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The Cleveland Cavaliers took care of business as they dispatched the Memphis Grizzlies 142-126.
This felt like a preseason game.
The Cavs chose to give nearly all of their regular rotation players who played the night before against the Indiana Pacers the night off. They were without Donovan Mitchell, James Harden, Thomas Bryant, and Max Strus due to rest, in addition to Dean Wade and Jaylon Tyson still being out with injuries.
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Things were worse on the other side. The Grizzlies had 13 players ruled out for this game. That left nine available players, with four of those being guys on 10-day contracts due to the hardship exemption.
Despite the number of players missing, the Cavs were able to run out some lineups that made more sense compared to Sunday. The starting five of Dennis Schroder, Keon Ellis, Sam Merrill, Evan Mobley, and Jarrett Allen are all expected to be in the playoff rotation. And they played like it.
The Cavaliers made sure this game wasn’t up for grabs in the fourth quarter. A 19-5 run helped them reassert control in the second quarter. Then, a strong third quarter allowed them to create the separation they needed for a stress-free victory.
Schroder had his first great game in a month. He did a good job of setting up the offense and finding avenues to score himself. Continually getting into the lane off the dribble allowed him to do so.
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He finished 22 points on 8-12 shooting to go along with 11 assists. This included going 7-8 on shots in the paint.
Monday’s performance was only the second time Schroder has recorded double-digit points with at least three assists since the first week of March. For reference, he accomplished this seven times in his first 15 games with the team.
As we’ve seen throughout his career, Schroder needs the ball in his hands consistently to be his best self. He’s a rhythm player who requires constant touches to get the most out of his game.
What Schroder does best doesn’t translate as neatly to playing off-ball. He’s not someone who attacks quickly off the catch or is a typical floor spacer. Instead, he’s deliberate in how he probes the…
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Publish date : 2026-04-07 10:00:00
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