Around the Beat: Late Leads, Hezonja's Return and Allen's…

By the Cavaliers Nightly Desk · Monday, October 26

Cleveland outlets are split between alarm over late-game lapses and praise for Jarrett Allen and Mario Hezonja. The record is 1-1, the team is ninth, and Minnesota is in town.

Cavaliers Nightly artwork — Illustration by Hoops Nightly.

Are the late-game lapses a real problem?

King James Gospel called the escape against the Nets an alarm bell, and Fear The Sword pointed to fourth-quarter turnovers. Cleveland.com's Chris Fedor wrote that the Cavs nearly blew a big lead again. The results back the worry: 125-121 over Brooklyn, and a 1-1 record. Nothing here proves turnovers are the cause, and that diagnosis belongs to those writers.

Did Kenny Atkinson really see composure?

King James Gospel wrote that fans saw another meltdown while Atkinson apparently saw composure. That is their framing, and the results don't settle it. Cleveland's margin over its last 10 games is minus-5.7 a night, against plus-2.8 for last season. The power rankings went from ninth to 22nd on Saturday, and the team sits 14th now.

Can Minnesota punish a late slip tonight?

King James Gospel wrote that Cleveland will be at the mercy of Anthony Edwards and LaMelo Ball if it collapses late. The Timberwolves are 3-0, and Edwards averages 28.7 points through three games. He is listed day-to-day with a knee issue. Minnesota also plays a second night in a row, while Cleveland had a day off.

Is Mario Hezonja's comeback story more than a feel-good tale?

Cleveland.com's Ethan Sands reported that Hezonja left the NBA searching for himself, won a Liga MVP in Spain, and calls himself a "brand new, better version." Fear The Sword said his waving off Donovan Mitchell shows why Cleveland signed him. The numbers are modest so far: 9.5 points in 19.3 minutes, shooting 25.0 percent from three.

Is Jarrett Allen the early story?

Cleveland.com's Sands wrote that the evidence on Allen through two games is impossible to ignore, and Fear The Sword's Tony Pesta graded him the unsung hero against Brooklyn. The facts agree: 21 points against the Nets, and 17.5 points and 7.5 rebounds over two games. He was listed day-to-day with a knee issue on October 21 and cleared a day later.

The verdictThe outlets are right that Cleveland keeps making games closer than they should be. They are also right about Allen, and the Hezonja story is still short on proof.

Are the Cavaliers struggling to close games?

Several outlets say so, and the 125-121 win over the Nets was close after a big lead. Cleveland is 1-1 and ninth, so the sample is small.

Is Anthony Edwards playing against the Cavaliers tonight?

He is listed day-to-day with a knee and leg issue. Minnesota is 3-0 and Edwards averages 28.7 points through three games.

By the Cavaliers Nightly Desk, written from the club's data and the reports on file, with every name and number checked against them. How the desks work.