Cavaliers Fall Short of NBA’s Gold Standard in Devastating 29-Point Defeat against Nuggets

To kick off a lengthy five-game road trip, the Cleveland Cavaliers looked completely overmatched against the reigning NBA champion Denver Nuggets, getting blown out on Easter afternoon, 130-101.

This drubbing was the Cavs’ fifth loss in their last seven games, as the season continues to go in the wrong direction with the playoffs almost here. Things have been so inconsistent that Cleveland went the entire month of March without winning consecutive games, with this loss in Denver serving as an unfortunate bookend.

“We just have to play better,” Cavs superstar Donovan Mitchell said postgame. “There’s no other excuse to it. It’s that time of year. We have to play better. No other way around it. That’s on all of us. Starts with me. We all have to play better. We’ve shown we can do it and that’s what is frustrating.

“It’s not like we don’t have the capability to do it. That is a championship-level team without their second-best player and credit to them, they executed well, and they have guys who have won rings and been there, but if we want to be that, a 29-point loss ain’t it.”

Nuggets deny Cavs from ever having a chance

To make matters worse, the Nuggets were without Jamal Murray, their second-best player and second-leading scorer. This gave the Cavs a puncher’s chance and played a part in Cleveland holding onto a 45-41 lead midway through the second quarter.

Regardless of the Cavs’ momentum, Denver still had Nikola Jokic, arguably the best player in the world, who proceeded to slice and dice whatever Cleveland planned on defense. That lead the Cavs had scrapped and clawed to obtain quickly evaporated, with Jokic spearheading an offensive showcase that outscored Cleveland 89-56.

Overall, the Nuggets shot 50-87 from the field and 21-of-33 from 3-point range, including 6-of-8 from the perimeter in the second quarter alone. The only time the Cavs stayed competitive was whenever Jokic was on the bench, boasting a plus-12 differential whenever Jokic sat.

“We could have been better defensively,” Cleveland head coach J.B. Bickerstaff said postgame. “They are a dynamic, high-powered offensive team. But we weren’t physical enough to start the game. We allowed guys to get to their spots and didn’t interrupt their rhythm. They just built as the game continues to go on. This is an area where we have to be better. Can’t allow people to be so comfortable.”

While it might be hard to contain the best player in the world, it’s even more difficult when Jokic is making it a collective effort with every one of his teammates. The Nuggets are peaking at the right time while the Cavs remain inconsistent and listless on either end of the floor.

Denver, the golden standard for an NBA Championship-caliber squad, is where Cleveland wishes they were at currently. Instead, it feels like the Cavs are just going through the motions, circling an ever-maddening drain that will result in another earlier-than-expected playoff exit.

Unfortunately, there isn’t enough time for the Cavs to practice or find their way on the court with so few opportunities remaining in the regular season. It has to be something Cleveland somehow corrects internally, embracing the message and standard veteran forward Marcus Morris Sr. expects of this team.

If they do, then the Cavs should be able to find some momentum heading into the playoffs. If they don’t, there’s no telling where things will go for Cleveland.