The Cavaliers and Nets quickly discovered that they were two different squads than the ones who clashed at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in late-January.
Back then, both squads had just consummated a four-team deal that landed James Harden in Brooklyn and Jarrett Allen in Cleveland. And in back-to-back home contests, including a double-overtime thriller, the Wine & Gold took the pair.
But Sunday’s Nets – minus Harden – were hungry for the East’s 2nd-seed and getting geared up for an extended Playoff run and the Cavaliers were wrapping up an injury-riddled campaign on the road. The result was a one-sided 123-109 win for Steve Nash’s squad, which began pulling away in the third quarter and never looked back.