Game ID: 22300375
New Orleans Pelicans @ Cleveland Cavaliers
Thursday, December 21, 2023 at 7:30 PM ET
Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, Cleveland, OH
Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Final
CLE 28 24 24 28 104NOP 36 30 28 29 123
CLE vs NOP ScoutingCLE vs NOP 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 12/14 · 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
CLE availability going into 12/29 · 1 day's restOUT Mitchell missed 4 since 12/20, returns tonight: 36 min (101% of 36)
OUT Garland missed 6 since 12/16, out tonight
OUT Eva. Mobley missed 10 since 12/08, out tonight
OUT Merrill missed 2 since 12/23, returns tonight: 15 min (89% of 17)
NEW Okoro 26 to 32 min over the last 5
NEW Wade 20 to 29 min over the last 5
NEW Porter Jr. 13 to 26 min over the last 5
NEW Thompson 11 to 17 min over the last 5
CLE availability going into 1/01 · 2 days' restOUT Garland missed 7 since 12/16, out tonight
OUT Eva. Mobley missed 11 since 12/08, out tonight
BACK Mitchell back 12/29 after 4, 36 min since (101% of 36)
BACK Merrill back 12/29 after 2, 15 min since (89% of 17)
NEW Okoro 26 to 32 min over the last 5
NEW Wade 20 to 28 min over the last 5
NEW Porter Jr. 13 to 28 min over the last 5
NOP availability going into 12/13 · 1 day's restOUT Nance Jr. missed 6 since 11/29, out tonight
OUT Ryan missed 11 since 11/20, out tonight
NEW Valančiūnas 23 to 31 min over the last 5
NOP availability going into 12/15 · 1 day's restOUT Nance Jr. missed 7 since 11/29, out tonight
OUT Ryan missed 12 since 11/20, out tonight
NEW Valančiūnas 23 to 31 min over the last 5
NOP availability going into 12/17 · 1 day's restOUT Nance Jr. missed 8 since 11/29, out tonight
OUT Ryan missed 13 since 11/20, out tonight
NEW Valančiūnas 23 to 32 min over the last 5
NOP availability going into 12/19 · 1 day's restOUT Nance Jr. missed 9 since 11/29, out tonight
OUT Ryan missed 14 since 11/20, out tonight
NEW Valančiūnas 23 to 30 min over the last 5
NOP availability going into 12/21 · 1 day's restOUT Nance Jr. missed 10 since 11/29, out tonight
OUT Ryan missed 15 since 11/20, out tonight
NEW Valančiūnas 23 to 32 min over the last 5
NOP availability going into 12/23 · 1 day's restOUT Nance Jr. missed 11 since 11/29, out tonight
OUT Ryan missed 16 since 11/20, out tonight
NEW Valančiūnas 23 to 31 min over the last 5
NOP availability going into 12/26 · 2 days' restOUT Nance Jr. missed 12 since 11/29, out tonight
OUT Ryan missed 17 since 11/20, out tonight
NEW Valančiūnas 23 to 29 min over the last 5
NOP availability going into 12/28 · 1 day's restOUT Nance Jr. missed 13 since 11/29, returns tonight: 25 min (125% of 20)
OUT Hawkins missed 2 since 12/23, out tonight
OUT Ryan missed 18 since 11/20, out tonight
NEW Valančiūnas 23 to 29 min over the last 5
NOP availability going into 12/31 · 2 days' restOUT Hawkins missed 3 since 12/23, returns tonight: 8 min (48% of 17)
OUT Ryan missed 19 since 11/20, out tonight
BACK Nance Jr. back 12/28 after 13, 25 min since (125% of 20)
NEW Valančiūnas 23 to 29 min over the last 5
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.
12/14 @ 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 124-116 — CLE notes
CLE won 124-116. CLE shot 47% (45 of 96) to UTA's 51%, 23 of 51 from three, and got to the line 16 times to UTA's 28. CLE turned it over 11 times to UTA's 16. Merrill led with 27 (9 of 16, 8 of 14 from three); LeVert added 23, Strus 18. The hinge was Q1, 36-27: from level to 9 ahead. Merrill was the night's best plus/minus at +17.
12/21 vs NOP 104-123 — CLE notes
CLE lost 104-123. CLE shot 47% (41 of 87) to NOP's 55%, 17 of 44 from three, and got to the line 8 times to NOP's 16. Wade led with 20 (7 of 11, 6 of 8 from three); Okoro added 16, Allen 14. Q4 was theirs, 28-29, but the other 3 periods went 94-76 against them. LeVert's -24 in 23 minutes was the worst on the floor.
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.
12/29 vs MIL — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Cleveland comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 117 a night and allowing 115, shooting 46 percent and 38 from three, 21 free throws a game; LeVert at 18 and Allen at 17 a game. It has won the glass by 5 a night. Without Mitchell (4 straight), Garland (6 straight), Eva. Mobley (10 straight). One day's rest. Milwaukee comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 129 a night and allowing 119, shooting 49 percent and 38 from three, 25 free throws a game; Antetokounmpo at 28 and Lillard at 25 a game. Without Crowder (22 straight). One day's rest.
So: Milwaukee wins, on the road, in a game with no one edge to lean on. Call it Milwaukee 119, Cleveland 118, Cleveland keeping it close.
1/01 @ TOR — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Toronto comes in 1-4 over its last five, scoring 121 a night and allowing 120, shooting 49 percent and 39 from three, 23 free throws a game; Siakam at 27 and Barnes at 23 a game. Without Dick (2 straight), Freeman-Liberty (30 straight). One day's rest. Cleveland comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 112 a night and allowing 113, shooting 46 percent and 33 from three, 16 free throws a game; Allen at 21 and LeVert at 17 a game. It has won the glass by 5 a night. Without Garland (7 straight), Eva. Mobley (11 straight). 2 days' rest.
So: Toronto wins, and the game turns on the arc, Toronto at 39 percent from three to Cleveland's 33 and the line, where Toronto takes 23 free throws a game to Cleveland's 16. Call it Toronto 116, Cleveland 114, Cleveland keeping it close.
12/13 @ WAS 142-122 — NOP notes
NOP won 142-122. NOP shot 52% (50 of 96) to WAS's 51%, 16 of 34 from three, and went to the line 30 times to WAS's 24 — 26 points from the stripe to their 19. NOP turned it over 9 times to WAS's 15. The glass went 46-33 for them. Ingram led with 40 (14 of 23, 1 of 4 from three, 11 of 12 at the line); Murphy III added 27, McCollum 22. The hinge was Q2, 47-34: NOP came in trailing by 2 and left it ahead by 11, and the lead reached 28. Murphy III was the night's best plus/minus at +43.
12/15 @ CHA 112-107 — NOP notes
NOP won 112-107. NOP shot 48% (38 of 80) to CHA's 45%, 9 of 27 from three, and went to the line 32 times to CHA's 21 — 27 points from the stripe to their 16. NOP turned it over 15 times to CHA's 8. The glass went 49-39 for them. Valančiūnas led with 29 (11 of 16, 2 of 4 from three, 5 of 6 at the line); Williamson added 21, McCollum 19. The hinge was Q2, 29-19: a lead of 1 became 11.
12/17 @ SAS 146-110 — NOP notes
NOP won 146-110. NOP shot 56% (55 of 98) to SAS's 43%, 22 of 42 from three. The glass went 51-39 for them. McCollum led with 29 (10 of 15, 6 of 7 from three); Ingram added 26, Alvarado 16. The hinge was Q3, 44-27: a lead of 10 became 27, and the lead reached 40. Marshall was the night's best plus/minus at +32.
12/19 vs MEM 113-115 — NOP notes
NOP lost 113-115. NOP shot 47% (40 of 85) to MEM's 50%, 11 of 25 from three. NOP turned it over 11 times to MEM's 17. Ingram led with 34 (11 of 18, 11 of 12 at the line); Valančiūnas added 22, McCollum 18. Q2 was theirs, 39-16, turning a 4-point deficit into a 19-point lead, but the other 3 periods went 99-74 against them. They led by as many as 24. Williamson's -13 in 25 minutes was the worst on the floor.
12/21 @ CLE 123-104 — NOP notes
NOP won 123-104. NOP shot 55% (47 of 86) to CLE's 47%, 15 of 35 from three, and went to the line 16 times to CLE's 8 — 14 points from the stripe to their 5. Murphy III led with 28 (10 of 16, 6 of 10 from three); McCollum added 18, Ingram 17. The hinge was Q1, 36-28: from level to 8 ahead, and the lead reached 24. Robinson-Earl was the night's best plus/minus at +22.
12/23 vs HOU — 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 MEM — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
New Orleans comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 120 a night and allowing 108, shooting 51 percent and 41 from three, 25 free throws a game; Ingram at 21 and McCollum at 19 a game. It has won the glass by 5 a night. Without Nance Jr. (12 straight). 2 days' rest. Memphis comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 110 a night and allowing 111, shooting 46 percent and 35 from three, 22 free throws a game; Morant at 28 and Bane at 27 a game. That is 3 straight wins. Without Smart (17 straight), Jackson (3 straight), Kennard (17 straight). 2 days' rest.
So: New Orleans wins, and the game turns on the arc, New Orleans at 41 percent from three to Memphis's 35 and the turnovers, Memphis giving it away 17 times a game to New Orleans's 13. Call it New Orleans 116, Memphis 108.
12/28 vs UTA — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
New Orleans comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 120 a night and allowing 110, shooting 50 percent and 40 from three, 25 free throws a game; Ingram at 24 and Williamson at 20 a game. Without Nance Jr. (13 straight), Hawkins (2 straight). One day's rest. Utah comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 123 a night and allowing 116, shooting 50 percent and 41 from three, 22 free throws a game; Markkanen at 27 and Sexton at 20 a game. That is 3 straight wins. It has won the glass by 5 a night. Without Horton-Tucker (3 straight), Juzang (5 straight). One day's rest.
So: New Orleans wins, in a game with no one edge to lean on. Call it New Orleans 119, Utah 114.
12/31 vs LAL — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
New Orleans comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 113 a night and allowing 109, shooting 49 percent and 36 from three, 23 free throws a game; Ingram at 24 and Williamson at 21 a game. Without Hawkins (3 straight). 2 days' rest. The Lakers come in 2-3 over their last five, scoring 119 a night and allowing 117, shooting 49 percent and 43 from three, 23 free throws a game; Davis at 31 and James at 25 a game. Without Vincent (5 straight). Second night of a back-to-back.
So: New Orleans wins, and the game turns on the arc, the Lakers at 43 percent from three to New Orleans's 36 and the defense, New Orleans allowing 109 a night to the Lakers' 117. Call it New Orleans 117, the Lakers 112.
Who is who
the initials in the Players column
CLECL C. LeVert
CP C. Porter Jr.
DJ D. Jones
DW D. Wade
EB E. Bates
GN G. Niang
IM I. Mobley
IO I. Okoro
JA J. Allen
MS M. Strus
SM S. Merrill
TT T. Thompson
NOPBI B. Ingram
CM C. McCollum
DD D. Daniels
HJ H. Jones
JA J. Alvarado
JH J. Hawkins
JR J. Robinson-Earl
JV J. Valančiūnas
NM N. Marshall
TM T. Murphy III
VA Valanciunas
CLE/NOP 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
Trey Murphy III scores 28 points while filling in for Zion as Pelicans beat Cavaliers 123-104
CLEVELAND -- — Trey Murphy III scored 28 points while starting in place of New Orleans star Zion Williamson — out with an illness — and the Pelicans pulled away in the second half to beat the undermanned Cleveland Cavaliers 123-104 on Thursday night.
Williamson didn’t travel with the Pelicans, who have been battling a flu bug that has been making its way though the team and affecting several other players in the past few days. Williamson is averaging 22 points.
“Over the last three years I've been saying, we've got a lot of guys who can come up with big games," said Murphy, who missed the first 19 games this season after undergoing left knee surgery in September. "This was my chance.”
Murphy started for the first time this season and helped offset the absence of Williamson by making six 3-pointers as the Pelicans won for the fifth time in six games.
“He should have had 40,” joked Pelicans coach Willie Green. “I'm just kidding. He can space the floor, he's confident and he's a weapon for us, for sure.”
CJ McCollum scored 18 points and Brandon Ingram added 17 for New Orleans. Jonas Valanciunas (13 points) and Herb Jones (7) played despite not being 100%.
“Herb and J.V. are as tough as nails,” Green said. “They were a little under the weather, but it's hard to keep them off the basketball court.”
Dean Wade had 20 points and Isaac Okoro 16 for the Cavs, who played without their top three scorers — Donovan Mitchell , Darius Garland and Evan Mobley . The trio combines to average 63 points.
A four-time All-Star, Mitchell missed his second straight game due to an illness, while Garland (jaw fracture) and Mobley (knee surgery) are both expected to be out at least until February.
Despite being short-handed this past week, Cleveland went 3-1 on a four-game homestand.
“We’ve had a great week," Cavs coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. "To battle the things we’ve had to battle, this has been a successful week for us. We’ve just got to continue to put it together and hold down the fort.”
New Orleans closed the third quarter by scoring 14 straight points to take a 94-76 lead into the final 12 minutes. The Pelicans pushed their lead to 24 in the fourth.
Down by 14 at half, the Cavs stayed close and pulled within 80-76 in the third on Dean Wade's 3-pointer. But the Pelicans responded with the sealing 14-0 run, getting most of their buckets on layups or in transition.
“We just ran out of steam,” Bickerstaff said.
Murphy got hot from outside late in the second quarter, dropping three 3-pointers — one of them from 36 feet — as the Pelicans went on a 15-3 spurt over the final 4:16 to open a 66-52 halftime lead.
Murphy, who joked that he woke up knowing he was going to have a big game, said he's finally feeling like himself.
“I’m close to 100%, but I’m just getting back into a rhythm,” he said.
Cavaliers guard Sam Merrill didn't score in 12 minutes after getting a career-high 27 points while making eight 3-pointers Wednesday night in a win over Utah. Merrill was added to the injury report earlier in the day with a wrist issue after a fall against the Jazz.
“He woke up this morning sore, and tried to play and just couldn't make it," said Bickerstaff, who was told at halftime by the medical staff Merrill was out.
Cavs undrafted rookie Craig Porter Jr. had a season-high 11 assists.
UP NEXT
Pelicans: Open five-game homestand against Houston on Saturday night.