
The Cleveland Cavaliers are back at Rocket Arena for Game 2 of a six-game homestand, taking on the Memphis Grizzlies! I'll be live updating this page throughout the night.
Join the conversation with your thoughts on the evening below in the comment section.
Starters:
Grizzlies - Morant, Wells, Coward, Jackson, Edey
Cavs - Mitchell, Merrill, Hunter, Mobley, Allen
FIRST QUARTER
Thirty seconds into the game, and Donovan Mitchell has drawn two fouls on Jaylen Wells. That's big because Wells did a heck of a job on him last year as a rookie.
Evan Mobley just picked up his second foul as well at the 8:22 mark on a driving Jaren Jackson Jr. and-one.
At first timeout with just under seven minutes, the Grizzlies are up 15-11. Ja Morant's getting momentum going toward the bucket and has the close-range shots working. Jackson's gotten to the line on the drive a couple of times, too.
Mobley's opened up 1 of 4 from the field, making his first three-point attempt. It's good to see him being aggressive and that his teammates are finding him early. Get away from taking those step-in treys though.
Maybe Lonzo Ball is what Mobley needs to get right...
Craig Porter Jr. checks in after Dean Wade and Lonzo Ball. He gets a nice hand from the crowd. Well deserved for the week he's had.
Cleveland's lucky that the Grizzlies have missed like three opportunities in transition. This looks like the same thing as Thursday night against Toronto.
Well, the fourth quarter has carried over from that Raptors game, so maybe the Cavs will have a positive second quarter? Nobody's quite on the same page, guys are pressing, and now, Mitchell is starting to force the issue. Memphis leads 28-20 with just over two minutes to go.
Ball and Porter definitely get rebounds. They've got five and two boards, respectively.
Mitchell picks up his second foul with a minute left in the opening frame trying to front Edey.
END 1Q: Grizzlies 32, Cavs 28
MEM: Jackson 10p. Morant 7p, 2a, 1r. Aldama 3p, 4r, 1a, stl.
CLE: Mitchell 10p, 1r, 1a, stl. Mobley 6p, 1r, 1a. Ball 3p, 5r, 1a.
SECOND QUARTER
Nae'Qwan Tomlin and Larry Nance Jr. check in with Mobley, Mitchell, and Sam Merrill.
Nance has picked up his second foul in a minute of playing time. He turned it over after him and Mobley mixed up their signals. Atkinson's got to think about trying Thomas Bryant over him in the rotation right now.
And right on cue, Junior picks up his third call. That's 1:26 of court time and three fouls...
Morant is out for the rest of this game with right calf soreness.
Mobley knocks down a three, then misses a shot that I actually liked, fading to the left on the elbow. Get him closer to the hoop, and they'll fall. Vince Williams Jr. hits a triple after that, though, and Memphis has a 40-31 advantage.
Lot of hackin' going on tonight. Twenty-four fouls and there's 7:50 to go until halftime...
Larry Nance Jr. shakes his head in frustration as he checks out, walking back to the Cavs' locker room with Murphy Grant.
Junior's back on the bench now. Ball's developing a nice, natural two-man game with Jarrett Allen. Hopefully, he can do the same with Mobley. Guys still are cutting instead of staying put when Zo throws passes. Once those tendencies are figured out, things will be smoother.
In a day and age where pure point guards are fading, Ball may be the closest thing to it. Entry passes still do exist!
Mitchell picks up his third foul with just under three minutes until the half. He blatantly trying to move Williams. Good call. Atkinson pulled him and Mobley really fast for Ball and Wade.
Cleveland's trying to get on track, but just can't seem to shake this rut. At least Ball is... ballin'.
Mitchell and Mobley both have three fouls. A number of Cavs have multiple fouls too. Just disjointed and ugly, other than the Ball-Porter-Wade-Hunter-Allen crew.
HALF: Grizzlies 61, Cavs 54
MEM: Jackson 17p, 1r, blk. Aldama 10p, 8r, 1a. Williams 5p, 3a, 2stl, 1r. Wells 8p.
CLE: Ball 9p, 6r, 4a. Mobley 11p, 4r, 1a. Allen 10p, 5r, 2a, blk. Mitchell 10p, 2r, 1a, stl.
THIRD QUARTER
Grizzlies came out of halftime and used Matt Painter's strategy at Purdue: Find the big fella Edey.
Tomlin's had a hell of a week. Just found Wade cutting baseline past Cam Spencer for an easy deuce. Cavs have it down to 74-68 at the 5:25 mark of the third quarter.
Hunter picks up his fourth with 3:41 to go in the third. Tomlin staying out there with Mitchell, Ball, Porter, and Allen.
Tyrese Proctor getting his first run of the game, coming in for Ball. Zo's probably gonna close this one out or at least play very important final quarter minutes.
END 3Q: Grizzlies 84, Cavs 76
MEM: Jackson 22p, 2r, 2a, blk. Aldama 12p, 10r, 1a. Edey 11p, 5r, blk. Coward 5p, 6r, 2a. Wells 8p, 1r.
CLE: Mobley/Allen 14p, 6r, 2a, 2blk. Mitchell 16p, 3r, 3a, stl. Ball 9p, 7r, 4a, stl.
FOURTH QUARTER
Edey's picked up a pair of hacks to start things off, and Tomlin is legitimately frustrating Jackson. Qwan's gotten him on the arm a couple times, they've fought for the ball a handful of possessions, and now the two-way forward drew an offensive foul on JJJ.
Mobley nails a three from the right wing on a Merrill assist, then Tomlin deflects a Memphis possession to give Merrill the open floor for the lay. Grizzlies call timeout, and the Cavs have cut it down to 85-83 with 9:19 remaining.
Qwan's lift tonight is exactly why you can't box score watch to understand winning impact.
Mitchell-Hunter-Tomlin-Wade-Mobley in for the Cavs with just under eight minutes.
Cleveland takes its first lead at 6:32 on a Mitchell three-ball from Hunter, who got it on a kick from Mobley. Mitchell follows it up by finding Hunter on an overhead pass for a two-hand glass finish. Cavs up 93-90 with 5:54 left.
Mobley and Mitchell asserted themselves this quarter, and what do you know, the Cavs did a hell of a job to completely take the game over. Memphis looking young and unsettled offensively. Cleveland's given up 31 points on 10 of 37 from the field for the Grizzlies.
Grizzlies concede.
FINAL: Cavs 108, Grizzlies 100.