4 months ago
- Cavaliers
- Updated: Jan. 03, 2026, 5:15 a.m.
- Published: Jan. 03, 2026, 5:15 a.m.
CLEVELAND, Ohio — In what should person been a showcase crippled for Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley, nan Cavs’ towering duo managed conscionable 16 mixed points against a Nuggets squad missing some Nikola Jokic and Jonas Valanciunas. The glaring deficiency of overgarment power was a main chat constituent connected nan latest Wine and Gold Talk podcast.
“No, not astatine all,” cleveland.com Cavs hit newsman Chris Fedor said emphatically erstwhile asked if nan Cavs took capable advantage of nan matchup. “If you would person looked astatine nan crippled going into it, Ethan, you would person said, okay, nan Cavs tin astir apt people astir 70 points successful nan overgarment tonight. They person a chopped advantage.”
What made nan business moreover much perplexing was Allen’s post-game comments astir it “not being his turn” – a mindset that seems unfathomable fixed nan circumstances. When would it ever beryllium “his turn” if not against a Denver squad lacking immoderate NBA-quality centers?
The 3rd 4th illness highlighted nan basal issue, arsenic nan Cavs inexplicably abandoned their size advantage during a agelong wherever Denver outscored them 38-26.
“In nan 3rd 4th wherever nan Cavs almost gave nan crippled distant ... They took for illustration 23 shots early successful that 4th and 14 of them were from 3-point scope against a squad that had nary centers, nary NBA value halfway playing,” Fedor explained.
- Reacting to nan Cavs’ 3rd consecutive triumph aft defeating Denver: Wine and Gold Talk podcast
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- Cavs hardly debar different baffling loss, separator undermanned Nuggets, 113-108
While Denver’s area defense presented challenges, Fedor pointed retired that a squad pinch title aspirations can’t let an undermanned force to “dictate terms” truthful easily. The Cavs’ inability to set and utilization their evident advantage speaks to a larger interest astir their violative identity.
“Jarrett Allen’s expected to beryllium 1 of nan astir important players connected this roster and Evan Mobley is expected to beryllium 1 of nan astir important players connected this roster,” Fedor emphasized. “So I do deliberation they request to proceed to make it a constituent of accent to get Jarrett progressive and support him progressive passim nan people of nan crippled and get Evan progressive and support him progressive passim nan people of nan game.”
The information tells an moreover much concerning story.
The Cavs were shooting a singular 17-of-21 connected rim attempts done 3 quarters – yet many times settled for extracurricular shots alternatively of hammering their advantage inside.
Allen did make important contributions successful nan closing minutes, including a captious violative rebound and dunk that provided a four-point cushion precocious successful nan game. But these sporadic flashes only stress what could person been had Cleveland maintained a disciplined attraction connected feeding their large men passim nan contest.
As nan Cavs proceed their season, nan mobility remains whether they tin create nan slayer small heart needed to afloat utilization matchup advantages. Championship teams don’t conscionable triumph games – they demoralize susceptible opponents by attacking their weaknesses relentlessly.
Want to perceive Fedor and big Ethan Sands break down each nan specifications of this puzzling performance? Listen to nan afloat Wine and Gold Talk podcast section for their complete study of why nan Cavs’ triumph complete Denver raised much questions than answers astir this team’s ceiling.
Here’s nan podcast for this week:
This article was produced pinch assistance from AI devices and reviewed by Cleveland.com staff.
