CLEVELAND, Ohio – It’s Not How You Start. It’s how you end.
The month of February was not pleasant. It featured a 10-game losing streak and nine double-digit losses thanks to a horrible stretch of playoff-caliber landmines. But the Cavs knew they had to weather the storm. They did that by winning a second game in a row against the Houston Rockets on Wednesday night, 112-96.
As the month draws to a close this weekend, the Cavs have temporarily reversed their fortunes.
A copy of Tuesday night’s streak-breaking win, the Cavs got off to a quick start, dodging the deep early hole that has haunted them for the past few weeks. A 10-point lead disappeared thanks to a sloppy second quarter with repeated defensive attack point outages, allowing Houston drivers to come in the spotlight.
But Cleveland did not burst. After halftime, the Cavs emerged with the intensity that head coach JB Bickerstaff demanded before the game, throwing all thoughts of tired legs on the second from a back-to-back.
The worst team in the third quarter of the league beat the Rockets 34-24 in those 12 minutes. The Cavs didn’t stop in the fourth and won that period with eight runs. In total, the Cavs won the last 24 minutes, 64-46.
Jarrett Allen exploited Houston’s substandard interior. With the Rockets’ top starter standing just 6-foot-6, Allen threw 26 points 10-of-11 off the field to go with 18 rebounds and four blocks in 37 impactful minutes. Allen even had a one-handed coast-to-coast opinion – an overwhelming highlight that energized the crowd.
Collin Sexton recovered from a horrible first half, made a few locker room adjustments and took 20 points for the seventh straight game. Sexton – who had only seven points on 2-of-9 off the field at the break, confused by Houston’s physicality – finished with 23 points, burying seven of his 10 shot attempts in the second half. Darius Garland also found his rhythm and recorded a double-double with 11 points and 10 assists.
Dylan Windler’s hot girth shots carried over from Tuesday. After going 5-of-5 from deep in the win against Atlanta, Windler deflated all four of his bombs, the longest streak of triples made by a Cavalier since Kyrie Irving in 2015.
On the other hand, the Cavs held on to the Rockets at 40% firing and 30.3% from 3-point range, showing signs of their early season fierceness. It is the first time that you keep an opponent below 100 points since February 1st.
Two in a row. A win against Philadelphia in the February final would make it three. That is called a winning streak. It has happened before.
Just not since January.
Hanging around
The front office had to make a decision about Dean Wade on Wednesday evening at 5 p.m. If he were on the roster after that point, his contract would be fully guaranteed. Not only did the Cavs stay with Wade, but they put him in the starting line-up for a second game in a row. Wade finished with a career-high 11 points on 4-of-4 shooting and 2-of-2 from outside the arc.
Next one
The Cavs have two days off before heading to Philadelphia for a Saturday night game. Tipoff is set at 7pm
New Cavs Face Masks For Sale: Here you can buy Cleveland Cavaliers themed face covers for coronavirus protection, including a single mask ($ 14.99) and a 3-pack ($ 24.99). All proceeds from the NBA are donated to charity.
More coverage from Cavaliers
Sexton disapproves of All-Star: ‘That’s why next season is here in Cleveland’
Cavaliers opens second half of the season with a road trip of three races
Brodric Thomas signed a two-way deal, Marques Bolden declined
Lamar Stevens took advantage of more opportunities and proved that he belongs
The 10-game slide ends with Stevens vs. Hawks
Sexton focused on ‘must-win game’ vs. Hawks, not on All-Star announcement
The recent collapse of Cavaliers does not mean that reconstruction has failed: Fedor
Are there any answers to solve Cavs’ problems? ‘No one is coming to save us’