The Cleveland Cavs (7-7) were a well-oiled machine in the first half against the Washington Wizards (9-5), limiting turnovers and playing efficient basketball en route to a 58-46 halftime lead.
Despite a few hiccups to start the third quarter, the Cavs would eventually pull away behind a big night for LeBron James, routing the Wizards 113-87.
Turning Point:
The Cavs weathered a 7-0 run by the Wizards which cut a 19-point lead to 12, along with their own sloppy play (four turnovers in the first 3 minutes of the third quarter) to win the 3rd by a 23-21 count.
Even while playing their worst ball of the game, the Cavs stayed together and survived the Wizards' best punch of the night before pulling away for good in the late third and early fourth quarters.
Key Stat:
The Wizards scored exactly zero points off of turnovers in the first half on Wednesday, mainly because a humming Cavs attack only coughed it up three times in the first 24 minutes.
In contrast, Washington had ten turnovers in the first half, basically handing Cleveland a double-digit lead heading into the break.
Cleveland MVP:
LeBron James put in a vintage performance on Thanksgiving Eve, dropping 29 points on Washington while chipping in ten rebounds and eight assists. Washington had no answer for a full-throttle LeBron on this night, as The King held court for all to see at Quicken Loans Arena.
Washington MVP:
Veteran Paul Pierce always puts his best game face on for showdowns with LeBron, and Wednesday was no different. Pierce scored 15 off the bench, looking ageless in his enthusiasm (and scoring prowess) despite being a step slower than he used to be during his days in Boston.
Rasual Butler also gets a major honorable mention for scoring 23 points (a team-high) on 9-of-15 shooting (3-of-5 from downtown).
What Did We Learn?
We learned that this Cleveland Cavs team can put up a near-complete game against the very best the Eastern Conference has to offer. This Wizards team will be in the mix come this summer and, save a seven-minute stretch bridging the second and third quarters, the Cavs schooled Washington with both efficient defense and excellent ball movement.
As for Washington, we've found out that turnovers + missed free throws equal a recipe for disaster for this Wizards team. If you can hassle this team into mistakes and they miss their freebies, they look positively ordinary. However, Thanksgiving Eve was likely the exception and not the rule for one of the most talented teams the East has to offer.
What’s Next?
The Cleveland Cavs will host the Indiana Pacers on Saturday night while the Washington Wizards will return home to face the New Orleans Pelicans on the same day.
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