Game ID: 22400590
Cleveland Cavaliers @ Minnesota Timberwolves
Saturday, January 18, 2025 at 9:00 PM ET
Target Center, Minneapolis, MN
Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Final
MIN 32 28 19 38 117CLE 29 31 29 35 124
CLE @ MIN ScoutingCLE @ MIN 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.
MIN availability going into 1/11 · 1 day's restOUT Dillingham missed 9 since 12/25, out tonight
BACK Clark back 1/09 after 20, 3 min since (25% of 12)
MIN availability going into 1/13 · 1 day's restOUT Dillingham missed 10 since 12/25, out tonight
BACK Clark back 1/09 after 20, 3 min since (25% of 12)
MIN availability going into 1/15 · 1 day's restOUT Dillingham missed 11 since 12/25, out tonight
BACK Clark back 1/09 after 20, 2 min since (18% of 12)
MIN availability going into 1/17 · 1 day's restOUT Dillingham missed 12 since 12/25, returns tonight: 13 min (131% of 10)
BACK Clark back 1/09 after 20, 2 min since (18% of 12)
NEW DiVincenzo 26 to 32 min over the last 5
MIN availability going into 1/18 · back-to-backBACK Clark back 1/09 after 20, 2 min since (15% of 12)
BACK Dillingham back 1/17 after 12, 13 min since (131% of 10)
NEW DiVincenzo 26 to 32 min over the last 4
MIN availability going into 1/20 · 1 day's restOUT DiVincenzo missed 2 since 1/17, out tonight
BACK Dillingham back 1/17 after 12, 16 min since (153% of 10)
MIN availability going into 1/22 · 1 day's restOUT DiVincenzo missed 3 since 1/17, out tonight
OUT Clark missed 2 since 1/18, out tonight
BACK Dillingham back 1/17 after 12, 16 min since (158% of 10)
MIN availability going into 1/25 · 2 days' restOUT DiVincenzo missed 4 since 1/17, out tonight
OUT Clark missed 3 since 1/18, returns tonight: 4 min (37% of 12)
BACK Dillingham back 1/17 after 12, 14 min since (140% of 10)
NEW McDaniels 32 to 38 min over the last 5
MIN availability going into 1/27 · 1 day's restOUT DiVincenzo missed 5 since 1/17, out tonight
BACK Clark back 1/25 after 3, 4 min since (37% of 12)
BACK Dillingham back 1/17 after 12, 15 min since (151% of 10)
NEW McDaniels 32 to 37 min over the last 5
CLE availability going into 1/09 · back-to-backOUT Merrill missed 3 since 1/03, returns tonight: 13 min (64% of 20)
BACK Okoro back 1/08 after 8, 13 min since (70% of 18)
CLE availability going into 1/12 · 2 days' restBACK Merrill back 1/09 after 3, 13 min since (64% of 20)
BACK Okoro back 1/08 after 8, 10 min since (55% of 18)
CLE availability going into 1/14 · 1 day's restBACK Merrill back 1/09 after 3, 12 min since (62% of 20)
BACK Okoro back 1/08 after 8, 13 min since (70% of 18)
CLE availability going into 1/16 · 1 day's restOUT Jerome missed 2 since 1/12, returns tonight: 16 min (81% of 20)
BACK Merrill back 1/09 after 3, 12 min since (62% of 20)
BACK Okoro back 1/08 after 8, 11 min since (61% of 18)
CLE availability going into 1/18 · 1 day's restBACK Jerome back 1/16 after 2, 16 min since (81% of 20)
BACK Merrill back 1/09 after 3, 12 min since (61% of 20)
BACK Okoro back 1/08 after 8, 14 min since (74% of 18)
CLE availability going into 1/20 · 1 day's restBACK Jerome back 1/16 after 2, 19 min since (95% of 20)
BACK Merrill back 1/09 after 3, 11 min since (56% of 20)
CLE availability going into 1/22 · 1 day's restOUT Mobley missed 2 since 1/18, out tonight
OUT Okoro missed 2 since 1/18, out tonight
BACK Jerome back 1/16 after 2, 19 min since (97% of 20)
CLE availability going into 1/24 · 1 day's restOUT Mobley missed 3 since 1/18, out tonight
OUT LeVert missed 2 since 1/20, out tonight
OUT Okoro missed 3 since 1/18, out tonight
BACK Jerome back 1/16 after 2, 21 min since (103% of 20)
CLE availability going into 1/25 · back-to-backOUT Mobley missed 4 since 1/18, returns tonight: 29 min (94% of 31)
OUT LeVert missed 3 since 1/20, out tonight
OUT Okoro missed 4 since 1/18, out tonight
BACK Jerome back 1/16 after 2, 23 min since (116% of 20)
I Know — the desk, before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Minnesota comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 116 a night and allowing 107, shooting 49 percent and 43 from three, 25 free throws a game; Edwards at 28 and DiVincenzo at 20 a game. Second night of a back-to-back. Cleveland comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 119 a night and allowing 121, shooting 48 percent and 35 from three, 24 free throws a game; Garland at 24 and Mitchell at 18 a game. It has won the glass by 5 a night. One day's rest.
So: Minnesota wins, and the game turns on the defense, Minnesota allowing 107 a night to Cleveland's 121 and the arc, Minnesota at 43 percent from three to Cleveland's 35. Call it Minnesota 115, Cleveland 114, Cleveland keeping it close.
1/11 vs MEM 125-127 — MIN notes
MIN lost 125-127. MIN shot 57% (47 of 83) to MEM's 44%, 17 of 42 from three. MIN turned it over 18 times to MEM's 13, and MEM turned those into 13 steals. DiVincenzo led with 27 (9 of 14, 6 of 11 from three); McDaniels added 21, Reid 19. Q2 was theirs, 32-29, turning a 2-point deficit into a 1-point lead, but the other 3 periods went 98-93 against them.
1/13 @ WAS 120-106 — MIN notes
MIN won 120-106. MIN shot 49% (41 of 83) to WAS's 44%, 14 of 37 from three, and went to the line 31 times to WAS's 15 — 24 points from the stripe to their 9. MIN turned it over 18 times to WAS's 11, and WAS turned those into 13 steals. The glass went 53-34 for them. Edwards led with 41 (14 of 25, 5 of 11 from three, 8 of 8 at the line); Randle added 20, DiVincenzo 13. The hinge was Q4, 38-27: a lead of 3 became 14, and the lead reached 17. Alexander-Walker was the night's best plus/minus at +20.
1/15 vs GSW 115-116 — MIN notes
MIN lost 115-116. MIN shot 44% (38 of 86) to GSW's 49%, 17 of 37 from three, and went to the line 29 times to GSW's 21 — 22 points from the stripe to their 18. Edwards led with 28 (7 of 19, 4 of 9 from three, 10 of 11 at the line); DiVincenzo added 28, Randle 17. Q2 was theirs, 30-21, the deficit cut from 22 to 13, but the other 3 periods went 95-85 against them. McDaniels's -8 in 36 minutes was the worst on the floor.
1/17 @ NYK 116-99 — MIN notes
MIN won 116-99. MIN shot 53% (42 of 79) to NYK's 39%, 22 of 40 from three. MIN turned it over 15 times to NYK's 9, and NYK turned those into 10 steals. Edwards led with 36 (12 of 21, 8 of 13 from three); Reid added 23, Conley 13. The hinge was Q4, 35-21: a lead of 3 became 17. Edwards was the night's best plus/minus at +24.
1/18 vs CLE 117-124 — MIN notes
MIN lost 117-124. MIN shot 48% (43 of 90) to CLE's 46%, 15 of 38 from three, and got to the line 19 times to CLE's 25. Edwards led with 28 (9 of 22, 4 of 9 from three, 6 of 6 at the line); Randle added 20, Gobert 17. Q1 was theirs, 32-29, but the other 3 periods went 95-85 against them. They led by as many as 11. Ingles's -16 in 9 minutes was the worst on the floor.
1/20 @ MEM — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Memphis comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 126 a night and allowing 118, shooting 51 percent and 40 from three, 20 free throws a game; Morant at 22 and Jackson Jr. at 22 a game. Without Smart (13 straight), Williams Jr. (27 straight). 2 days' rest. Minnesota comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 119 a night and allowing 114, shooting 50 percent and 44 from three, 22 free throws a game; Edwards at 30 and DiVincenzo at 23 a game. Without DiVincenzo (2 straight). One day's rest.
So: Memphis wins, in a game with no one edge to lean on. Call it Memphis 119, Minnesota 114.
1/22 @ DAL — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Dallas comes in 1-4 over its last five, scoring 105 a night and allowing 111, shooting 45 percent and 32 from three, 24 free throws a game; Irving at 23 and Gafford at 17 a game. It has lost the glass by 9 a night. Without Lively II (3 straight). One day's rest. Minnesota comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 115 a night and allowing 111, shooting 46 percent and 42 from three, 24 free throws a game; Edwards at 33 and Reid at 19 a game. It has won the glass by 4 a night. Without DiVincenzo (3 straight). One day's rest.
So: Dallas wins, and the game turns on the glass, where Minnesota has been plus-4 a night and Dallas minus-9 and the arc, Minnesota at 42 percent from three to Dallas's 32. Call it Dallas 112, Minnesota 111, Minnesota keeping it close.
1/25 vs DEN — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Minnesota comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 114 a night and allowing 112, shooting 46 percent and 42 from three, 25 free throws a game; Edwards at 29 and Reid at 19 a game. Without DiVincenzo (4 straight). 2 days' rest. Denver comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 126 a night and allowing 115, shooting 54 percent and 43 from three, 25 free throws a game; Jokić at 26 and Murray at 20 a game. That is 4 straight wins. It has won the glass by 9 a night. One day's rest.
So: Minnesota wins, and the game turns on the glass, where Denver has been plus-9 a night and Minnesota plus-0. Call it Minnesota 116, Denver 115, Denver keeping it close.
1/27 vs ATL — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Minnesota comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 117 a night and allowing 110, shooting 48 percent and 42 from three, 22 free throws a game; Edwards at 30 and Reid at 19 a game. Without DiVincenzo (5 straight). One day's rest. Atlanta comes in 1-4 over its last five, scoring 109 a night and allowing 117, shooting 44 percent and 29 from three, 26 free throws a game; Young at 20 and Daniels at 18 a game. That is 4 straight losses. Without Risacher (6 straight), Wallace (5 straight), Gueye (37 straight). One day's rest.
So: Minnesota wins, and the game turns on the arc, Minnesota at 42 percent from three to Atlanta's 29 and the turnovers, Atlanta giving it away 18 times a game to Minnesota's 13. Call it Minnesota 117, Atlanta 110.
1/09 vs TOR 132-126 — CLE notes
CLE won 132-126. CLE shot 53% (47 of 89) to TOR's 60%, 18 of 45 from three, and went to the line 25 times to TOR's 13 — 20 points from the stripe to their 6. Garland led with 40 (14 of 22, 4 of 7 from three, 8 of 9 at the line); Mobley added 21, LeVert 18. The hinge was Q4, 34-23: CLE came in trailing by 5 and left it ahead by 6. Garland was the night's best plus/minus at +18.
1/12 vs IND 93-108 — CLE notes
CLE lost 93-108. CLE shot 40% (33 of 83) to IND's 47%, 11 of 41 from three. Garland led with 20 (7 of 16, 3 of 9 from three); Mitchell added 19, Mobley 16. Q2 was theirs, 34-19, turning a 2-point deficit into a 13-point lead, but the other 3 periods went 89-59 against them. They led by as many as 15. Strus's -23 in 23 minutes was the worst on the floor.
1/14 @ IND 127-117 — CLE notes
CLE won 127-117. CLE shot 48% (43 of 89) to IND's 48%, 15 of 44 from three, and went to the line 31 times to IND's 22 — 26 points from the stripe to their 17. The glass went 49-37 for them. Mitchell led with 35 (12 of 23, 3 of 9 from three, 8 of 8 at the line); Garland added 24, Mobley 22. The hinge was Q3, 38-28: a lead of 1 became 11, and the lead reached 15. Mitchell was the night's best plus/minus at +13.
1/16 @ OKC 114-134 — CLE notes
CLE lost 114-134. CLE shot 47% (42 of 90) to OKC's 50%, 13 of 42 from three, and went to the line 21 times to OKC's 11 — 17 points from the stripe to their 10. CLE turned it over 21 times to OKC's 6, and OKC turned those into 12 steals. The glass went 49-39 for them. Garland led with 20 (7 of 10, 1 of 4 from three, 5 of 6 at the line); Allen added 13, Jerome 12. Q4 was theirs, 33-15, the deficit cut from 38 to 20, but the other 3 periods went 119-81 against them. Strus's -30 in 20 minutes was the worst on the floor.
1/18 @ MIN 124-117 — CLE notes
CLE won 124-117. CLE shot 46% (42 of 92) to MIN's 48%, 17 of 48 from three, and went to the line 25 times to MIN's 19 — 23 points from the stripe to their 16. Mitchell led with 36 (12 of 27, 4 of 15 from three, 8 of 9 at the line); Garland added 29, Niang 15. The hinge was Q3, 29-19: from level to 10 ahead, and the lead reached 20. Jerome was the night's best plus/minus at +28.
1/20 vs PHX — 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 118 a night and allowing 120, shooting 47 percent and 34 from three, 24 free throws a game; Garland at 27 and Mitchell at 24 a game. It has won the glass by 5 a night. One day's rest. Phoenix comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 121 a night and allowing 117, shooting 50 percent and 39 from three, 28 free throws a game; Booker at 34 and Durant at 28 a game. It has lost the glass by 7 a night. Without Beal (2 straight), Nurkić (6 straight). One day's rest.
So: Cleveland wins, and the game turns on the glass, where Cleveland has been plus-5 a night and Phoenix minus-7 and the arc, Phoenix at 39 percent from three to Cleveland's 34. Call it Cleveland 119, Phoenix 116, Phoenix keeping it close.
1/22 @ HOU — 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 119 a night and allowing 114, shooting 48 percent and 41 from three, 22 free throws a game; Green at 30 and Sengun at 18 a game. It has won the glass by 5 a night. Without Smith Jr. (9 straight). One day's rest. Cleveland comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 115 a night and allowing 114, shooting 45 percent and 34 from three, 24 free throws a game; Mitchell at 26 and Garland at 22 a game. It has won the glass by 7 a night. Without Mobley (2 straight), Okoro (2 straight). One day's rest.
So: Houston wins, and the game turns on the arc, Houston at 41 percent from three to Cleveland's 34. Call it Houston 116, Cleveland 113, Cleveland keeping it close.
1/24 @ PHI — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Philadelphia comes in 0-5 over its last five, scoring 108 a night and allowing 125, shooting 46 percent and 34 from three, 17 free throws a game; Maxey at 32 and Yabusele at 16 a game. That is 5 straight losses. It has lost the glass by 13 a night. Without C. Martin (6 straight), Embiid (9 straight), Lowry (9 straight). 2 days' rest. Cleveland comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 118 a night and allowing 114, shooting 45 percent and 35 from three, 24 free throws a game; Mitchell at 26 and Garland at 23 a game. It has won the glass by 7 a night. Without Mobley (3 straight), LeVert (2 straight), Okoro (3 straight). One day's rest.
So: Cleveland wins, on the road, and the game turns on the glass, where Cleveland has been plus-7 a night and Philadelphia minus-13 and the defense, Cleveland allowing 114 a night to Philadelphia's 125. Call it Cleveland 118, Philadelphia 112.
1/25 vs HOU — 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 119 a night and allowing 117, shooting 45 percent and 38 from three, 21 free throws a game; Mitchell at 27 and Garland at 23 a game. Without Mobley (4 straight), LeVert (3 straight), Okoro (4 straight). Second night of a back-to-back. Houston comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 117 a night and allowing 112, shooting 46 percent and 39 from three, 20 free throws a game; Green at 23 and Sengun at 19 a game. It has won the glass by 4 a night. Without Smith Jr. (10 straight). 2 days' rest.
So: Cleveland wins, in a game with no one edge to lean on. Call it Cleveland 116, Houston 115, Houston keeping it close.
Who is who
the initials in the Players column
CLECL C. LeVert
DG D. Garland
DM D. Mitchell
DW D. Wade
GN G. Niang
JA J. Allen
MS M. Strus
SM S. Merrill
TJ T. Jerome
MINAE A. Edwards
JI J. Ingles
JM J. McDaniels
JR J. Randle
MC M. Conley
NA N. Alexander-Walker
NR N. Reid
RD R. Dillingham
RG R. Gobert
CLE/MIN 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
NBA-leading Cavaliers seize control in the 2nd half and beat Timberwolves 124-117
MINNEAPOLIS -- — Donovan Mitchell scored 36 points, Darius Garland added 29 and the NBA-leading Cleveland Cavaliers took control in the second half and beat the Minnesota Timberwolves for a 124-117 on Saturday night.
With the teams tied at halftime, Cleveland (35-6) outscored Minnesota by 10 in the third quarter and opened the fourth with a 10-0 run to seize control.
Anthony Edwards scored 28 points and Julius Randle finished with 20 points, 14 rebounds and nine assists for Minnesota.
Cleveland was without forward Evan Mobley , who sat with right calf soreness, and Isaac Okoro , sidelined with a right AC joint sprain. Both played in Thursday’s loss to Oklahoma City.
Minnesota was also missing a key player as guard Donte DiVincenzo sat for the second straight game with a left great toe sprain.
Edwards became the third-youngest player in NBA history to score 8,000 points. Only LeBron James and Kevin Durant reached 8,000 points at a younger age than Edwards.
Takeaways Cavaliers: Cleveland responded well after its biggest loss of the year, a 20-point rout by the Thunder on Thursday. The Cavs' win prevented what would have been just their second two-game losing streak of the season.
Timberwolves: Minnesota seemed to run out of gas after halftime on the second night of a back-to-back after beating the Knicks on Friday in New York. The Wolves are 2-4 this season in the second game of back-to-backs.
Key moment Ty Jerome scored six straight points to end the third quarter, including a three-point play with 4.1 seconds remaining in the quarter, to give Cavaliers a 10-point lead. Minnesota couldn't recover from that double-digit deficit as the momentum swung in Cleveland's direction.
Key stat Cleveland had 15-point efforts from bench players Ty Jerome and Georges Niang .
Up next Both teams play Monday. The Cavaliers host Phoenix, while the Timberwolves play at Memphis.