Instant Reaction: Cavs Pull Away In Second Half, Beat Nets 110-88

The pregame festivities had this matchup feeling more important than a normal regular season game, as Prince William and Duchess Kate Middleton were in attendance while LeBron James and Kyrie Irving joined a growing number of players wearing "I Can't Breathe" t-shirts in pregame warmups in protest of the Eric Garner case.

On the court, the Nets got off to a hot start and had the lead early, but Cleveland fought back and held a 50-49 lead at halftime. The second half was a different story, as the Cavs used a dominant third quarter to pull away for a blowout victory.

Turning Point: 

Brooklyn was hanging with Cleveland for most of the game, but the Cavs went on a 19-2 run to close the third quarter and broke the game wide open.

Key Stat:

The Cavaliers absolutely dominated the glass on both ends of the floor in this one, outrebounding the Nets 55-33 (including 20 offensive rebounds). That allowed them to dictate the game by limiting to Brooklyn to one-shot possessions, while getting a lot of multiple-shot possessions themselves.

Cleveland MVP: 

Dion Waiters has largely struggled this season while trying to adjust to his new role as Cleveland's sixth man, but he found his stride tonight and played his best game of the year. He finished with 26 points and an incredible +32 plus/minus rating.

Kevin Love (19 points, 14 rebounds), LeBron James (18 points, seven assists), and Tristan Thompson (14 points, 12 rebounds) also had great games.

Brooklyn MVP: 

Point guard Deron Williams did his best to keep the Nets in it throughout the night, but he didn't get a lot of help. He finished with 13 points and 11 assists.

What’s Next? 

Cleveland returns home to face the Raptors tomorrow night, while Brooklyn hits the road to face the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday.

Be sure to follow our Cavs insider @brauf33 on Twitter and follow our Cleveland Cavaliers page for all the latest news!

RELATED ARTICLES

3 Possible Trade Targets For The Cleveland Cavaliers