Cavaliers reserves outduel Wizards 130-117 in regular season finale

BY TIM SHIRER

CAVS BEAT WRITER

(CLEVELAND, OH) - Sunday evening at Rocket Arena was fan appreciation night as the Cleveland Cavaliers (52-30, 27-14 home) completed their 82 game regular season journey against the visiting Washington Wizards (17-65, 6-35 road).

The Cavs entered the game, winning the first three games of the season with the Wizards. The Cavs, in their only other meeting at Rocket Arena with the Wizards, blew them out on February 11 138-113. Tonight, the Cavs’ starting five consisted of Craig Porter, Jr. Jaylon Tyson, Nae’Qwan Tomlin, Max Strus and Larry Nance, Jr. as the Cavs had nine players out due to injury maintenance or rest. But still had no problem defeating the lottery bound Wizards 130-117.

The Cavs jumped out to a 7-0 lead early in the opening quarter. With 7:31 left the Cavs led 13-6 when Porter drained a three on an assist from Tomlin. With 6:08 left in the opening quarter, the Cavs lead was 18-9 when Tomlin drained a three from the corner. The Cavs then went up 12 points at 23-11 when Tyrese Proctor hit from long range with 5:23 left. Wizards coach Brian Keefe took a timeout. With 3:15 remaining Proctor hit again from behind the three-point line giving the Cavs a 33-16 lead. Then lead was 20 points when Tyson drained a three with 2:55 left. The Cavs were showing no mercy to the Wizards with 1:36 remaining in the opening quarter the Cleveland lead swelled to 41-18 when Tyson hit his third three of the game. When the opening quarter ended the Cavs led 43-21. Tyson led all scorers with 11 points. Anthony Gill and Jamir Watkins paced the Wizards with seven points each.

The Wizards cut the Cavs lead to 10 points at 65-55 at the halftime break. The Wizards outscored Cleveland 34-22 in the second quarter, led by the current NBA Ironman who has played in 162 games. He has not missed a game in his two-year NBA career. Tyson led all scorers at the break with 14 points. Carrington and Watkins were leading the Wizards with 12 points each.

Early in the third period the Wizards cut the Cavs lead to five points at 65-60 with 10:54 left on the clock. The Cavs built the lead back to 10 points at 84-74 with 5:11 left on the clock when Tyson scored in the paint. With 4:19 left the Wizards cut the lead back to five when Olivier Saar fouled Juju Reese and Reese made both free throws. With 2:54 left the Wizards cut the Cleveland lead to 89-85 on a jumper by Carrington. Then with 1:59 remaining the Cleveland lead was just three points Jaden Hardy drained a three. It shrunk even further with 1:26 remaining when Sharife Cooper drilled a three and the Cavs led 95-93. When the buzzer sounded the Cavs led was 99-95. Tomlin led all scorers with 20 points through three. Carrington and Watson were leading the Wizards with 17 points each. The Cavs were outrebounding the Wizards 42-19 through three.

After the Wizards cut the Cavs lead to 99-97 Riley Minix scored in the paint and was fouled to give Cleveland a 102-97 lead. With 7:06 left in regulation Proctor dunked giving Cleveland a 115-106 advantage. With 1:57 remaining the ever-moving Tomlin was fouled in the paint. He hit both free throws to give Cleveland a 126-113 lead. When the final buzzer sounded the Cavs prevailed and finished the season on a positive note 130-117.

Tomlin led all scorers with 26 points which was a career high. Watkins led the Wizards with 24 points in the losing effort. Proctor also scored career high 22 for the Cavs and had 11 rebounds falling just two assists shy of a double double with eight. Tristan Enaruna, Minix, and Saar also achieved career highs in scoring respectively with 15, 12 and 10 points.

The Cavs outrebounded Washington 54-29.

Next up for the Cavs will be a first round series with the Toronto Raptors (46-36, 22-19 road). The best of seven series will begin on either Saturday or Sunday at Rocket Arena. The Raptors Swept the Cavs 3-0 in the season series. All three games were in the first five weeks of the season. The Cavs are a much differently looking team than they were then..