CLEVELAND, Ohio — The Cavs entered Saturday’s matchup against the Timberwolves with a different level of focus and intensity.
Two nights after a tough loss in Minnesota, Cleveland treated the game at Rocket Arena like Game 2 of a playoff series.
Although this was the final matchup between the two teams before a potential playoff series — a scenario that would only happen if both made it to the NBA Finals — the Cavs can walk away satisfied. They responded to adversity, overcame a blazing Timberwolves offense and played with energy, securing a 146-134 victory that showed how effort and intensity can carry the day, even in a game where the opposition shot lights-out from deep.
And it showed from the first whistle. Hard fouls, scrappy tussles, bruises, highlight plays and stars asserting themselves — it was a game that felt like postseason intensity, even in early January.
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“That’s a playoff team. That’s a big-time team,” Cavs head coach Kenny Atkinson said postgame. “They’re talented. They’re physical, they’re built for the playoffs. So that was a good test. I’m just glad we kind of won the physical battle, running the court and then kind of the physicality. And that’s hard against that team.”
Donovan Mitchell and Anthony Edwards even stayed on the court after the halftime buzzer, arguing calls, a testament to the competitive energy both teams were bringing.
The Timberwolves came out hot, shooting 57% from the field and 50% from 3-point range in the first quarter — just like they had in their most recent matchup by making the open looks and the getting the tough ones to fall as well.
But the Cavs took the first punch and then came back with their own.
They took advantages in paint points, second-chance opportunities, fast-break points and free throws into the break, and trailed by just two at the half, a clear sign that Minnesota’s scorching shooting from beyond the arc had been the main difference.
Even with these positives, the Cavs’ rotations after drives were sometimes a step slow, leaving shooters like Donte DiVincenzo and Naz Reid open — small lapses that could have swung a tighter game the other way.
Cleveland returned from halftime with renewed urgency defensively while putting up 83 points in the second half.
“I think our next step is – it feels like there’s two or three times maybe a quarter where we make a mistake that we probably shouldn’t,” Sam Merrill said. “Whether it’s a communication thing or scouting report thing. Like I think if we can take those away and continue to be physical and communicate and whatnot, like we keep getting better and better defensively.”
Darius Garland attacked the paint, collapsing the defense and creating space for Merrill, who finished with 20 points.
Evan Mobley’s assertiveness was obvious from the start of the third, taking multiple shots in the first five minutes and turning his presence into opportunities for guards cutting to the rim. That kind of energy and confidence has been the missing ingredient at times this season; when Mobley plays like this, he changes the dynamics of a game entirely.
“Listen, I think Evan’s a bounce-back guy,” Atkinson said. “I think at Minnesota he didn’t love his force. … He was in the paint a lot tonight. We got to get him there more. He’s got to get himself there more. But yeah, this version, that’s what we all want to see more often.”
The Cavs won the third quarter 36-26 and took an eight-point lead into the final frame.
As the fourth quarter wore on, the Cavaliers’ effort began to tip the balance.
Jarrett Allen, subbing in with the same fire, blocked Julius Randle and immediately followed with a thunderous dunk, ballooning Cleveland’s lead to 16 with under six minutes remaining. Lying on the floor, Allen screamed to his teammates and the crowd, the bench rushing to celebrate, a moment that captured just how meaningful this game was.
Six Cavaliers scored in double figures. Five had 20 or more points, as they shot 59.8% from the field and 50% from deep. Mitchell led the way with 28 points and eight assists. Mobley had 24 points. And Allen added 16 points and 11 rebounds.
Even when Minnesota was hitting shots, Cleveland’s consistent effort, assertiveness and intensity allowed it to control the flow when it mattered most. The Timberwolves finished the game shooting 57.3% from the field and 50% from deep.
The Cavs still had obvious lapses — defensive closeouts could have been sharper and small details like overhelp rotations need cleaning up — but their energy and cohesion made those flaws almost irrelevant.
Maybe this was the example the Cavs needed because it proved that games can swing in their favor when they play with the kind of focus and energy usually reserved for playoff basketball.
“That’s the main focus is just keeping that up,” Mobley when said about the importance of playing with energy for 48 minutes. “And when it slips, which it will slip sometimes, it’s just getting back on as quick as possible and not letting it get to a big lead … where we have to be perfect down the stretch. We know we’re capable of being a great team down the stretch. It’s just we’ve got to keep it closer, so we don’t have to fight as hard.”
By the time the final buzzer sounded, the Cavaliers had delivered a blueprint for what they can achieve when they combine skill, intensity and cohesion.
Next
The Cavs continue their two-game homestand against the Utah Jazz on Monday. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. Eastern.