Valentine’s Day Thriller (It’s Cavalier Podcast), Cleveland Cavaliers, NBA News, NBA All-Star Break

Valentine’s Day Thriller (It’s Cavalier Podcast), Cleveland Cavaliers, NBA News, NBA All-Star Break

Oh Man get you somebody who loves you the way that I love this Cavaliers team Happy Valentine’s Day to all of you out there and welcome to another edition of the it’s Cavalier podcast it’s your boy Mac and tonight our clev cavillers took on the Chicago Bulls for the third time

Already this year it’s the 15th time the Cavs have played a game on this day of love and they had a 6 and8 record all time prior keyword prior to today’s game Believe It or Not Cleveland has actually played Chicago on Valentine’s day before that came during the teams inaugural

Season not much to say about it as the Bulls won 10883 John Johnson and Jerry Sloan yes Jerry Sloan were the leading scores for each team with 26 points a piece that was over 53 years ago God damn the gavs have been around for a minute now

Haven’t they uh either way let’s step away from memory lane and talk present day shall we now in the first matchup against Chicago this season Cleveland was without Darius Garland Donovan Mitchell Caris and Sam Marill but I don’t even know if you can really count Meo because this is really prior to his

Inclusion into the lightup but despite being without all of those guys the starting five of Craig putter Jr Max stru Isaac aoro Dean Wade and Jared Allen shouldered the offensive Load Max stru had a great game with a game high 26 points Craig Porter Jr was excellent

In relief of the Mitchell and Garland pairing on his way to 19 points eight boards and seven assists and Jared Allen absolutely dominated to the tune of 1917 and seven defensively they were even better as they held Chicago to just 43.8% from the field and ining an absolutely icy 22.9% from three-point

Distance they won 109 to 95 in the very next matchup they had Donovan Carris and Sam available but were still without Darius it didn’t matter much though as they won 10991 mostly behind a stellar performance from Donovan who totaled 34 points Merill also provided his usual Sharp Shooting

And lever was able to chip in 16 points Off the Bench they would once again hold Chicago below 44% from the field into another sub 30% shooting night from three-point distance this time at a frigid 28.1% now tonight the theme of having players unavailable would continue as Dean Wade and saman Maro were

Unavailable due to if I’m not mistaken an illness now that said this was very much a nailbiter of a game my friends absolutely came down to the wire the Cavs won by way of 108 to 105 and by the nature of that win they move to 36 and

17 heading into this season’s Allstar break which could not come at a better time in my opinion because this team man they just need some rest they need to recalibrate a few things and uh thank God they were able to head into this break with that win because that should

Give them confidence right we will get to see Donovan Mitchell play for the allstar Allstar team in the east as well as participate in the Three-Point Contest which should be phenomenal but as for the game itself it kind of got off to a weird start as Chicago would go

On an 80 run that was finally stopped when I believe I think it was Jared Allen who actually got the first basket of the game for Cleveland yeah he got a reverse dunk off of a Darius Garland assist and that got the Cavaliers on the board finally but man this is just one

That the Cavs are probably going to want to move on from pretty quickly after a couple of quick uh takeaways Kobe white man that dude 32 points on the night he was 11 of 17 from the field including five of eight from three-point distance it just seemed any time this

threw up a three-point shot it just you just knew it was GNA go in right and it came at the worst possible times especially down the stretch of the game in that fourth quarter where white was able to contribute a a grand total of 13 of Chicago’s 29 total points in

That fourth period with two uh a three from shooting from three-point distance he just always seemed to have an answer for whatever run or whatever whatever basket that Cleveland was able to chip in and for me you know as I’m watching this game play out the one thing that

Just stuck out to me abundantly is that one the Cavs okay multiple things I lied uh one that the Cavs are still missing Dean way Dean Way’s absence has definitely been felt these last two games didn’t have Samano available tonight that also hurts because that’s another shooting uh another very good

Perimeter shooting uh specialist that you need to have out there and a guy that is not a slouch on defense either and then when you look up and down the board this just was not a great game from three-point distance in total for the Cs you combined to shoot a grand

Total of 12 37 from three-point distance otherwise known as Is 32.4% Not Great nobody really truly shot the ball well tonight outside of one player who will talk about here in just a little bit but Max stru he was one to six and 31 distance Evan Mobley he did

Hit a three which is awesome his percentages go up uh so you know you love to see that but it’s just one three right on one attemp and Donovan Mitchell was two of eight from three-point distance tonight Darius cin was two of five Carris LT was one of three George

Nang was 10 of5 it just it wasn’t a great shooting night especially in the first half of this game so you know it it wasn’t looking great but despite that Cleveland entered halftime down just six total points and I’m just I found myself completely talking people off the ledge

Especially on social media I’m like man if one bad half of basketball is enough for you guys to completely flip the script here what are we doing we can’t be reacting game to game and just thinking this team either is a contender or not a contender based upon one half

Of basketball at least let the whole game play out before you spew some type of you know terrible opinion out there in regards to this team let let the game finish first right all in all entering that halftime I’m like man these guys have a shot to win this

There’s no no reason why they can’t pull it off despite some really really good shooting from the likes of the Chicago Bulls they’re let to score again was Kobe white with 32 points but it wasn’t just him Demar d r rozan got in on the

Action he chipped in 24 on nine- 16 from the field in overall on the night they were really efficient from the field 45.8% including 42.4% from three-point distance they were getting the job done very very similar to how Philly did the other day and so when you have a team

That is shooting this well and you’re able to still win the game uh and hold him under 110 points I I consider that a w within itself because I feel like the Cavs are capable of winning in multiple ways and if you have to win ugly you

Went ugly and I know that might sound ridiculous but that’s just that’s honestly how I feel this was not a great game played by the Cavs especially on the defensive side of the ball but they were able to pull together in that second half and take home the W heading

Into the uh All-Star break now if there’s one player in particular that we really have to highlight tonight it is Isaac auro who finished with 16 points on six of 11 from the field and most impressively four of eight from three-point distance this man is a three

And D Wing I I’m so happy that I can say it he’s just been absolutely phenomenal on the season and this is only the seventh time of a coro’s young career that he has managed to knock down four or more triples so it is very very awesome to see that is three-point

Percentages continue to rise and when you just think about the development of this man like the the the constant pressure that he has had on himself to develop into this three and D presence for the Cleveland Cavaliers it just gets insane because people were so ready to

Write him off because of the fact that he just wasn’t a an an instant prospect that you could label like a a star right out of the gate and he’s still very much in many respects is not your your quintessential star but he stars in his

Role yes I know he doesn’t average a ton of points till the night he’s never going to wue in that regard but he plays some hellacious defense and he is starting to knock down shots exactly when you need him to he is now shooting 39.3% from three-point distance on this

Season by far a career high for him and he is knocking down the most threes per game of his entire life uh that’s you know maybe maybe that’s something that sounds crazy considering he’s only knocking down a about one per game from a seasonal standpoint but man he has

Really started to pick it up as of late and I am absolutely loving it because I’ve been on the aoro on the aoro agenda aor train since he was drafted and it just feels good to have some Vindication in regards to that to see him develop and Thrive this

Season because he’s playing some of the most confident basketball of his career and I think JB is really really allowing him to go out there and just you know play freely if he’s out on the corners he is now no longer waiting for a Defender to come out to him or he’s not

Waiting to for some for somebody to close out so that he can attack them he is actually pulling up he is taking the shot and that is not something that has always been the case he’s been very confident and that is a lovely lovely site and this is the type of performance

From Isa a Coro that you absolutely need when nobody else is really shooting the ball too well on the night when you have stru going one to six when you have have Nang going one of five when you have Donnie going two of eight you need

Somebody to pick that up and for aoro to be the leading shot maker from distance in a game uh it just tells you something right especially if he’s knocking down four you will take that every day of the week and another outing from him that completely shows his value on both ends

Of the floor so I absolutely loved it now here we are with at least six count them six different Cavaliers scoring in double figures obviously with Donovan Mitchell leading away another 30-point outing for him and boy did he have some real beautiful passes out there tonight

I just I continue to be impressed with some of his distribution right that the some of the facilitation that you have seen from him it is High High Caliber stuff and this is why I continue to believe that he is the Premier combo guard in this league I just do not see

Anybody better than him at being that that that quintessential combo guard guy he can at the drop of a hat provide you facilitation and also put the scoring hat on whenever he needs to he was just bulldozing through the Bulls no pun intended yeah there was at least a

Handful of drives I’m like this dude just pushed and mauled his way through the paint and and scored at will especially there was one sequence in which he just completely shoves um Nicolo vich out of the way for a for a layup out it at 87 Mitchell and he put pich in the

Waight room Mitchell yeah a little shoulder shrug it must have been a shoulder day it’s just like you should not be able to do that to a seven-footer out there the way that you do at 6263 uh so to see Donovan out there starring and and just leading this Cavs

Team to Victory it’s become a common occurrence and I know a lot of people are like well man we got to we got to get Darius G and Darius is not having a great game the luxury that you have with Darius not having you know a phenomenal

Night is that you can now rely upon the likes of AD Donovan Mitchell to completely take over down the stretch if need be and speaking of Darius he would finish theight with just 12 points on four of 10 from the field he did dish out seven assists but clearly he’s still

Trying to figure some things out and it was very encouraging his last game against Philly where you know he he goes out there and he scores 21 and I think he dishes nine assists and had zero turnovers and and that’s something that been really really been plaguing him

This entire season and to to see him have a stat line like that made you just feel like hey maybe he’s starting to put things back together and then he has a game like tonight where you know maybe not so effective from the field just four 10 just 12 points but you can

Clearly tell that he’s still the same type of player he’s still capable of providing that same type of inback play and he had one of the bigger shots of the game down the stretch in that fourth quarter where I believe he tied the game and I think Kobe white immediately comes

Down the court and retaliates and so that just to me he he is fully capable of making the correct play and he did that and he also made two clutch free throws on the night after missing a game a potential game-winning three and so I loved absolutely loved seeing him do that

Because it is just something that fans have not let him go you not not let go about him is his non clutchness uh I’m sure there’s a better way to say that but people just don’t believe DG’s clutch I know there are stats that kind

Of back that up and I’m not going to dig into that tonight all I’m gonna say is that this is a damn good player and we just got to be patient because he’s eventually going to get back to his All-Star level form and I I think the thing that’s important for people to

Understand is that he is not he cannot operate the same way that he did during his All-Star season by virtue of the Donovan Mitchell acquisition it was always going to change things Donovan was always going to change the way that Darius Garland was going to operate because Darius would no longer be the

Bonafide number one option it’s just not that anymore and so I I’m just trying to get people to understand that Darius is he’s had to evolve right he’s had to adapt his game and adjust his game to fit uh around Donovan Mitchell because Donovan is a superior player and when

The game is on the line more often than not you’re probably going to want the ball in spite his hands as opposed to DG although DG is perfectly capable in my opinion and when he has those shots available those potential gamewinners take him right and so DG not the best

Game tonight but came up big when he needed him to he he hit that three and I was mistaken earlier he hit that three he took the lead it was 103 to 100 Darlin rejects the screen back out top six on the shot clock got to get pissy playing with his food

Over and then after white tied it he he he drew some free throws and he knocked him down with basically with the game on the line at 103 105 all and that was basically the game right there and so I I remain impressed in certain aspects

With him and I think that heading into this second half of the Season he really really will put things together so I just urge people please please be patient he’ll figure it out he’s got it he is a very talented player he still got the skill set we just got to get him

We got to get him going and I think they will use this break to to do just that now another bit of news that we absolutely have to discuss is that Craig Porter Jr was signed to a four-year contract it’s quite a a a brilliant contract honestly the the verbiage of it

Is just it’s crazy you don’t really quite see things like this play out and when I say that what I mean is the actual the structure of his deal is it’s not necessarily odd but it’s not something that you look at and you say to yourself this is a common occurrence because it

Really just frankly isn’t the way that they have his deal structured is it’s one of the odder things out there it’s categorized as Bobby Marx categorizes it right here the Cavaliers signed Craig Porter Jr to a highin loan type contract guaranteed money in the first two years

But team controlled in years three and four the last years are non- guaranteed with no trigger dates except for January 7th the contract is comparable toost Jose alado in New Orleans 2023 24 he’s just going to make 1.5 mil next season he will make 1.9 with 1 million being

Guaranteed and then in 25 26 2.2 mil zero guarantee and that I believe the the fourth year in 22 2026 27 is 2.4 mil and team and no guarantee if exercise which that’s the verbiage of the contract this is a very smart deal for Kobe Alman for one because he is able to

Kind of dance around that luxury tax line right and it keeps Craig Porter Jr in town and ready to develop the crazier thing is though is that on the day that you probably could have used an extra body U Craig gets sent down to the charge and

He plays and he kind of kills it down there to the tune of 27 points and six assist on the 11 of 18 from the field including if I’m not mistaken two of five from three Point distance so he absolutely killed it with the charge

Today they had a good game but the Caps probably could have used him in this one especially in reference to kind of shutting down Kobe White’s water right turning the water off on him and I would have loved to have seen that especially when you don’t have Sam Marill um saman

Marill or Dean Wade available you probably could have used that additional body and so that kind of sucks the timing of it all but still the Cavs are able to win and I’m happy about that man and I I I truly truly ecstatic about this contract extension because I I

Believe in Craig Porter Jr I think that he is a high level point guard he’s got a future with this Cavaliers team now the question is where does he fit into everything because you have so much talented guard depth you got Darius Garland Donovan Mitchell K LT Isaac aoro

Max stru figures in there Sam Maro at points I mean there’s I I feel like I’m forgetting somebody and you guys are probably going to kill me for it but um no I mean they’re just so much depth in front of him being able to have him as

An available option off that bench if things don’t work out with one of those guys is is a phenomenal thing to have at your disposal and you can continue to develop him and I know he is among the you know one of the older rookies in the

League this season being I believe just a month younger than Darius Garland but at this point it’s like man this team has been able to find some real gems right first you you were able to secure the services of Sam Marill right who was the last pick of the draft in

2020 draft and was the number one pick by the Cleveland charge you know a few seasons back and you’re able to get a player like ammani Bates at 49 that that kid is clearly clearly talented and he will eventually play a big role with this Cavaliers team you know there are

Countless other examples you got Dean Wade undrafted um you know and and now you got Craig Porter Jr the sky the limit and I feel like Co yman has done a really good job of finding just kind of like not in the bench talent but like into of draft talent and undrafted guys

He’s done a very very good job at finding Talent from unlikely sources right because who in the hell thought a a guard like Craig Porter Jr out of witch state would end up being like one of the one of the best rookies this season when given playing time I know

You know off that coming off the summer league showing and you know preseason I I thought Craig was the most Pro ready of the guys on the 2A contracts when you’re talking about Isaiah Moy who’s now been with Cleveland at least two years almost two years now and you’re talking about ammani Bates

Right he was still quite raw um I always believe that Craig Porter Jr was is the most Pro ready and when he got the opportunities to actually show what he could do he took he took the opportunity and he ran with it right he hit the ground running and so anytime a guy’s

Able to do that you have to recognize what you have and sign him up and I know we are all anticipating him to be converted um and and I love it right and I’m so so happy that they were able to get that done and with that being said

It just kind of puts you in a mind space like what could this team look like moving forward like heading into the future not necessarily this year but will Craig actually be a threat to crack the rotation next year I do think so it just who would be who’s in who’s out but

Before we even get there we have to finish out this season and so heading into this All-Star break and getting the opportunity to recharge and refresh I think that’s very very important for this team because they got a tall task on their hands that’s it when they when

They come out in the second half of this season seon they really right really got to start to Jael down the stretch especially players like Darius Carland got to get back in the swing of things uh enable for this team to reach its apex and I think they will I’m just

Trying to remain patient and just understand that this is still very much a a a process it it is not something that’s going to occur at at the drop of a hat or the snap of fingers right it’s it’s going to take some time for this

Team to really really put all of the moving Parts together and we’ve seen them play some terrific basketball they’ve now won if I’m not mistaken 18 of their last 21 games and I mean how can I really be pissed at that I I’m feeling like this this team still is a

Title Contender and that’s probably not going to change the the the uh you know things would have to really really go downhill fast in order for me to feel any differently than that I really like what I’m seeing from this team even in in off nights they’re able to find ways

To win that in years prior they may not have been able to do and so I think that that’s probably a good way to end it uh with that being said like I always tell you guys if You’ like to reach out to me you know how you can it’s cavalor pod on

Twitter Tik Tok Instagram to B more if You’ like to be added to the it’s cavalary Discord chat you know what to do leave a rating leave a review Send a screenshot of said foreview to it’s c 53@gmail.com and I will send you an invite that said go Cavs and have a good

Night

Mack reacts to Cleveland’s thrilling victory over the Chicago Bulls including:

1. Isaac Okoro’s 3PT barrage
2. Darius Garland comes up clutch
3. Craig Porter Jr.’s new deal and more!

#cavs #clevelandcavaliers #cavaliers #nba #chicagobulls #bulls #donovanmitchell #dariusgarland #evanmobley #jarrettallen #maxstrus #craigporterjr #sammerrill #isaacokoro #demarderozan #cobywhite

Cleveland Cavaliers. Cavs News. NBA News. Cleveland. Cleveland Cavaliers news. Jimmy Butler. Miami Heat. Bam Adebayo. Damian Lillard trade rumors. Damian Lillard news. Miami Heat trades. NBA trades. Tyler Herro. Max Strus. NBA Finals. NBA Playoffs. NBA Tiers. NBA Rankings. NBA ranks. Philadelphia 76ers. James Harden. James Harden trades. Joel Embiid. MVP. Embiid. 76ers news. Heat news. Bucks news. Boston Celtics. Celtics news. Evan Mobley. Darius Garland. Donovan Mitchell. Jarrett Allen. Donovan Mitchell news. Donovan Mitchell contract. Basketball. ESPN. ESPN Cleveland. CLE. NBA. Jrue Holiday trade. Emoni Bates. Isaac Okoro. The Chasedown Podcast. Locked On Cavs. Across Cavaliers. It’s Cavalier Podcast. Cavaliers Podcast. Cavs Podcast. Cavs Pod.