Game ID: 22300349
Houston Rockets @ Cleveland Cavaliers
Monday, December 18, 2023 at 7:00 PM ET
Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, Cleveland, OH
Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 OT1 Final
CLE 33 24 42 23 13 135HOU 34 25 39 24 8 130
CLE vs HOU ScoutingCLE vs HOU Scouting
Welcome to the scouting desk. The coffee is cold, the film is play-by-play, and somebody has to explain what happened.
Every game has a hinge — a stretch where it was decided, usually while everyone was watching something else. Start where the evidence lives: the Lineups' face-offs say which five actually won their minutes; the Possessions ledger says who ran ahead of the night's own pace; the Shot Chart says where the points really came from, which is rarely where the highlights were. When all three agree, that is the story. When they don't — that is why this desk has a chair.
CLE availability going into 12/11 · 2 days' restOUT LeVert missed 3 since 12/02, out tonight
BACK Wade back 12/06 after 6, 19 min since (95% of 20)
BACK Merrill back 12/02 after 4, 6 min since (37% of 17)
BACK Thompson back 12/02 after 2, 8 min since (76% of 11)
CLE availability going into 12/12 · back-to-backOUT Eva. Mobley missed 2 since 12/08, out tonight
OUT LeVert missed 4 since 12/02, returns tonight: 23 min (81% of 28)
BACK Wade back 12/06 after 6, 23 min since (110% of 20)
BACK Merrill back 12/02 after 4, 10 min since (58% of 17)
BACK Thompson back 12/02 after 2, 13 min since (123% of 11)
CLE availability going into 12/14 · 1 day's restOUT Eva. Mobley missed 3 since 12/08, out tonight
OUT Porter Jr. missed 2 since 12/11, out tonight
BACK LeVert back 12/12 after 4, 23 min since (81% of 28)
BACK Wade back 12/06 after 6, 22 min since (107% of 20)
BACK Merrill back 12/02 after 4, 10 min since (58% of 17)
BACK Thompson back 12/02 after 2, 13 min since (120% of 11)
CLE availability going into 12/16 · 1 day's restOUT Eva. Mobley missed 4 since 12/08, out tonight
OUT Merrill missed 2 since 12/12, returns tonight: 8 min (47% of 17)
OUT Porter Jr. missed 3 since 12/11, returns tonight: 15 min (119% of 13)
BACK LeVert back 12/12 after 4, 29 min since (102% of 28)
BACK Wade back 12/06 after 6, 21 min since (101% of 20)
CLE availability going into 12/18 · 1 day's restOUT Eva. Mobley missed 5 since 12/08, out tonight
BACK LeVert back 12/12 after 4, 28 min since (97% of 28)
BACK Merrill back 12/16 after 2, 8 min since (47% of 17)
BACK Porter Jr. back 12/16 after 3, 15 min since (119% of 13)
CLE availability going into 12/20 · 1 day's restOUT Garland missed 2 since 12/16, out tonight
OUT Eva. Mobley missed 6 since 12/08, out tonight
BACK LeVert back 12/12 after 4, 28 min since (97% of 28)
BACK Merrill back 12/16 after 2, 16 min since (95% of 17)
BACK Porter Jr. back 12/16 after 3, 12 min since (94% of 13)
CLE availability going into 12/21 · back-to-backOUT Garland missed 3 since 12/16, out tonight
OUT Eva. Mobley missed 7 since 12/08, out tonight
BACK LeVert back 12/12 after 4, 27 min since (97% of 28)
BACK Merrill back 12/16 after 2, 21 min since (124% of 17)
BACK Porter Jr. back 12/16 after 3, 16 min since (128% of 13)
CLE availability going into 12/23 · 1 day's restOUT Mitchell missed 2 since 12/20, out tonight
OUT Garland missed 4 since 12/16, out tonight
OUT Eva. Mobley missed 8 since 12/08, out tonight
BACK Merrill back 12/16 after 2, 19 min since (111% of 17)
BACK Porter Jr. back 12/16 after 3, 19 min since (153% of 13)
CLE availability going into 12/27 · 3 days' restOUT Mitchell missed 3 since 12/20, out tonight
OUT Garland missed 5 since 12/16, out tonight
OUT Eva. Mobley missed 9 since 12/08, out tonight
BACK Merrill back 12/16 after 2, 19 min since (111% of 17)
BACK Porter Jr. back 12/16 after 3, 23 min since (184% of 13)
NEW Wade 20 to 27 min over the last 5
NEW Thompson 11 to 17 min over the last 5
HOU availability going into 12/11 · 2 days' restOUT Thompson missed 15 since 11/04, returns tonight: 10 min (46% of 22)
OUT Whitmore missed 2 since 12/06, out tonight
OUT Landale missed 2 since 12/06, out tonight
NEW Holiday 16 to 23 min over the last 5
HOU availability going into 12/13 · 1 day's restOUT Whitmore missed 3 since 12/06, out tonight
OUT Landale missed 3 since 12/06, returns tonight: 10 min (76% of 14)
BACK Thompson back 12/11 after 15, 10 min since (46% of 22)
NEW Holiday 16 to 22 min over the last 5
HOU availability going into 12/15 · 1 day's restOUT Whitmore missed 4 since 12/06, out tonight
BACK Thompson back 12/11 after 15, 10 min since (46% of 22)
BACK Landale back 12/13 after 3, 10 min since (76% of 14)
HOU availability going into 12/17 · 1 day's restOUT Thompson missed 2 since 12/13, out tonight
OUT Whitmore missed 5 since 12/06, out tonight
BACK Landale back 12/13 after 3, 9 min since (69% of 14)
HOU availability going into 12/18 · back-to-backOUT Thompson missed 3 since 12/13, out tonight
OUT Whitmore missed 6 since 12/06, out tonight
BACK Landale back 12/13 after 3, 9 min since (69% of 14)
HOU availability going into 12/20 · 1 day's restOUT Thompson missed 4 since 12/13, returns tonight: 8 min (38% of 22)
OUT Whitmore missed 7 since 12/06, out tonight
BACK Landale back 12/13 after 3, 8 min since (56% of 14)
NEW Eason 22 to 28 min over the last 5
HOU availability going into 12/22 · 1 day's restOUT Whitmore missed 8 since 12/06, returns tonight: 14 min (76% of 19)
BACK Thompson back 12/20 after 4, 8 min since (38% of 22)
BACK Landale back 12/13 after 3, 8 min since (56% of 14)
NEW Eason 22 to 28 min over the last 4
HOU availability going into 12/23 · back-to-backOUT Eason missed 2 since 12/20, returns tonight: 20 min (94% of 22)
BACK Thompson back 12/20 after 4, 15 min since (67% of 22)
BACK Whitmore back 12/22 after 8, 14 min since (76% of 19)
HOU availability going into 12/26 · 2 days' restBACK Thompson back 12/20 after 4, 14 min since (60% of 22)
BACK Eason back 12/23 after 2, 20 min since (94% of 22)
BACK Whitmore back 12/22 after 8, 14 min since (76% of 19)
I Know — the desk, before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Cleveland comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 110 a night and allowing 112, shooting 45 percent and 35 from three, 20 free throws a game; Mitchell at 26 and Garland at 25 a game. Without Eva. Mobley (5 straight). One day's rest. Houston comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 109 a night and allowing 103, shooting 42 percent and 36 from three, 30 free throws a game; VanVleet at 18 and Sengun at 15 a game. Without Thompson (3 straight), Whitmore (6 straight). Second night of a back-to-back.
So: Cleveland wins, and the game turns on the line, where Houston takes 30 free throws a game to Cleveland's 20 and the defense, Houston allowing 103 a night to Cleveland's 112. Call it Cleveland 110, Houston 108, Houston keeping it close.
12/11 @ ORL 94-104 — CLE notes
CLE lost 94-104. CLE shot 35% (30 of 85) to ORL's 46%, 9 of 40 from three, and went to the line 33 times to ORL's 25 — 25 points from the stripe to their 19. Garland led with 36 (11 of 23, 3 of 9 from three, 11 of 12 at the line); Mitchell added 22, Thompson 10. Q1 was theirs, 29-22, but the other 3 periods went 82-65 against them. Okoro's -21 in 26 minutes was the worst on the floor.
12/12 @ BOS 113-120 — CLE notes
CLE lost 113-120. CLE took 8 more shots (92 to 84), but shot 48% to BOS's 45%, 19 of 45 from three, and got to the line just 9 times against 18 fouls committed. The glass went 35-45 against them. Mitchell led with 29 (11 of 22, 5 of 13 from three); Garland added 26, Strus 17. Q1 was theirs, 31-21, but the other 3 periods went 99-82 against them. They led by as many as 15. Okoro's -15 in 16 minutes was the worst on the floor.
12/14 @ BOS 107-116 — CLE notes
CLE lost 107-116. CLE shot 48% (40 of 83) to BOS's 51%, 11 of 33 from three. Mitchell led with 31 (12 of 24, 2 of 8 from three); LeVert added 26, Garland 19. Q3 was theirs, 33-25, the deficit cut from 11 to 3, but the other 3 periods went 91-74 against them. Mitchell's -11 in 40 minutes was the worst on the floor.
12/16 vs ATL 127-119 — CLE notes
CLE won 127-119. CLE shot 49% (49 of 101) to ATL's 48%, 16 of 42 from three, and got to the line 15 times to ATL's 25. The glass went 49-34 for them. Allen led with 25 (12 of 14); Mitchell added 22, Okoro 18. The hinge was Q1, 41-28: from level to 13 ahead, and the lead reached 23. Strus was the night's best plus/minus at +12.
12/18 vs HOU 135-130 — CLE notes
CLE won 135-130 in 1 overtime. CLE shot 48% (47 of 97) to HOU's 46%, 19 of 48 from three, and went to the line 34 times to HOU's 27 — 22 points from the stripe to their 24. Mitchell led with 37 (14 of 27, 4 of 11 from three); Merrill added 19, Strus 17. The hinge was OT1, 13-8: from level to 5 ahead. CLE trailed 57-59 at the half and won the second half 78-71.
12/20 vs UTA — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Cleveland comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 115 a night and allowing 118, shooting 46 percent and 36 from three, 22 free throws a game; Mitchell at 28 and Garland at 27 a game. Without Garland (2 straight), Eva. Mobley (6 straight). One day's rest. Utah comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 118 a night and allowing 119, shooting 48 percent and 35 from three, 20 free throws a game; Sexton at 26 and Markkanen at 20 a game. Without Clarkson (4 straight), George (3 straight), Sensabaugh (26 straight). One day's rest.
So: Cleveland wins, in a game with no one edge to lean on. Call it Cleveland 118, Utah 113.
12/21 vs NOP — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Cleveland comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 121 a night and allowing 120, shooting 48 percent and 40 from three, 18 free throws a game; Mitchell at 30 and Merrill at 18 a game. That is 3 straight wins. Without Garland (3 straight), Eva. Mobley (7 straight). Second night of a back-to-back. New Orleans comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 127 a night and allowing 112, shooting 51 percent and 44 from three, 30 free throws a game; Ingram at 26 and McCollum at 22 a game. It has won the glass by 6 a night. Without Nance Jr. (10 straight). One day's rest.
So: New Orleans wins, on the road, and the game turns on the line, where New Orleans takes 30 free throws a game to Cleveland's 18 and the glass, where New Orleans has been plus-6 a night and Cleveland minus-1. Call it New Orleans 119, Cleveland 115, Cleveland keeping it close.
12/23 @ CHI — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Chicago comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 117 a night and allowing 108, shooting 51 percent and 41 from three, 19 free throws a game; DeRozan at 23 and White at 22 a game. That is 3 straight wins. Without LaVine (11 straight), Craig (3 straight). One day's rest. Cleveland comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 119 a night and allowing 121, shooting 48 percent and 39 from three, 18 free throws a game; Mitchell at 30 and LeVert at 17 a game. Without Mitchell (2 straight), Garland (4 straight), Eva. Mobley (8 straight). One day's rest.
So: Chicago wins, and the game turns on the defense, Chicago allowing 108 a night to Cleveland's 121. Call it Chicago 116, Cleveland 112, Cleveland keeping it close.
12/27 @ DAL — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Dallas comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 117 a night and allowing 121, shooting 45 percent and 35 from three, 25 free throws a game; Dončić at 39 and Hardaway Jr. at 17 a game. It has lost the glass by 5 a night. Without Irving (9 straight), Green (12 straight), Kleber (22 straight). One day's rest. Cleveland comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 120 a night and allowing 117, shooting 47 percent and 38 from three, 20 free throws a game; Allen at 17 and Strus at 17 a game. Without Mitchell (3 straight), Garland (5 straight), Eva. Mobley (9 straight). 3 days' rest.
So: Dallas wins, and the game turns on the glass, where Cleveland has been plus-4 a night and Dallas minus-5. Call it Dallas 118, Cleveland 117, Cleveland keeping it close.
12/11 vs SAS 93-82 — HOU notes
HOU won 93-82. HOU shot 34% (32 of 93) to SAS's 36%, 12 of 39 from three. Eason led with 18 (8 of 16, 2 of 5 from three); VanVleet added 16, Sengun 15. The hinge was Q2, 32-26: HOU came in trailing by 2 and left it ahead by 4. Smith Jr. was the night's best plus/minus at +15.
12/13 vs MEM 117-104 — HOU notes
HOU won 117-104. HOU shot 45% (39 of 86) to MEM's 43%, 12 of 32 from three. HOU turned it over 19 times to MEM's 11. The glass went 58-39 for them. Eason led with 25 (10 of 16, 3 of 4 from three); Smith Jr. added 20, VanVleet 11. The hinge was Q4, 35-23: a lead of 1 became 13, and the lead reached 19. Eason was the night's best plus/minus at +19.
12/15 @ MEM 103-96 — HOU notes
HOU won 103-96. HOU shot 36% (32 of 88) to MEM's 40%, 11 of 29 from three, and went to the line 32 times to MEM's 15 — 28 points from the stripe to their 11. HOU turned it over 11 times to MEM's 17. Brooks led with 26 (10 of 20, 3 of 9 from three); VanVleet added 16, Sengun 15. The hinge was Q3, 30-19: HOU came in trailing by 10 and left it ahead by 1. HOU trailed 45-55 at the half and won the second half 58-41.
12/17 @ MIL 119-128 — HOU notes
HOU lost 119-128. HOU shot 53% (45 of 85) to MIL's 50%, 11 of 27 from three, and got to the line 21 times to MIL's 32. HOU turned it over 9 times to MIL's 15. The glass went 31-46 against them. VanVleet led with 22 (8 of 16, 4 of 8 from three); Sengun added 20, Brooks 18. Q3 was theirs, 31-29, the deficit cut from 11 to 9, but the other 3 periods went 99-88 against them. Brooks's -15 in 35 minutes was the worst on the floor.
12/18 @ CLE 130-135 — HOU notes
HOU lost 130-135 in 1 overtime. HOU shot 46% (47 of 102) to CLE's 48%, 12 of 33 from three, and got to the line 27 times to CLE's 34. VanVleet led with 27 (9 of 19, 4 of 8 from three); Sengun added 24, Brooks 16. Q1 was theirs, 34-33, but the other 4 periods went 102-96 against them. Smith Jr.'s -17 in 23 minutes was the worst on the floor.
12/20 vs ATL — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Houston comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 112 a night and allowing 109, shooting 43 percent and 36 from three, 27 free throws a game; VanVleet at 18 and Sengun at 17 a game. It has won the glass by 5 a night. Without Thompson (4 straight), Whitmore (7 straight). One day's rest. Atlanta comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 125 a night and allowing 124, shooting 49 percent and 41 from three, 19 free throws a game; Young at 32 and Bogdanović at 27 a game. Without Johnson (11 straight), Bogdanović (2 straight). One day's rest.
So: Houston wins, and the game turns on the defense, Houston allowing 109 a night to Atlanta's 124 and the line, where Houston takes 27 free throws a game to Atlanta's 19. Call it Houston 119, Atlanta 114.
12/22 vs DAL — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Houston comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 119 a night and allowing 119, shooting 46 percent and 40 from three, 28 free throws a game; VanVleet at 22 and Brooks at 18 a game. That is 3 straight losses. Without Whitmore (8 straight). One day's rest. Dallas comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 115 a night and allowing 123, shooting 47 percent and 35 from three, 21 free throws a game; Dončić at 36 and Hardaway Jr. at 19 a game. It has lost the glass by 5 a night. Without Irving (6 straight), Green (9 straight), Lively II (2 straight). One day's rest.
So: Houston wins, and the game turns on the glass, where Houston has been plus-2 a night and Dallas minus-5 and the line, where Houston takes 28 free throws a game to Dallas's 21. Call it Houston 119, Dallas 114.
12/23 @ NOP — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
New Orleans comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 127 a night and allowing 112, shooting 52 percent and 45 from three, 25 free throws a game; Ingram at 25 and McCollum at 21 a game. It has won the glass by 7 a night. Without Nance Jr. (11 straight). One day's rest. Houston comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 120 a night and allowing 118, shooting 47 percent and 38 from three, 25 free throws a game; VanVleet at 21 and Sengun at 19 a game. Without Eason (2 straight). Second night of a back-to-back.
So: New Orleans wins, and the game turns on the arc, New Orleans at 45 percent from three to Houston's 38 and the glass, where New Orleans has been plus-7 a night and Houston plus-1. Call it New Orleans 119, Houston 113.
12/26 vs IND — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Houston comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 121 a night and allowing 119, shooting 48 percent and 37 from three, 26 free throws a game; Sengun at 23 and Smith Jr. at 20 a game. 2 days' rest. Indiana comes in 1-4 over its last five, scoring 119 a night and allowing 125, shooting 51 percent and 39 from three, 18 free throws a game; Haliburton at 18 and Turner at 17 a game. Without Sheppard (4 straight). 2 days' rest.
So: Houston wins, and the game turns on the line, where Houston takes 26 free throws a game to Indiana's 18. Call it Houston 122, Indiana 117.
Who is who
the initials in the Players column
CLECL C. LeVert
CP C. Porter Jr.
DM D. Mitchell
DW D. Wade
GN G. Niang
IO I. Okoro
JA J. Allen
MS M. Strus
SM S. Merrill
TT T. Thompson
HOUAH A. Holiday
AS A. Sengun
DB D. Brooks
FV F. VanVleet
JG J. Green
JL J. Landale
JS J. Smith Jr.
JT J. Tate
JG Ja. Green
JG Je. Green
TE T. Eason
CLE/HOU the team itself, not a player
-- the feed named nobody
What
What happened
the codes in the Events column
M2 / M3 made 2 / made 3
X2 / X3 missed 2 / missed 3
FT / X1 free throw made / missed
AST assist
OR / DR offensive / defensive rebound
STL steal
BLK block
TO turnover
FL foul
OF offensive foul — ends the possession
VIOL violation
JUMP jump ball
TM timeout
IR instant replay
HE heave at the buzzer, filed to the team
END the clock ran out, ball in hand
Where
Where a shot came from
the middle field of M3.LW.25
RM at the rim inside 4 ft
RC right corner
RW right wing
SO straight on
LW left wing
LC left corner
M3.LW.25 made 3, left wing, 25 ft
X2.RM.01 missed 2, at the rim, 1 ft
When
When it happened
the Offset column
one number per event, in the Events order:
whole seconds from the start of the
possession to that event
Events FL X3.RC.23 OR M2.RM.01
Offset 0 18 22 24
the foul opens the possession at 0s;
the putback ends it at 24s, which is
the possession's own Dur
Donovan Mitchell has 37 points, Cavaliers beat Rockets 135-130 for their 11th straight overtime win
CLEVELAND -- — Donovan Mitchell scored 37 points, Sam Merrill had a career-high 19 off the bench and the Cleveland Cavaliers earned their 11th consecutive overtime victory by beating the Houston Rockets 135-130 on Monday night.
Merrill had five points and Max Strus added four in the extra period, when Cleveland outscored Houston 13-8 to match the second-longest OT winning streak in NBA history. New Orleans owns the record with 13 victories in a row from 2006-08.
“This is what Sam does, this is who he is,” Mitchell said. “I’ve been playing pickup games against him since he was at Utah State and I was with the Jazz. When hard work meets opportunity, it’s a beautiful thing to see.”
Rockets center Alperin Sengun made one free throw with 36.8 seconds left in regulation to tie it. Caris LeVert missed a 3-pointer on the Cavaliers’ subsequent possession and Sengun’s fadeaway at the buzzer rimmed out.
Fred VanVleet had season highs of 27 points and 17 assists, along with eight rebounds, and Sengun had 24 points, eight rebounds and six assists. The Rockets are 2-10 on the road and 11-1 at home.
“We’re doing great on offense, which you can tell, but not so much on defense,” Sengun said. “Me being in foul trouble tonight didn’t help, but we are not doing as good on defense as we usually do.”
The Cavaliers have won both of their games since announcing that starting power forward Evan Mobley and former All-Star point guard Darius Garland will likely be out until February.
Mobley was scheduled for arthroscopic left knee surgery Monday, while Garland will undergo a procedure to repair his broken jaw that occurred in a collision with Boston’s Kristaps Porzingis last week.
“Every game, it’s going to be by committee. No one player can do what they do,” said Mitchell, adding that his right shoulder was sore after running into the basket stanchion. “But honestly, it’s time for us to start winning. No excuses.”
Strus scored 17 points and LeVert had 12 points, seven rebounds and five assists. Merrill made 5 of 10 3-pointers in a career high-tying 24 minutes for the Cavaliers, who are 2-0 on a four-game homestand.
“I’m grateful for Coach (J.B. Bickerstaff) and his trust in me,” Merrill said. “That’s a pretty cool stat about our record in overtime. I didn’t know that.”
VanVleet is averaging a career-high 8.8 assists and an NBA-best 38.3 minutes in his first season with Houston. He had eight points and 10 assists in the first half, which featured 13 lead changes and eight ties.
Dillon Brooks had 16 points in his first game in Cleveland since Feb. 2, when the then-Grizzlies forward was ejected for striking Mitchell in the groin on the baseline. Both players were ejected, while Brooks also received a one-game suspension.
There were 22 fouls called and 27 free throws attempted in the third, when Cleveland scored a season-high 42 points and carried a 99-98 advantage into the fourth.