-14 from the field. He made five of his six 3-point attempts.

With Niang – who looks more like a stationwagon than a souped-up hot rod – there’s more to his game than meets the eye. Yes, the 6-foot-7 Niang is a career 39.8% 3-point shooter, according to ESPN. But he is deceptively crafty in the paint, with the ability to periodically create his own shot and score in a variety of ways.

His entire portfolio was on display Wednesday night, and it was  a lot of fun to watch.

With G-Wagon behind the wheel, the Cavs cruised to a 40-point win over the G-League version of the Bucks. A win is a win, and the Cavs will take it.

Big picture: The Cavs won their sixth straight, and, as of Jan. 20, are the No. 4 seed in a hypercompetitive Eastern Conference. The Knicks, the Heat and the Pacers are breathing down their necks, and I don’t see any of those teams going away anytime soon.

So, whether they’re playing the woebegone Wizards, the sadsack Spurs or the G-League version of the Bucks, the Cavs need to keep stacking up wins in these winnable games.

Because there’s a real heat check on the horizon.

After traveling to Orlando on Jan. 22, the Cavs will be in Milwaukee for two games on Jan. 24 and Jan. 26. And assuming Giannis is back in the lineup, you can be sure the Bucks will be loaded for bear.

Fro-mentum

While G-Wagon gets the headline in the Jan. 17 win over Milwaukee, it shouldn’t diminish the importance of stellar performances from Donovan Mitchell and Jarrett Allen.

Mitchell chipped in 31 points and continues to make a strong case for an all-star bid. Same goes for Jarrett Allen, who notched his 10th consecutive double-double with 21 points and 13 rebounds.

As Lou Brown would say, “There could be two or three potential all-stars on this team.”

Paris Cavs

Paris Trip Solidifies Cavs’ Camaraderie in City of Fro-mance

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The French word for camaraderie is easy to remember.

It’s camaraderie.

That’s kind of a misleading statement, because camaraderie comes from the French word “camarade,” according to Merriam-Webster. So it might be more accurate to say that the English word for camaraderie is camaraderie.

Regardless of whether you call them French fries or freedom fries, strong camaraderie in the NBA is a universal language, and it travels well. And the Cavs’ relatively effortless win over the Brooklyn Nets in Paris was a contrast between one team that has camaraderie and chemistry and one team that’s still trying to build it.

During the pre-game show on Bally Sports Ohio, Serena Winters reported that a number of Cavs players said their favorite part of the whirlwind Paris trip was the plane ride, which gave the guys an opportunity to spend some quality time together and talk about stuff other than basketball. Bonding time, if you will.

It’s easy to see why this group of guys is meshing on and off the court. The 2023-2024 Cavs are about as likeable a group as I’ve seen since the Mark Price-Brad Daugherty era – the kind of guys you can’t help but root for.

On the other side of the ledger, you have the Brooklyn Nets.

Just prior to the start of the third quarter – with the Cavs up by 20 – Cavaliers assistant coach Dan Geriot told Winters that the Nets are “a very individually talented team,” and the Cavs were having success “pinching the basketball” on defense and forcing the hapless Nets to play as a team – which didn’t happen.

Geriot’s left-handed compliment was pretty much on point in characterizing a Nets team that had lost six of their previous seven contests coming into the game. In the aftermath of the Kevin Durant/Kyrie Irving experiment, the Nets are struggling to find an identity – or any continuity whatsoever.

That’s not the case for the Cavaliers, who are 9-3 since losing starters Darius Garland and Evan Mobley to injuries. Of course, it helps that the Cavs hit a soft patch in their schedule.

It also helps when you have a Donovan Mitchell.

Germany Has David Hasselhoff, Paris Has …

With the rest of the Cavs looking jet-lagged, Mitchell set the tone early, scoring 10 of their first 12 points.

He was just getting started.

Austin Carr correctly observed that the Cavs played true to their newfound identity in the first half – playing tight defense and moving without the ball – but slipped into a “ball-dominant” mode in the second half, which let the Nets back into the game. Fortunately, Mitchell was able to douse a furious rally (well, “furious” is a strong word) in the fourth quarter with some crafty drives and big shots that prompted a smattering of “MVP” chants from inside Accor Arena.

Mitchell’s final stat line was ridiculous: 45 points, 12 rebounds, six assists and four steals.

For MVP of the game, he gets all my votes.

Meanwhile, Caris LeVert continued to make a strong case for Sixth Man of the Year. The gluten-free Michigan product chipped in 21 points in 34 minutes off the bench.

And in the Paris, the City of Light – and the City of Fro-mance – I’d be remiss without mentioning Jarrett Allen’s eighth consecutive double-double. Allen, like a lot of the Cavs, looked a bit out of sorts playing the franchise’s first-ever game in Europe, but he still finished with 12 points, 12 boards and four blocks.

Parting Shots

Regardless of whether the Cavs are playing in Paris, Cleveland, Toronto, Timbuktu or Mars (c’mon NBA, make it happen), you can count on J.B. Bickerstaff riding the officials like a rented mule.

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