Cavaliers vs. Spurs: Score and Twitter Reaction from 2015 Regular Season
The Cleveland Cavaliers staged a furious rally to force overtime against the reigning NBA champion San Antonio Spurs on Thursday, with Kyrie Irving's career night helping the Cavs to a huge 128-125 victory.
Irving hit a buzzer-beating three to force the extra action, and his tremendous play only continued in what may have been the most entertaining NBA game of the 2014-15 season to date.
Cleveland's fourth-year floor general finished with a personal-best 57 points on 20-of-32 shooting, including a perfect 7-of-7 from beyond the arc. He got the better of a captivating point-guard duel with Tony Parker, who finished with a team-high 31 points on 15-of-23 shooting.
Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich gave it up to Irving following the game, via Project Spurs' Paul Garcia:
ESPN Stats & Info noted the epic heights Irving has reached this season, coming into his own while playing alongside returned superstar LeBron James, who matched Parker with 31 points:
James and Irving fed off each other in overtime, both blessed with a hot hand. When Irving wasn't filling it up or slashing to the hole, James was draining shots. Two clutch three-pointers from the four-time MVP forced San Antonio's defense to stay honest, and the final one put the Cavs up, 125-120.
Chris Fedor of the Northeast Ohio Media Group observed the symbiotic, budding relationship unfolding before viewers' eyes between the Cavs' most lethal scorers:
San Antonio led by six points with 33 seconds remaining in regulation, but Cleveland's impressive resolve helped land a huge road win. Irving had 11 points in overtime, and even the Spurs' championship experience couldn't save them from the wunderkind's wrath.
Bleacher Report's Ethan J. Skolnick observed a neat exchange between the head coaches afterward:
The timeless Tim Duncan had a great all-around game for San Antonio with 18 points, 11 rebounds, eight assists and four blocks. Spurs swingman Kawhi Leonard poured in 24 of his own to go with nine boards and seven dimes, although he did miss two key free throws with four seconds left in regulation, leaving the door open for Irving to drill the game-tying buzzer-beater.
Against San Antonio, Irving simply wasn't going to be denied, flashing the killer instinct and heart of a champion, even if he hasn't earned the actual hardware to back that up just yet.
CNN's Rachel Nichols tweeted comments from TNT analyst Charles Barkley about Thursday's game:
While this win will do wonders for Cleveland's collective confidence, one issue could plague the Cavs as the stakes grow, as ESPN.com's Dave McMenamin noted:
The Cavs head coach phased Kevin Love out of the lineup in the fourth quarter, and the All-Star forward played sparingly in overtime. Love being largely MIA was of little consequence with Irving going full supernova, but his diminished role continues to be mystifying considering the monster numbers he put up in Minnesota.
Whatever happens with Love in the future, the Cavs can at least bask in the glory of taking down the mighty Spurs. They would have learned a lot even if they lost a highly competitive game like this, but Irving instead educated NBA fans on his place among the league's elite point guards.
Irving hasn't played significant, winning basketball in his young career until this season. He's shown clutch ability late in games in the past, but he's now doing it on the big stage.
With the run the Cavs are on, overcoming early struggles to vault themselves up to the Eastern Conference's No. 2 seed, they have the look of a legitimate championship contender. Taking down the reigning NBA champions in their house only further cemented that perception.
In the big picture, this loss isn't devastating for the Spurs, who sit just three games out of the Western Conference's No. 3 seed. However, San Antonio may have provided a breeding ground for Irving to springboard to the next tier of superstardom, which should have the rest of the league on high alert.
