The Cleveland Cavaliers' first game of the season is in the books, as they fell to LeBron James and the Philadelphia 76ers.
Cleveland's starting lineup was no surprise, and the team's core got the team going early on. The only difference was the addition of Peyton Watson, and when he joined the Cavs, there was a strong chance he would be their starting wing.
Watson and his new teammates got off to a nice start, but their second half was lackluster. The Sixers trailed for most of the game, but they took the lead during the fourth quarter. With that said, the Cavs first game did not go as planned, and they will head home for a matchup against the Brooklyn Nets.
Cavs Start Strong, Fall After Poor Second Half
Cleveland can recover from this loss, and it all starts with the right game plan. Tonight's game plan had a lot to do with the bench.
Coming into the season, one of the topics around the Cavs was their bench. The Cavaliers lost multiple players, but they added Mario Hezonja and Meleek Thomas in the process. Hezonja could be a key reserve this season, and he had 10 points in his team's loss. He played 19 minutes, and on top of his points, he contributed in other areas.
The former lottery pick had three rebounds, two assists, two steals and a block. He was a part of a unique Cleveland lineup, as he played alongside Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley, Jaylon Tyson and Sam Merrill at one point. Mitchell was the ballhandler, and James Harden was on the bench until he returned to the floor with a different lineup. Harden shared the floor with Craig Porter Jr and Tyrese Proctor, while fellow starters Mobley and Watson were in as well.
All in all, Kenny Atkinson tried different lineups, and in the beginning, it worked out. Cleveland's disappointing second half overshadowed Atkinson's lineups, but the Cavs' second game could be a different story. That matchup is an opportunity to explore those combinations once again, and seeing what works could help the Cavaliers later in the season.
The mixture of starters and reserves sounds intriguing, and in these early games, it is something worth exploring. Then, once things settle, the Cavs will have a more concrete rotation. Regardless of what happens, these lineups show how important the Cavaliers' bench will be this season. Then, if tonight was any indication of Atkinson's plan, some reserves will play significant minutes in the second game.
Cleveland wants to win, and if the starters and reserves get off to strong starts, the team can get their first victory.
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