Cleveland, Ohio – The Cleveland Cavaliers’ disappointment reached a boiling point Wednesday night.
The Falling Cavaliers lost to the Charlotte Hornets 119-98. This is their fifth loss in the last six games, although they remained fifth (with .03 percentage points) in the Eastern Conference playoffs. Just a month ago, the Cavs were second, looking down at the first seeds. Now this slippage makes them stagger to the scary Play-In tournament. Even the return of Darius Garland from an annoying bruise on his lower back can not prevent another loss.
In the days before this match, the coach of Cavs JB Bickerstaff spoke about the importance of the team to finish what it started this season. There is still time, but the possibility of error continues to shrink.
Bickerstaff wasn’t even in the final on Wednesday. At 8:36 in the third quarter, with Cleveland eliminated by 20, the persistent coach removed his disappointment from referee Natalie Sago, receiving two technical fouls – an automatic throw. Bickerstaff tends to ride the judge’s crew. He needs a Throat Coat after each game to help his voice recover. Part of that is calls and not calls. The other part is shouting instructions to your team.
This moment of aggression stemmed from a block / attack against Cedi Osman. But he definitely felt that there was more to the angry protest. It seemed like an accumulation of factors.
The building pressure from this seven-week play-offs, which will determine if this season is a success. Untimely regression. The stockpile of injuries that are currently threatening to derail this magical season. The All Star player is inside and outside the squad. Suddenly leaky defense, which lost 96 points in the first three quarters, just 48 hours after one of the worst readings of the season. Deficit of 20 points for the fourth time in the last nine games. The effort does not reach the standard of the coach. A team that has lost its advantage.
“It’s that I’m losing my temper,” Bickerstaff said. “I apologized to the boys, I apologized to my staff. Apologize to my children. No one should see this. It is for me that I need to improve and be better. It’s a combination of disappointment, obviously, but I have to stay in the battle. I have to be better. ”
The Cavs, with their starting five for the first time since Jan. 22, were defenseless against the NBA’s No. 1 attack with goals – even one night All Star defender LaMelo Ball was plagued with bad problems, playing just eight minutes.
The Hornets, who are just 3-11 from Jan. 28, shot 50.6% of the field and 44.7% from 3 points. They have 32 assists on 43 shots, 17 3s and 52 points in a fight.
“One physical one to start with. Second, there are many mistakes in discipline, we are not where we need to be. And then the third of it is that we are not doing the extra things we have been doing so far to put ourselves in that position that made us who we were. This is our core. These are the things we have always done to protect each other. Let’s do it together. To put another one. To play with firmness. This is what we need to return to. You have to be prepared and you have to solve it. ”
Although Garland played for the first time since the All Star break, Cleveland failed to keep up. Garland led the way. He scored 33 points in 13 of 22 off the field and 5 out of 10 over the arc in 33 minutes. All-Star teammate Jarrett Allen added 18 points and 11 rebounds. Lauri Markanen shook off a lower leg injury and finished with 12 points.
After making just 2 of 13 of the deep in the first half, the Cavs made 8 of 16 in the last 24 minutes, briefly scoring the crowd at the start of the fourth quarter.
This excitement was short-lived.
“If we’re not worried, I don’t think that’s a good way to look at how we play,” Alan said. “It simply came to our notice then. We know this is not Cavs basketball. We know we haven’t played like that in the past, no matter how long the season lasts. It’s just an effort at the end of the day. It looks inside who we are as a team, who we are as individuals. I’m just playing harder. “
Terry Rosie scored 29 points. Kelly Oubre Jr. joined with 19 from the bench. In all, the Hornets had six double-digit players, including Isaiah Thomas. The little guard, who played his first game in the NBA on December 29 and signed with Charlotte after a dominant period in the G League, sparked the bench. He finished with 10 points, five rebounds and three assists.
The Cavs glide began in February. They hoped to turn the page by turning the calendar. I wanted to start March with some positive momentum. Instead, the same problems.
It’s time to check the bowels.
“We need to look in the mirror and just reduce everything and ask myself if I’m doing the right thing,” Garland said. “JB has been talking about this all week. I know a lot of guys are tired of listening to him. We do not play in the same way as in the first half of the season. We need to get back to that. “
Next
The Cavs will head to Philadelphia for a game against the 76ers on Friday night. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.
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