Game ID: 22301110
Cleveland Cavaliers @ Phoenix Suns
Wednesday, April 3, 2024 at 10:00 PM ET
Footprint Center, Phoenix, AZ
Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Final
PHX 34 38 26 24 122CLE 20 27 30 24 101
CLE @ PHX ScoutingCLE @ PHX 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.
PHX availability going into 3/25 · 1 day's restBACK Gordon back 3/15 after 2, 23 min since (81% of 28)
BACK Okogie back 3/23 after 10, 10 min since (62% of 16)
PHX availability going into 3/27 · 1 day's restBACK Okogie back 3/23 after 10, 10 min since (62% of 16)
PHX availability going into 3/29 · 1 day's restOUT Okogie missed 2 since 3/25, returns tonight: 14 min (88% of 16)
PHX availability going into 4/01 · 2 days' restBACK Okogie back 3/23 after 10, 12 min since (75% of 16)
PHX availability going into 4/03 · 1 day's restBACK Okogie back 3/23 after 10, 12 min since (75% of 16)
PHX availability going into 4/05 · 1 day's restOUT Okogie missed 2 since 4/01, returns tonight: 4 min (26% of 16)
PHX availability going into 4/07 · 1 day's restBACK Okogie back 3/29 after 2, 9 min since (57% of 16)
PHX availability going into 4/09 · 1 day's restBACK Okogie back 3/29 after 2, 9 min since (57% of 16)
PHX availability going into 4/10 · back-to-backBACK Okogie back 4/05 after 2, 3 min since (17% of 16)
CLE availability going into 3/27 · 1 day's restOUT Mitchell missed 5 since 3/18, out tonight
OUT Strus missed 12 since 3/05, returns tonight: 24 min (75% of 33)
OUT Wade missed 9 since 3/10, out tonight
BACK Eva. Mobley back 3/24 after 9, 23 min since (73% of 32)
NEW Niang 21 to 30 min over the last 5
NEW Merrill 17 to 25 min over the last 5
CLE availability going into 3/29 · 1 day's restOUT Mitchell missed 6 since 3/18, returns tonight: 32 min (90% of 36)
OUT Wade missed 10 since 3/10, out tonight
BACK Strus back 3/27 after 12, 24 min since (75% of 33)
BACK Eva. Mobley back 3/24 after 9, 26 min since (81% of 32)
NEW Niang 21 to 28 min over the last 5
NEW Merrill 17 to 25 min over the last 5
CLE availability going into 3/31 · 1 day's restOUT Wade missed 11 since 3/10, out tonight
BACK Mitchell back 3/29 after 6, 32 min since (90% of 36)
BACK Strus back 3/27 after 12, 26 min since (79% of 33)
BACK Eva. Mobley back 3/24 after 9, 27 min since (85% of 32)
NEW Niang 21 to 28 min over the last 5
NEW Merrill 17 to 25 min over the last 5
CLE availability going into 4/02 · 1 day's restOUT Wade missed 12 since 3/10, out tonight
OUT Porter Jr. missed 2 since 3/29, out tonight
BACK Mitchell back 3/29 after 6, 32 min since (88% of 36)
BACK Strus back 3/27 after 12, 26 min since (81% of 33)
BACK Eva. Mobley back 3/24 after 9, 27 min since (86% of 32)
NEW Merrill 17 to 23 min over the last 5
CLE availability going into 4/03 · back-to-backOUT Okoro missed 2 since 3/31, out tonight
OUT Wade missed 13 since 3/10, out tonight
OUT Porter Jr. missed 3 since 3/29, out tonight
BACK Mitchell back 3/29 after 6, 32 min since (88% of 36)
BACK Strus back 3/27 after 12, 28 min since (86% of 33)
NEW Merrill 17 to 24 min over the last 5
CLE availability going into 4/06 · 2 days' restOUT Okoro missed 3 since 3/31, out tonight
OUT Wade missed 14 since 3/10, out tonight
OUT Porter Jr. missed 4 since 3/29, returns tonight: 2 min (13% of 13)
BACK Mitchell back 3/29 after 6, 34 min since (94% of 36)
BACK Strus back 3/27 after 12, 30 min since (92% of 33)
CLE availability going into 4/07 · back-to-backOUT Okoro missed 4 since 3/31, returns tonight: 25 min (95% of 26)
OUT Wade missed 15 since 3/10, out tonight
BACK Mitchell back 3/29 after 6, 35 min since (97% of 36)
BACK Porter Jr. back 4/06 after 4, 2 min since (13% of 13)
CLE availability going into 4/10 · 2 days' restOUT Wade missed 16 since 3/10, out tonight
BACK Okoro back 4/07 after 4, 25 min since (95% of 26)
BACK Porter Jr. back 4/06 after 4, 2 min since (13% of 13)
CLE availability going into 4/12 · 1 day's restOUT Wade missed 17 since 3/10, out tonight
OUT Thompson missed 2 since 4/07, out tonight
BACK Okoro back 4/07 after 4, 26 min since (98% of 26)
BACK Porter Jr. back 4/06 after 4, 2 min since (13% of 13)
I Know — the desk, before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Phoenix comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 113 a night and allowing 109, shooting 50 percent and 39 from three, 15 free throws a game; Booker at 30 and Durant at 26 a game. It has won the glass by 8 a night. One day's rest. Cleveland comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 115 a night and allowing 113, shooting 52 percent and 41 from three, 16 free throws a game; Allen at 19 and Eva. Mobley at 18 a game. Without Okoro (2 straight), Wade (13 straight). Second night of a back-to-back.
So: Phoenix wins, and the game turns on the glass, where Phoenix has been plus-8 a night and Cleveland minus-2. Call it Phoenix 115, Cleveland 111, Cleveland keeping it close.
3/25 @ SAS 102-104 — PHX notes
PHX lost 102-104. PHX shot 51% (42 of 83) to SAS's 44%, 10 of 28 from three. PHX turned it over 14 times to SAS's 7, and SAS turned those into 10 steals. Booker led with 36 (14 of 28, 3 of 10 from three, 5 of 7 at the line); Durant added 29, O'Neale 12. Q2 was theirs, 28-18, turning a 7-point deficit into a 3-point lead, but the other 3 periods went 86-74 against them.
3/27 @ DEN 104-97 — PHX notes
PHX won 104-97. PHX shot 47% (39 of 83) to DEN's 43%, 16 of 33 from three. PHX turned it over 16 times to DEN's 8, and DEN turned those into 9 steals. The glass went 51-38 for them. Durant led with 30 (12 of 20, 3 of 4 from three); Booker added 17, Allen 13. The hinge was Q2, 30-23: from level to 7 ahead, and the lead reached 15. Young was the night's best plus/minus at +15.
3/29 @ OKC 103-128 — PHX notes
PHX lost 103-128. PHX shot 45% (39 of 87) to OKC's 56%, 13 of 41 from three. Durant led with 26 (10 of 17, 4 of 7 from three); Beal added 15, Booker 14. Q1 was theirs, 32-34, but the other 3 periods went 94-71 against them. Nurkić's -22 in 23 minutes was the worst on the floor.
4/01 @ NOP 124-111 — PHX notes
PHX won 124-111. PHX shot 49% (43 of 87) to NOP's 47%, 18 of 47 from three. The glass went 49-37 for them. Booker led with 52 (19 of 28, 8 of 16 from three, 6 of 7 at the line); Durant added 20, Nurkić 19. The hinge was Q1, 46-28: from level to 18 ahead, and the lead reached 27. Nurkić was the night's best plus/minus at +19.
4/03 vs CLE 122-101 — PHX notes
PHX won 122-101. PHX shot 51% (44 of 87) to CLE's 47%, 18 of 33 from three. Booker led with 40 (13 of 25, 5 of 9 from three, 9 of 9 at the line); Durant added 32, O'Neale 17. The hinge was Q1, 34-20: from level to 14 ahead, and the lead reached 28. Gordon was the night's best plus/minus at +26.
4/05 vs MIN — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Phoenix comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 111 a night and allowing 108, shooting 48 percent and 41 from three, 16 free throws a game; Booker at 32 and Durant at 27 a game. It has won the glass by 8 a night. Without Okogie (2 straight). One day's rest. Minnesota comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 113 a night and allowing 98, shooting 51 percent and 36 from three, 24 free throws a game; Edwards at 21 and Reid at 18 a game. Without Towns (14 straight). One day's rest.
So: Minnesota wins, on the road, and the game turns on the glass, where Phoenix has been plus-8 a night and Minnesota minus-2 and the defense, Minnesota allowing 98 a night to Phoenix's 108. Call it Minnesota 111, Phoenix 109, Phoenix keeping it close.
4/07 vs NOP — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Phoenix comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 110 a night and allowing 105, shooting 47 percent and 41 from three, 19 free throws a game; Booker at 27 and Durant at 26 a game. That is 3 straight wins. It has won the glass by 7 a night. One day's rest. New Orleans comes in 1-4 over its last five, scoring 105 a night and allowing 111, shooting 45 percent and 35 from three, 23 free throws a game; McCollum at 26 and Williamson at 24 a game. That is 4 straight losses. Without Ingram (8 straight), Alvarado (5 straight). One day's rest.
So: Phoenix wins, and the game turns on the glass, where Phoenix has been plus-7 a night and New Orleans minus-3 and the arc, Phoenix at 41 percent from three to New Orleans's 35. Call it Phoenix 113, New Orleans 109, New Orleans keeping it close.
4/09 vs LAC — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Phoenix comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 110 a night and allowing 108, shooting 47 percent and 39 from three, 20 free throws a game; Booker at 29 and Durant at 25 a game. It has won the glass by 4 a night. One day's rest. The Clippers come in 4-1 over their last five, scoring 116 a night and allowing 109, shooting 48 percent and 37 from three, 27 free throws a game; George at 28 and Powell at 15 a game. That is 3 straight wins. Without Leonard (4 straight). One day's rest.
So: Phoenix wins, and the game turns on the line, where the Clippers take 27 free throws a game to Phoenix's 20 and the turnovers, Phoenix giving it away 15 times a game to the Clippers' 12. Call it Phoenix 113, the Clippers 112, the Clippers keeping it close.
4/10 @ LAC — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
The Clippers come in 4-1 over their last five, scoring 111 a night and allowing 104, shooting 46 percent and 37 from three, 22 free throws a game; George at 24 and Harden at 15 a game. That is 4 straight wins. They have won the glass by 5 a night. Without Leonard (5 straight), Theis (2 straight). Second night of a back-to-back. Phoenix comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 108 a night and allowing 103, shooting 44 percent and 37 from three, 23 free throws a game; Booker at 28 and Durant at 24 a game. Second night of a back-to-back.
So: The Clippers win, and the game turns on the glass, where the Clippers have been plus-5 a night and Phoenix minus-1. Call it the Clippers 112, Phoenix 109, Phoenix keeping it close.
3/27 @ CHA 111-118 — CLE notes
CLE lost 111-118. CLE took 9 more shots (85 to 76), but shot 49% to CHA's 58%, 19 of 44 from three, and got to the line 14 times to CHA's 22. Allen led with 24 (11 of 14); Strus added 19, Merrill 17. Q1 was theirs, 43-33, but the other 3 periods went 85-68 against them. They led by as many as 14. Okoro's -13 in 25 minutes was the worst on the floor.
3/29 vs PHI 117-114 — CLE notes
CLE won 117-114. CLE shot 55% (45 of 82) to PHI's 45%, 16 of 37 from three. Niang led with 25 (10 of 14, 5 of 8 from three); Mobley added 20, Strus 15. The hinge was Q4, 32-27: CLE came in trailing by 2 and left it ahead by 3. Garland was the night's best plus/minus at +14.
3/31 @ DEN 101-130 — CLE notes
CLE lost 101-130. CLE shot 46% (38 of 82) to DEN's 57%, 8 of 25 from three, and went to the line 21 times to DEN's 13 — 17 points from the stripe to their 9. The glass went 28-51 against them. Mobley led with 23 (9 of 10); Allen added 19, LeVert 15. Q1 was theirs, 26-30, but the other 3 periods went 100-75 against them. Mitchell's -27 in 31 minutes was the worst on the floor.
4/02 @ UTA 129-113 — CLE notes
CLE won 129-113. CLE shot 54% (46 of 85) to UTA's 48%, 16 of 39 from three, and went to the line 24 times to UTA's 18 — 21 points from the stripe to their 15. CLE turned it over 13 times to UTA's 19. LeVert led with 26 (9 of 13, 2 of 3 from three, 6 of 7 at the line); Allen added 21, Mobley 21. The hinge was Q1, 40-25: from level to 15 ahead, and the lead reached 24. Allen was the night's best plus/minus at +26.
4/03 @ PHX 101-122 — CLE notes
CLE lost 101-122. CLE shot 47% (39 of 83) to PHX's 51%, 7 of 26 from three. Mitchell led with 24 (8 of 17, 2 of 7 from three, 6 of 6 at the line); Allen added 20, Mobley 20. Q3 was theirs, 30-26, the deficit cut from 25 to 21, but the other 3 periods went 96-71 against them. Niang's -21 in 11 minutes was the worst on the floor.
4/06 @ LAL — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
The Lakers come in 4-1 over their last five, scoring 119 a night and allowing 114, shooting 50 percent and 37 from three, 23 free throws a game; Davis at 26 and James at 25 a game. That is 3 straight wins. They have won the glass by 7 a night. Without Reddish (2 straight), Vanderbilt (27 straight), Wood (21 straight). 2 days' rest. Cleveland comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 112 a night and allowing 119, shooting 50 percent and 39 from three, 18 free throws a game; Allen at 19 and Eva. Mobley at 19 a game. It has lost the glass by 6 a night. Without Okoro (3 straight), Wade (14 straight). 2 days' rest.
So: The Lakers win, and the game turns on the glass, where the Lakers have been plus-7 a night and Cleveland minus-6 and the line, where the Lakers take 23 free throws a game to Cleveland's 18. Call it the Lakers 118, Cleveland 112.
4/07 @ LAC — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
The Clippers come in 4-1 over their last five, scoring 112 a night and allowing 105, shooting 48 percent and 36 from three, 25 free throws a game; George at 23 and Zubac at 15 a game. Without Leonard (3 straight). One day's rest. Cleveland comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 109 a night and allowing 119, shooting 49 percent and 36 from three, 18 free throws a game; Eva. Mobley at 18 and LeVert at 18 a game. It has lost the glass by 5 a night. Without Okoro (4 straight), Wade (15 straight). Second night of a back-to-back.
So: The Clippers win, and the game turns on the defense, the Clippers allowing 105 a night to Cleveland's 119 and the line, where the Clippers take 25 free throws a game to Cleveland's 18. Call it the Clippers 116, Cleveland 108.
4/10 vs MEM — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Cleveland comes in 1-4 over its last five, scoring 109 a night and allowing 120, shooting 48 percent and 34 from three, 21 free throws a game; Eva. Mobley at 18 and LeVert at 18 a game. That is 3 straight losses. It has lost the glass by 7 a night. Without Wade (16 straight). 2 days' rest. Memphis comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 102 a night and allowing 103, shooting 43 percent and 30 from three, 18 free throws a game; Jackson at 14 and Clarke at 12 a game. It has won the glass by 5 a night. Without Aldama (4 straight), Kennard (3 straight), Stevens (2 straight). Second night of a back-to-back.
So: Cleveland wins, and the game turns on the glass, where Memphis has been plus-5 a night and Cleveland minus-7 and the defense, Memphis allowing 103 a night to Cleveland's 120. Call it Cleveland 111, Memphis 108, Memphis keeping it close.
4/12 vs IND — 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 111 a night and allowing 114, shooting 47 percent and 36 from three, 22 free throws a game; Mitchell at 21 and LeVert at 19 a game. Without Wade (17 straight). One day's rest. Indiana comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 125 a night and allowing 115, shooting 51 percent and 35 from three, 19 free throws a game; Haliburton at 20 and Siakam at 19 a game. That is 3 straight wins. 2 days' rest.
So: Indiana wins, on the road, and the game turns on the turnovers, Cleveland giving it away 14 times a game to Indiana's 10. Call it Indiana 117, Cleveland 116, Cleveland keeping it close.
Who is who
the initials in the Players column
CLECL C. LeVert
DG D. Garland
DJ D. Jones
DM D. Mitchell
EM E. Mobley
GN G. Niang
JA J. Allen
MS M. Strus
PN P. Nance
SM S. Merrill
TT T. Thompson
PHXBB B. Beal
BB B. Bol
DB D. Booker
DE D. Eubanks
DR D. Roddy
EG E. Gordon
JN J. Nurkić
KD K. Durant
NL N. Little
NU Nurkic
RO R. O'Neale
SL S. Lee
UA U. Azubuike
CLE/PHX 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
Booker scores 40, Durant adds 32, Suns improve playoff position with a 122-101 win over Cavs
PHOENIX -- — Devin Booker scored 40 points, Kevin Durant added 32 and the Phoenix Suns beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 122-101 on Wednesday night.
The Suns have won six of their past eight, moving up to the No. 6 spot in a crowded Western Conference playoff race, which would allow them to avoid the play-in tournament.
Booker — coming off a 52-point night in a win against New Orleans on Monday — shot 13 of 25 from the field, including 5 of 9 from 3-point range. Durant shot 13 of 23 and added seven assists.
“I think it's just the energy throughout our whole team, understanding what's at stake and what time of year it is,” Booker said. “The ball's hopping around, we're defending at a high level."
It's just the second time this season that Booker and Durant have both scored at least 30 in the same game. Royce O'Neale scored 17 points, making five 3-pointers, while Bol Bol added 15 points off the bench.
The 7-foot-3 Bol has earned more time in the Suns' rotation over the past few months. He barely played during the season's first few months, but is averaging about seven points per game since the All-Star break, shooting about 60% from the field, including 43% from 3-point range.
“He's growing every single time he gets on the floor,” Durant said. “He's understanding more and more what his job is and he's a great shotmaker as well. It's all about building on these performances and continuing to get better.”
Cleveland’s Donovan Mitchell played against the Suns one night after resting the sore left knee that's caused him to miss much of March. The five-time All-Star finished with 24 points. Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley both added 20.
“We've just got to find that consistently,” Mobley said. “We had some good things in there we can definitely pull from, but we've just got to put it all together.”
The Suns rolled to a 72-47 lead by halftime, making 12 of 18 3-pointers. Booker led all scorers with 19 points before the break while Durant had 17.
“The first half, you give up 72 points, it's hard to come back from,” Cavs coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. "I was proud of the guys' effort in the second half. I thought we competed at a much higher level."
Cleveland cut that deficit to 77-66 on Allen's layup midway through the third, but the Suns bounced back to take a 98-77 lead heading into the fourth.
The Suns would avoid the play-in tournament if the season ended today, but there's plenty of work to do. The Mavericks, Suns, Pelicans, Kings and Lakers — who currently occupy the five through nine spots in the West — are separated by just two games in the standings.
The Cavaliers are trying to protect the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference, but the Magic and Knicks are right behind them. Cleveland has an 11-15 record since Feb. 12.
The Suns played without starting guard Grayson Allen , who missed the game with left hip soreness.