Game ID: 22401059
San Antonio Spurs @ Cleveland Cavaliers
Thursday, March 27, 2025 at 7:00 PM ET
Rocket Arena, Cleveland, OH
Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Final
CLE 30 24 32 38 124SAS 24 25 34 33 116
CLE vs SAS ScoutingCLE vs SAS 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 3/19 · back-to-backOUT Tomlin missed 10 since 2/28, out tonight
BACK Mitchell back 3/16 after 2, 34 min since (107% of 32)
CLE availability going into 3/21 · 1 day's restOUT Tomlin missed 11 since 2/28, out tonight
BACK Mitchell back 3/16 after 2, 34 min since (107% of 32)
CLE availability going into 3/23 · 1 day's restOUT Tomlin missed 12 since 2/28, out tonight
BACK Mitchell back 3/16 after 2, 33 min since (105% of 32)
CLE availability going into 3/25 · 1 day's restOUT Tomlin missed 13 since 2/28, out tonight
BACK Mitchell back 3/16 after 2, 31 min since (97% of 32)
CLE availability going into 3/27 · 1 day's restOUT Tomlin missed 14 since 2/28, out tonight
CLE availability going into 3/28 · back-to-backOUT Tomlin missed 15 since 2/28, out tonight
CLE availability going into 3/30 · 1 day's restOUT Jerome missed 2 since 3/27, out tonight
OUT Tomlin missed 16 since 2/28, out tonight
CLE availability going into 4/02 · 2 days' restOUT Jerome missed 3 since 3/27, out tonight
OUT Tomlin missed 17 since 2/28, returns tonight: 2 min (17% of 13)
CLE availability going into 4/04 · 1 day's restOUT Jerome missed 4 since 3/27, out tonight
BACK Tomlin back 4/02 after 17, 2 min since (17% of 13)
SAS availability going into 3/19 · 1 day's restOUT Bassey missed 12 since 2/25, out tonight
NEW Wesley 12 to 17 min over the last 4
SAS availability going into 3/21 · 1 day's restOUT Bassey missed 13 since 2/25, out tonight
NEW Wesley 12 to 18 min over the last 4
SAS availability going into 3/23 · 1 day's restOUT Bassey missed 14 since 2/25, out tonight
NEW Wesley 12 to 18 min over the last 5
SAS availability going into 3/25 · 1 day's restOUT Bassey missed 15 since 2/25, out tonight
NEW Wesley 12 to 19 min over the last 5
SAS availability going into 3/27 · 1 day's restOUT Bassey missed 16 since 2/25, out tonight
NEW Wesley 12 to 21 min over the last 5
SAS availability going into 3/29 · 1 day's restOUT Bassey missed 17 since 2/25, out tonight
NEW Wesley 12 to 20 min over the last 5
SAS availability going into 3/30 · back-to-backOUT Bassey missed 18 since 2/25, returns tonight: 10 min (95% of 10)
NEW Wesley 12 to 20 min over the last 5
SAS availability going into 4/01 · 1 day's restOUT Biyombo missed 2 since 3/29, returns tonight: 26 min (138% of 19)
BACK Bassey back 3/30 after 18, 10 min since (95% of 10)
NEW Wesley 12 to 21 min over the last 5
NEW Mamukelashvili 11 to 16 min over the last 5
SAS availability going into 4/02 · back-to-backBACK Biyombo back 4/01 after 2, 26 min since (138% of 19)
BACK Bassey back 3/30 after 18, 10 min since (95% of 10)
NEW Wesley 12 to 20 min over the last 5
NEW Mamukelashvili 11 to 17 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 2-3 over its last five, scoring 118 a night and allowing 116, shooting 50 percent and 34 from three, 21 free throws a game; Mobley at 19 and Garland at 18 a game. It has lost the glass by 6 a night. One day's rest. San Antonio comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 115 a night and allowing 112, shooting 47 percent and 39 from three, 21 free throws a game; Vassell at 20 and Castle at 19 a game. One day's rest.
So: Cleveland wins, and the game turns on the glass, where San Antonio has been plus-2 a night and Cleveland minus-6 and the turnovers, San Antonio giving it away 14 times a game to Cleveland's 10. Call it Cleveland 119, San Antonio 113.
3/19 @ SAC 119-123 — CLE notes
CLE lost 119-123. CLE shot 55% (46 of 84) to SAC's 51%, 13 of 34 from three. Mobley led with 31 (13 of 18, 4 of 5 from three); Mitchell added 26, Jerome 14. Q1 was theirs, 22-15, but the other 3 periods went 108-97 against them. They led by as many as 13.
3/21 @ PHX 112-123 — CLE notes
CLE lost 112-123. CLE shot 45% (42 of 94) to PHX's 52%, 17 of 45 from three, and went to the line 14 times to PHX's 8 — 11 points from the stripe to their 8. Garland led with 18 (8 of 16, 2 of 5 from three); Hunter added 17, Mobley 16. Q4 was theirs, 33-25, the deficit cut from 19 to 11, but the other 3 periods went 98-79 against them. Wade's -14 in 16 minutes was the worst on the floor.
3/23 @ UTA 120-91 — CLE notes
CLE won 120-91. CLE shot 46% (44 of 96) to UTA's 36%, 11 of 48 from three, and went to the line 31 times to UTA's 18 — 21 points from the stripe to their 11. CLE turned it over 6 times to UTA's 18. Allen led with 18 (8 of 11); Mitchell added 16, Hunter 15. The hinge was Q3, 37-19: a lead of 6 became 24, and the lead reached 32. Allen was the night's best plus/minus at +31.
3/25 @ POR 122-111 — CLE notes
CLE won 122-111. CLE shot 55% (48 of 88) to POR's 40%, 12 of 27 from three. Garland led with 27 (11 of 19, 1 of 3 from three); Jerome added 25, Mobley 21. The hinge was Q2, 27-19: from level to 8 ahead. Allen was the night's best plus/minus at +8.
3/27 vs SAS 124-116 — CLE notes
CLE won 124-116. CLE shot 46% (46 of 99) to SAS's 41%, 17 of 48 from three. Allen led with 29 (10 of 11, 9 of 11 at the line); Mitchell added 25, Strus 18. The hinge was Q1, 30-24: from level to 6 ahead, and the lead reached 16. Green was the night's best plus/minus at +15.
3/28 @ DET — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Detroit comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 124 a night and allowing 109, shooting 52 percent and 41 from three, 26 free throws a game; Cunningham at 28 and Sasser at 17 a game. Without Cunningham (2 straight), Smith (11 straight), Harper Jr. (23 straight). 2 days' rest. Cleveland comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 119 a night and allowing 113, shooting 49 percent and 35 from three, 20 free throws a game; Mobley at 20 and Mitchell at 18 a game. That is 3 straight wins. Second night of a back-to-back.
So: Detroit wins, and the game turns on the arc, Detroit at 41 percent from three to Cleveland's 35 and the line, where Detroit takes 26 free throws a game to Cleveland's 20. Call it Detroit 118, Cleveland 114, Cleveland keeping it close.
3/30 vs LAC — 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 120 a night and allowing 115, shooting 48 percent and 35 from three, 24 free throws a game; Mitchell at 22 and Jerome at 18 a game. Without Jerome (2 straight). One day's rest. The Clippers come in 4-1 over their last five, scoring 124 a night and allowing 109, shooting 52 percent and 47 from three, 27 free throws a game; Leonard at 28 and Harden at 23 a game. They have won the glass by 8 a night. One day's rest.
So: Cleveland wins, and the game turns on the arc, the Clippers at 47 percent from three to Cleveland's 35 and the glass, where the Clippers have been plus-8 a night and Cleveland minus-1. Call it Cleveland 116, the Clippers 115, the Clippers keeping it close.
4/02 vs NYK — 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 123 a night and allowing 115, shooting 49 percent and 34 from three, 25 free throws a game; Mitchell at 26 and Allen at 19 a game. Without Jerome (3 straight). 2 days' rest. New York comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 114 a night and allowing 106, shooting 51 percent and 38 from three, 19 free throws a game; Anunoby at 30 and Bridges at 21 a game. That is 3 straight wins. Without Brunson (13 straight), McBride (6 straight), Tucker (7 straight). Second night of a back-to-back.
So: Cleveland wins, and the game turns on the defense, New York allowing 106 a night to Cleveland's 115 and the line, where Cleveland takes 25 free throws a game to New York's 19. Call it Cleveland 118, New York 112.
4/04 @ SAS — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
San Antonio comes in 1-4 over its last five, scoring 110 a night and allowing 123, shooting 45 percent and 36 from three, 19 free throws a game; Castle at 17 and Johnson at 16 a game. It has lost the glass by 9 a night. One day's rest. Cleveland comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 124 a night and allowing 117, shooting 50 percent and 36 from three, 22 free throws a game; Mitchell at 28 and Allen at 19 a game. Without Jerome (4 straight). One day's rest.
So: Cleveland wins, on the road, and the game turns on the glass, where Cleveland has been plus-1 a night and San Antonio minus-9. Call it Cleveland 120, San Antonio 115.
3/19 vs NYK 120-105 — SAS notes
SAS won 120-105. SAS shot 50% (45 of 90) to NYK's 42%, 16 of 35 from three. Mamukelashvili led with 34 (13 of 14, 7 of 7 from three); Castle added 22, Paul 12. The hinge was Q2, 38-23: a lead of 9 became 24, and the lead reached 28. Mamukelashvili was the night's best plus/minus at +22.
3/21 vs PHI 128-120 — SAS notes
SAS won 128-120. SAS shot 53% (47 of 89) to PHI's 57%, 19 of 39 from three. Sochan led with 23 (11 of 17); Vassell added 20, Johnson 18. The hinge was Q4, 37-25: SAS came in trailing by 4 and left it ahead by 8, and the lead reached 16. Castle was the night's best plus/minus at +20.
3/23 @ TOR 123-89 — SAS notes
SAS won 123-89. SAS shot 48% (41 of 86) to TOR's 38%, 14 of 43 from three, and went to the line 32 times to TOR's 13 — 27 points from the stripe to their 9. SAS turned it over 14 times to TOR's 21. Vassell led with 25 (11 of 14, 3 of 6 from three); Champagnie added 20, Castle 15. The hinge was Q1, 36-16: from level to 20 ahead, and the lead reached 38. Vassell was the night's best plus/minus at +37.
3/25 @ DET 96-122 — SAS notes
SAS lost 96-122. SAS took 13 more shots (91 to 78), fed by 16 offensive rebounds, but shot 36% to DET's 56%, 14 of 44 from three. Vassell led with 26 (10 of 21, 6 of 12 from three); Castle added 19, Mamukelashvili 11. Q3 was theirs, 35-28, the deficit cut from 26 to 19, but the other 3 periods went 94-61 against them. Champagnie's -20 in 22 minutes was the worst on the floor.
3/27 @ CLE 116-124 — SAS notes
SAS lost 116-124. SAS shot 41% (43 of 106) to CLE's 46%, 14 of 43 from three. Vassell led with 22 (7 of 15, 4 of 10 from three); Castle added 22, Johnson 17. Q3 was theirs, 34-32, the deficit cut from 5 to 3, but the other 3 periods went 92-82 against them. Wesley's -19 in 14 minutes was the worst on the floor.
3/29 vs BOS — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
San Antonio comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 117 a night and allowing 112, shooting 45 percent and 38 from three, 22 free throws a game; Vassell at 21 and Castle at 19 a game. One day's rest. Boston comes in 5-0 over its last five, scoring 120 a night and allowing 102, shooting 48 percent and 39 from three, 19 free throws a game; Tatum at 27 and Porziņģis at 24 a game. That is 5 straight wins. It has won the glass by 6 a night. 2 days' rest.
So: Boston wins, on the road, and the game turns on the defense, Boston allowing 102 a night to San Antonio's 112 and the glass, where Boston has been plus-6 a night and San Antonio plus-0. Call it Boston 115, San Antonio 111, San Antonio keeping it close.
3/30 vs GSW — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
San Antonio comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 115 a night and allowing 115, shooting 44 percent and 36 from three, 24 free throws a game; Vassell at 21 and Castle at 19 a game. That is 3 straight losses. It has lost the glass by 5 a night. Second night of a back-to-back. Golden State comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 107 a night and allowing 108, shooting 42 percent and 33 from three, 25 free throws a game; Butler III at 19 and Podziemski at 15 a game. One day's rest.
So: Golden State wins, on the road, and the game turns on the glass, where Golden State has been plus-1 a night and San Antonio minus-5 and the defense, Golden State allowing 108 a night to San Antonio's 115. Call it Golden State 113, San Antonio 112, San Antonio keeping it close.
4/01 vs ORL — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
San Antonio comes in 1-4 over its last five, scoring 110 a night and allowing 121, shooting 43 percent and 34 from three, 23 free throws a game; Vassell at 20 and Castle at 17 a game. That is 4 straight losses. It has lost the glass by 8 a night. Without Biyombo (2 straight). One day's rest. Orlando comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 106 a night and allowing 100, shooting 45 percent and 33 from three, 22 free throws a game; Banchero at 29 and Wagner at 24 a game. Without Anthony (7 straight). Second night of a back-to-back.
So: Orlando wins, on the road, and the game turns on the defense, Orlando allowing 100 a night to San Antonio's 121 and the glass, where Orlando has been plus-3 a night and San Antonio minus-8. Call it Orlando 111, San Antonio 109, San Antonio keeping it close.
4/02 @ DEN — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Denver comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 126 a night and allowing 118, shooting 53 percent and 38 from three, 29 free throws a game; Jokić at 42 and Murray at 28 a game. Without Murray (2 straight), Strawther (15 straight). Second night of a back-to-back. San Antonio comes in 0-5 over its last five, scoring 107 a night and allowing 126, shooting 43 percent and 35 from three, 20 free throws a game; Castle at 18 and Vassell at 17 a game. That is 5 straight losses. It has lost the glass by 8 a night. Second night of a back-to-back.
So: Denver wins, and the game turns on the glass, where Denver has been plus-2 a night and San Antonio minus-8 and the line, where Denver takes 29 free throws a game to San Antonio's 20. Call it Denver 124, San Antonio 112, Denver by 12.
Who is who
the initials in the Players column
SASBB B. Biyombo
BW B. Wesley
CP C. Paul
DV D. Vassell
HB H. Barnes
JC J. Champagnie
JS J. Sochan
KJ K. Johnson
SC S. Castle
SM S. Mamukelashvili
CLEDG D. Garland
DH D. Hunter
DM D. Mitchell
DW D. Wade
IO I. Okoro
JA J. Allen
JG J. Green
MS M. Strus
SM S. Merrill
TT T. Thompson
SAS/CLE 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
Jarrett Allen's 29 points, Donovan Mitchell's 14 assists lift Cavaliers to 124-116 win over Spurs
CLEVELAND -- — Jarrett Allen scored a season-high 29 points, Donovan Mitchell had a career-high 14 assists and the Cleveland Cavaliers looked more comfortable back home, holding off the San Antonio Spurs 124-116 on Thursday night.
Allen went 10 of 11 from the floor and added 16 rebounds for Cleveland, which went 2-4 on a just-completed six-game trip out West.
Mitchell scored 25 and flirted with his first career triple-double, finishing with eight rebounds.
Allen's three-point play — on an assist from Mitchell — put the Cavs up 117-112 and Darius Garland 's 3-pointer put the Spurs away with 1:16 left.
Rookie Stephon Castle and Devin Vassell had 22 points apiece for the Spurs, who are fighting to make the Western Conference play-in.
The Cavs rested All-Star forward Evan Mobley . Superb sixth man Ty Jerome sat out with a sore left knee.
Takeaways Spurs: According to a report in France's LeEquipe, star Victor Wembanyama underwent surgery to correct the deep vein thrombosis in his shoulder, an ailment that sidelined him for the rest of this season. Interim coach Mitch Johnson did not have an update on Wembanyama. "We’re going to keep his plan and program in house for now,” Johnson said.
Cavaliers: Mitchell's recent shooting issues (he came in 3 of 29 on 3s) may have some Cleveland fans on edge, but coach Kenny Atkinson isn't worried about the All-Star, likening his struggles to a baseball slugger in a slump.
Key moment With the Cavs leading by two, Mitchell had an open wing 3-pointer, but instead rifled his pass inside to Allen for the game's biggest bucket and assist No. 14.
Key stat Mitchell has played in 534 games and is still missing a triple-double from his resume.
Up next The Spurs host Boston on Saturday. The Cavs play a back-to-back, visiting Detroit on Friday night.