Cavaliers ransacked 120-118 by Clippers

The Clippers stole this one from Cleveland.

The Cleveland Cavaliers had not lost a single game this season when leading by more than 20 points until the Los Angeles Clippers stunned them on Sunday.

Coming up Short

Most of the game felt like a get-back moment for the Cavaliers. They stormed to an early lead and ballooned their advantage to 26 points behind a balanced attack. Darius Garland, Max Strus, Caris LeVert and Evan Mobely each filled up the sheet to give Cleveland an 80-point first half.

Then, the Cavs fell apart. A paltry 38-point second half followed their high-scoring start. Paul George exploded for 23 points in the fourth, outscoring Cleveland all on his own.

Some of this can be attributed to outstanding shot-making. The Clippers buried numerous difficult jumpers down the stretch. However, this is not a one-time coincidence for the Cavaliers even if it’s their first blown 20+ point lead of the season.

The Cavs crumbled in the second half following a flurry of adjustments from Clippers head coach Tyron Lue. It was another case of Cleveland being stumped by a defense in the later stages of a game after scoring with ease in the opening quarters.

This is an underlying issue that falls squarely on JB Bickerstaff’s shoulders. The Cavaliers have found themselves outcoached and outmatched by opposing gameplans far too often during this stretch. The final possession of the game is a glaring example of this.

Well, that happened...

Blowing a 26-point lead is hard. Drawing up a play worse than Cleveland’s at the end of this game is harder.

With 1.7 seconds remaining and a two-point deficit, the Cavaliers run an incredibly telegraphed play to the corner for their only true shooter on the court. Notice that Garland, the team’s leading scoring today, is the confusingly the one inbounding the ball.

This is a head-scratching decision to have your best scorer out of the play when it matters most. It’s the type of thing that LeBron James would have vetoed while sending the head coach out the door shortly after.

Big Picture

The Cavs have not had much to celebrate since the All-Star break. This is not a good feeling to have with the NBA Playoffs right around the corner.

A loss like this stings more than usual. For a team desperately searching for some momentum, this is the type of defeat that has them spiraling in the wrong direction.