Cavaliers gain revenge- Trim Timberwolves 100-98

    Jarrett Allen scored 23 points, grabbed 18 rebounds, and blocked five shots in his first start as a Cleveland Cavalier as the Cavaliers avenged their loss in Minnesota with a 100-98 victory over the Timberwolves in Cleveland.

Collin Sexton finished as the team leader with 26 points, while Darius Garland scored 19 points and dished out 11 assists for the victorious Cavaliers.

Cleveland improves to 10-11 with the win and will host the Los Angeles Clippers Wednesday.

Swashbucklings

1) Jarrett Allen was tremendous in the victory with his numbers and he makes me feel very confident in the Cavaliers' future at center and in the event that the team trades Andre Drummond before the end of the season.

2) Andre Drummond missed the game with a "sore back" to allow Allen to receive the start. 

Drummond did receive a pounding in Minnesota Sunday evening, and this could be a load management issue, but I also wonder if Drummond's trade talks are starting to warm up a bit?

3) The most exciting play of the game came when Darius Garland lobbed the ball up with Jarrett Allen leaping from midway up the lane to grab the pass and slam it through the net with one hand for the dunk.

That play had me up and cheering from the couch!

4) Jarrett Allen has similarities to Andre Drummond, but there are differences.
Allen is far better at the pick and roll game than Drummond and he is more versatile in the lane as too.

Allen can play a bit farther from the basket and doesn't take up the type of space in the lane that Drummond does, which opens the lane for...

5) More drives and drive and passes for Collin Sexton and Darius Garland.

Allen's game is more modern than Andre Drummond, who is more of a traditional big man, and that allows the smaller playmakers like Sexton and Garland more space to operate.

That also results in more ball movement with everyone involved in the offense rather than standing and around and watching in isolation.

6) Every game even against bad teams like Minnesota is a grind right now.

Larry Nance Jr, missed another game with wrist soreness, Kevin Love remains on the injured list, and without Andre Drummond, Cleveland is very vulnerable with three of their top big men not on the floor.

Foul issues or another injury make every game treacherous inside for Cleveland and there are no gimmes at this time as their 1-1 record vs the lowly Timberwolves show.