If you went to bed early on Friday, you missed the kind of game that defines a regular season. The final Cavs game last night score of 117-115 doesn't even begin to tell the whole story.
Short-handed. On the road. Facing a 76ers team hungry for revenge. It looked like a scheduled loss for Cleveland. Instead, the Cavaliers walked out of Xfinity Mobile Arena with a sweep of the mini-series and one of their gutsiest wins of the year.
The Jaylon Tyson Show: 39 Points and Pure Confidence
Nobody—absolutely nobody—predicted Jaylon Tyson would drop 39 points.
He was essentially the third or fourth option on most scouting reports coming into the week. But with Darius Garland sidelined by that pesky toe injury and Sam Merrill out with a hand sprain, the rookie-turned-rotation-staple decided to own the spotlight. Tyson was a flamethrower. He finished 13-of-17 from the floor.
Even more ridiculous? He went 7-of-9 from beyond the arc.
It wasn't just "garbage time" points either. Every time Philadelphia threatened to pull away, Tyson answered. His ability to create his own shot when the offense stagnated saved Cleveland during a shaky second quarter. By the time the fourth quarter rolled around, the Philly crowd was basically holding its breath every time he touched the rock.
That Wild Fourth Quarter Comeback
The Sixers looked like they had this one in the bag. With about nine minutes left, Paul George hit a jumper to put Philadelphia up by 11. It felt like the air had been sucked out of the Cavs' bench.
Cleveland didn't blink.
They ripped off a 13-2 run. De'Andre Hunter, who has been quietly solid all season, nailed a massive three-pointer to tie things at 102 with roughly six minutes to go. The game turned into a total slugfest from there.
Key Plays in the Final Minute
- Hunter's Clutch Layup: With a little over a minute left, De'Andre Hunter drove the lane to put the Cavs up by one.
- The Mobley Free Throw: Evan Mobley split a pair of free throws with 22.7 seconds left, giving Cleveland a two-point lead.
- Maxey's Response: Tyrese Maxey, who finished with 22 points and 9 assists, hit a clutch runner with 8 seconds left to tie it up.
- The Game-Winner: After a timeout, it wasn't Mitchell taking the shot. Jaylon Tyson drove, drew the defense, and fed Evan Mobley for a dunk with just 4.8 seconds on the clock.
Maxey tried a desperation heave from half-court at the buzzer, but it sailed long. Cavs win.
Examining the Box Score: Why the Numbers Are Weird
On paper, this game shouldn't have been a Cleveland victory.
The Cavs turned the ball over 18 times. That is a lot. Usually, when you give a team with Joel Embiid (33 points) and Tyrese Maxey that many extra possessions, you're asking for trouble. Cleveland also struggled at the charity stripe, shooting a mediocre 70.6%.
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So, how did they win?
The answer is efficiency. The Cavaliers shot 51.8% as a team. They outscored the Sixers by 15 points from the three-point line. While Philly relied heavily on Embiid drawing fouls and getting to the line (he was 11-of-12 on free throws), the Cavs moved the ball beautifully. Donovan Mitchell might have only scored 13 points, but he acted as a master conductor, racking up 12 assists and 9 rebounds.
Looking Ahead: What This Means for the East Standings
This win pushes the Cavaliers to 24-19, keeping them firmly in the hunt for a top-six seed to avoid the play-in tournament. More importantly, it shows they can win without Darius Garland.
Kenny Atkinson's "next man up" philosophy is clearly working.
The Sixers, meanwhile, drop to 22-18. They’ve got some soul-searching to do after losing twice at home to Cleveland in the span of three days. Despite Embiid's dominance, their perimeter defense looked porous, especially when trying to contain Tyson and Hunter on the wings.
What's Next for the Cavs?
The team heads back to Cleveland to enjoy a brief rest before a massive showdown on Monday.
- Injury Updates: Expect a status report on Darius Garland and Sam Merrill by Sunday afternoon.
- Home Stand: The Oklahoma City Thunder come to town on Monday. That's a huge test of Cleveland's interior defense.
- Fantasy Watch: If Jaylon Tyson is still on your waiver wire, go get him. Now.
The grit shown in the Cavs game last night score is exactly what fans wanted to see. Cleveland isn't just a "spooky" young team anymore; they're a group that knows how to close out games in hostile environments.
Keep an eye on the injury report for Monday's game against OKC. If Garland remains out, Craig Porter Jr. will likely get another start, but expect Tyson to remain the primary engine of the offense alongside Mitchell. Check your local listings or the NBA app for tip-off times as the Cavs look to extend this winning streak to three.