Game Night Observations: Third Quarter Defense and a Cavalanche

It's been awhile!

The Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves 124-117 on Saturday night in a game that wasn’t as close as the final score might indicate.

Winning this game – the team’s first after being blown out by Oklahoma City on Thursday night – was an important thing for the Cavs to do. Responding the proper way to arguably the first real adversity of the season was an important step for a team with championship aspirations to take.

Throughout the season, the Cavs have had a few bouts with fake adversity and passed the test that prevented it from becoming real adversity. After losing back-to-back games to the Atlanta Hawks, the Cavs responded by beating Boston. Getting run off the floor in the second half at home against the Pacers was immediately followed by going to Indiana and winning two nights later. Had those responses gone differently, real adversity may have occurred.

Losing a showcase game to Oklahoma City by 20 points after trailing by as many as 42 points, qualifies as real adversity. It does so to the extent that the response to it likely will need to extend past just Saturday night’s win in Minnesota.