Photo: Special to the NY Beacon
Issac Okoro scored 11 points, hit the game winning 3-pointer with 0.7 seconds left in regulation to lift the Cleveland Cavaliers over the Brooklyn Nets 116-114, securing the team’s first playoff berth since 2018, on Thursday, March 23.
The Nets, up 8 with 2:13 left in the game following a Royce O’Neal 3-point jumper, committed three crucial turnovers on their final five possessions enabling the Cavaliers to end the contest on a 12-2 run. Caris Lavert, who scored 12 points for Cleveland, had 4 of them in the final minutes to bring the deficit within 4 with 1:14 left to play.
Following consecutive jumpers from Donovan Mitchell, who scored a Cavaliers-high 31 points, and Spencer Dinwiddie, who had 25 points and 12 assists for Brooklyn, Mitchell scored again to bring Cleveland within 2 with 24 seconds left in regulation.
Brooklyn’s final turnover resulted in Mitchell at the foul line where he made the first attempt and missed the second that would have tied the game, but somehow recovered his own try and missed the put-back shot, resulting in a scramble for the ball that Levert retrieved and dished to Okoro for the winning basket.
A prayer shot from Mikal Bridges, who scored a game-high 32 points, his eighth 30-point performance since joining the Nets, at the buzzer fell short. Said Bridges on the loss, “turnovers. I started it with the turnover and then it just went after that. It’s frustrating, but we got to figure it out.”
Evan Mobley contributed significantly to the Cavaliers’ victory with 26 points, 16 rebounds and 4 blocks.
The loss dropped the Nets (39-34) fell 2 games behind the Knicks (who lost to Orlando Last night) and are now a half a game behind the Miami Heat for the 6th and last playoff place.
The Nets, losers of five straight with their last four at home and last two against the same team as they were defeated by Cleveland two days earlier 115-109, travel to the Sunshine state to face the Miami Heat on Saturday and the Orlando Magic on Sunday.
