The Cleveland Cavaliers didn’t have anything to play for on Sunday.
Jarrett Allen had to suit up to make an official appearance in all 82 games.
Other than that, it was pretty much a formality.
The Cavs rested their nine top players, plus Allen, who only played for a handful of seconds.
That’s why the table was set for the younger players and end-of-bench guys to showcase their skills.
Multiple guys stepped up and played very well, although they blew a big lead down the stretch and eventually lost in double overtime.
Even so, coach Kenny Atkinson was more than satisfied with the young player’s effort.
Following the loss, he gushed about his players in his media availability:
“I love what our young guys did. I thought they played really well,” Atkinson said. “Eighty percent of the game isn’t good enough, right? In the NBA, you have to be able to sustain and sustain means you have to execute at the end of the game. You have to have the discipline. And then quite honestly, your habits kick in. It was great that our young players kind of went through that.”
Rookie Jaylon Tyson proved to be ready to make an impact.
He scored 31 points on 25 shots, adding seven boards, four assists, three steals, one block, and four three-pointers.
He hasn’t been given much of an opportunity this season, but he’s been quite impressive every single time he’s been given a longer leash.
Nae’Qwan Tomlin also had a solid outing, scoring 24 points with 12 rebounds before eventually fouling out.
Emoni Bates proved to be a walking bucket again, scoring 25 points off the bench despite not going to the line once.
He added seven three-pointers, and he could be an intriguing option in the playoffs if the team is in desperate need of an offensive boost.
Also, watching Tristan Thompson turn back the clock and grab 20 rebounds is a positive sign, as the team might need his veteran experience in the postseason.
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