INGLEWOOD, Calif. — On the bus ride from Beverly Hills to Inglewood, Cavs coach Kenny Atkinson was consumed by one specific thought.
This is weird.
Surging Cleveland topped the Los Angeles Clippers, 124-91, on Wednesday night inside glitzy Intuit Dome.
The Cavs have won nine of their last 11 games. They are now fourth in the Eastern Conference — and look primed to continue this ascension, especially given this week’s roster enhancements.
“It’s a statement to the coach and the players by ownership and the front office that we are doing everything in our power to get this team to the mountaintop,” Atkinson said. “It takes some real gumption, fortitude and strength in what you believe to take a swing like that. I think the guys love that we took another swing to get better.”
But Atkinson was right. Wednesday was weird.
Cavs and Clippers, two teams in opposite conferences, separated by more than 2,000 miles, now forever linked by a blockbuster trade that led to the acquisition of future Hall-of-Famer James Harden and the simultaneous departure of a one-time Cavaliers pillar — Darius Garland.
And there was Garland, inside the building, seated courtside, directly across from the Clippers’ bench, taking it all in while being introduced to the Los Angeles fanbase as the organization’s newest beacon of hope — exactly what he once represented in Cleveland.
There was even a rotating billboard that welcomed a smiling Garland wearing a photoshopped Clippers jersey.
What are the odds that was the first game since the franchise-altering deal, that was Garland’s first official night as a Clipper.
Weird.
“That’s still our brother,” Cavs star Donovan Mitchell said of the now departed Garland. “This is just the business side of it and it’s tough. We dealt with it last year with Caris [LeVert] and Georges [Niang] and now D.G. It’s bigger than basketball. This is a brother. For him to be able to watch us, come out there and chop it up, speaks to the connectivity we have here.”
A little more than 24 hours after Garland’s Cleveland tenure ended, and on the eve of Thursday’s trade deadline that could lead to even more activity, Atkinson admitted focusing on the game might prove difficult.
Didn’t seem to be a problem. Cleveland picked up where it left off in Portland on Sunday.
The Cavs started the game by scoring the first seven points. By the end of the first quarter, they had doubled up Los Angeles — 36-18. It was Cleveland’s largest opening-quarter lead all season.
In the closing seconds of the third quarter, the Cavs had increased that to a then-game-high 26 points on Craig Porter Jr.’s thunderous breakaway dunk.
The advantage eventually turned into 35 with 22 seconds left.
“Great competitive spirit. We were all over the place,” Atkinson said following the game. “We had two days off in between and we had some rested legs. Just loved our defensive intensity. I think that was the difference in the game.”
Mitchell put on a show in front of his former sidekick, scoring 29 points on 10 of 19 from the field and 3 of 9 from 3-point range to go with nine assists and five rebounds in 30 minutes.
“It’s a testament to our group,” Mitchell explained. “Been a long two days. There’s so much that has gone on and for us to have the mental ability to do what we did tonight, it was good to see. It was impressive.”
Jaylon Tyson, who received an organizational vote of confidence following its deadline dealings, chipped in with 17 points and four rebounds. Sam Merrill had 11 points while Jarrett Allen, fresh of a career night against the Blazers, finished with 10 points and 11 boards in 23 minutes.
Dennis Schroder, one of two Cavalier newbies making their debut Wednesday, checked in at the 7:21 mark of the first quarter. He made his first basket about 30 seconds later — a driving layup.
In all, the pesky Schroder tallied 11 points, six assists, two rebounds and three steals in 19 impactful minutes off the bench.
“Impressive win. Great group of guys,” Schroder said after his debut. “Holding them under 50 points in a half, we didn’t have that in Sac for a long time. A really competitive group here that wants to play defense, share the ball and play fast. I love it. I feel comfortable already.”
Keon Ellis, Schroder’s old Sacramento teammate who came with him in the same deal for De’Andre Hunter, had six points, drilling a pair of triples.
The surgical Cavs shot 51% from the field and 39% from beyond the arc. They dished out 30 assists on 50 made shots. They never trailed. Forty-eight minutes of brilliance. A glimpse of the new-look roster’s upside — even without Harden who is likely to make his debut this weekend.
The Clippers were led by newly-named All-Star Kawhi Leonard who finished with 25 points and eight rebounds.
As the final seconds ticked away, Garland stayed seated next to his family in that corner, thinking about what once was and no longer is.
Then, one by one, all of his old teammates came over to give hugs and say goodbye.
That’s when it sunk in. After seven years, Garland is gone.
Weird.
Up next
The Cavs will continue their road trip on Saturday night against the Sacramento Kings. Tipoff is set for 10 p.m.
