CLEVELAND: Seventeen thoughts for 17 rebounds from Kevin Love in the Cavs’ 119-108 win Saturday against the Los Angeles Lakers…
1. The time off seemed to suit Kyrie Irving well. In fact, it seemed to suit all of the Cavs’ stars just fine.
2. For all the fuss that was made over the Big Three missing Wednesday’s game at Memphis, LeBron James scored 16 of his 26 points in the fourth quarter Saturday, Kevin Love grabbed a season-high 17 rebounds and Kyrie Irving matched his career-high with 12 assists in 38 minutes. Love, however, thought those numbers may have been a bit deceiving on a night the Cavs struggled to put away the young and struggling Lakers.
3. “Sometimes the stats don’t tell the whole story,” Love said. “I didn’t quite feel like myself tonight. Messed up on a few coverages to start the game and weren’t typically ourselves and that can be indicative of us taking that time off and not being right between the ears. We were able to still play well, made plays when we needed to, but some stuff we definitely need to clean up now that we’re back to full strength, so to speak.”
4. Irving said he was fine with the decision to take the week off because it was necessary. He had a fast break layup in last Saturday’s win against Charlotte and he had no explosion getting to the basket.
5. He spent the time getting treatment and getting shots up, although he did stay out of the gym for a couple of days during the week off.
6. “It was warranted,” Irving said of the time off. “After that (Charlotte) game, how I felt, knowing the importance of what was coming up in the season, I think it was a great group decision in terms of the rest that was needed. I had no arguments with that.”
7. Lue warned it may not be the last time he shuts down Irving this season, although he doesn’t have a specific plan in place yet to do so.
8. “Our biggest thing is trying to keep Kyrie healthy,” Lue said. “It’s gonna be times where he’s going to be mad at me or mad at the training staff, that’s part of it. The biggest thing is we’re trying to prepare ourselves for the playoffs and having healthy legs and fresh legs and being healthy going into the playoffs. So he can get mad at times, because you’re young and you want to play. You’ve got to understand the task at hand and what we’re focused on and what our mission is. He understands that now and we just gotta keep moving forward.”
9. The 30 assists were one shy of the season-high 31 the Cavs recorded in their season-opening win against the Knicks. Along with Irving’s 12, James had nine and Love had four. But the 16 3-pointers allowed were one off the most the Cavs have allowed in a game. The Rockets made 17 3s in a Cavs home win last month.
10. Timofey Mozgov received his ring prior to the game and was mobbed at midcourt in a cool moment with his former teammates. Lakers coach Luke Walton joked that Mozgov gets angry every game and starts screaming (swearing?) in Russian and the rest of the Lakers laugh because no one can understand him. Which is exactly how it was in Cleveland. Mozgov visited the Cavs’ locker room after the game.
11. “I miss this place. I’m not going to lie,” Mozgov said. “I miss you guys, but I’m happy where I’m at right now.”
12. Mozgov signed a four-year, $64 million deal with the Lakers over the summer. He was a non-factor in the game, scoring just two points on 1-of-6 shooting and grabbing four rebounds in 15 minutes. His numbers this season aren’t much better than what he produced with the Cavs last season, although he feels much healthier. Mozgov reiterated he never felt right following arthroscopic surgery on his right knee before last season. He had the surgery in July, a full four months prior to training camp, but something just wasn’t right.
13. “Last season I was coming off the (knee) surgery and probably rushed it too much,” Mozgov said. “Didn’t really heal and had the problem the whole season, but then I got an off-season and recovery right and then I played for my national team to get my rhythm back and just feels good right now.”
14. Mozgov was so eager to see his former teammates that he stuck out his hand to DeAndre Liggins, who was the first Cavs player he came across in the locker room. Liggins was bent over and didn’t see Mozgov’s hand, and Mozgov kept staring at Liggins trying to figure out who he was. After a couple seconds, Mozgov gave up and just continued on through the locker room.
15. The Cavs will have another ring ceremony coming up on Wednesday when Matthew Dellavedova returns with the Milwaukee Bucks.
16. Plenty to clean up, although credit the Lakers. They beat the Warriors by 20 earlier this season (and beat them last year, too) so clearly this group knows how to compete against elite teams. They just haven’t figured out how to do it every night.
17. The Cavs now have a home-and-home with the Bucks, beginning with Tuesday’s game at Milwaukee. Marla Ridenour will be handling that one. I’ll talk to you Wednesday after the Delly gets his ring at the Q.