Cavaliers vs. Nets: Play-by-play, highlights and reactions

The Cleveland Cavaliers (43-37) play against the Brooklyn Nets (38-38) at Barclays Center

Game Time: 7:30 PM EDT on Friday April 8, 2022

Cleveland Cavaliers 54, Brooklyn Nets 62 (Half)

What’s the buzz on Twitter?

Alex Schiffer @Alex__Schiffer
Halftime: Nets lead the Cavs 62-54. Brooklyn has stretched it out at times, but Cleveland stayed within striking distance. Good 3-point shooting for BK. Kevin Durant doing Kevin Durant things. – 8:39 PM Kelsey Russo @kelseyyrusso
#Cavs Evan Mobley has 10 points, 4 rebounds, an assist, a steal and a block in 17 minutes of play in the first half. Acclimating right back in after missing 5 games with the ankle sprain. – 8:39 PM Brooklyn Nets @BrooklynNets
Holding the advantage at the break pic.twitter.com/j25NVtiHkY – 8:39 PM Charlotte Hornets @hornets
An ELECTRIC first quarter.
#AllFly pic.twitter.com/5JCl9Jnkah – 8:38 PM Charlotte Hornets @hornets
TSUNAMI ATTACK 🌊
@Kelly Oubre | @Drpepper | @HornetsOnBally pic.twitter.com/SfQgmdJaBg – 8:38 PM The Vertical @YahooSportsNBA
What a finish by Darius Garland 🤯🎪
pic.twitter.com/W56tpGYwoQ – 8:37 PM Chris Kirschner @ChrisKirschner
Nets up 62-54 over the Cavs at halftime. – 8:37 PM Brooklyn Nets @BrooklynNets
Kess out here doing the dirty work 🧼 pic.twitter.com/TGLq6d89GV – 8:36 PM Cleveland Cavaliers @cavs
Rookie of the Year Birthday Boy
#LetEmKnow pic.twitter.com/sIonlGFQRt – 8:35 PM Brooklyn Nets @BrooklynNets
Probably don’t wanna leave him open pic.twitter.com/G7XUaFa9ok – 8:31 PM Kristian Winfield @Krisplashed
Bunch of @Giants players have a suite at Barclays tonight for Nets vs. Cavs – 8:30 PM Cleveland Cavaliers @cavs
“Ladies and Gentleman, there’s your 2022 Rookie of the Year”
@Evan Mobley | #LetEmKnow pic.twitter.com/R4M8sNRXnA – 8:30 PM Brady Hawk @BradyHawk305
The Herro-Bam connection has elevated extremely since that one Nets game without Kyle and Jimmy – 8:26 PM Keith Smith @KeithSmithNBA
Evan Mobley is pretty good. pic.twitter.com/WEmXvJAEqR – 8:26 PM Chris Fedor @ChrisFedor
#Cavs Lauri Markkanen now has his third foul with 3:59 remaining in the second quarter. – 8:26 PM Charlotte Hornets @hornets
MELO IS HOT 🕺🏻🛸💕
@LaMelo Ball | @HornetsOnBally pic.twitter.com/a1KK96qGss – 8:25 PM Cleveland Cavaliers @cavs
Showing off all of his tricks 🪄
@Darius Garland | #LetEmKnow pic.twitter.com/QDJ8HKZkZM – 8:23 PM Charlotte Hornets @hornets
Logo LaMelo 👌
@LaMelo Ball | @HornetsOnBally pic.twitter.com/f7WMVmalW8 – 8:21 PM Kristian Winfield @Krisplashed
Timeout, Brooklyn: Darius Garland is putting on a show here at Barclays Center. 10 points on 5/9 shooting but 2 layups that didn’t make sense. On the last one, he was stumbling out of bounds before tossing the ball up off the glass with English for the basket.
Nets 44, Cavs 34 – 8:19 PM Brooklyn Nets @BrooklynNets
Finishing through the contact 💪 pic.twitter.com/z3iZ68PDJu – 8:18 PM Cleveland Cavaliers @cavs
Won the scrap. Showed some typical DG magic.
@Darius Garland | #LetEmKnow pic.twitter.com/w8FQxjZTYO – 8:17 PM Charlotte Hornets @hornets
Starting off on the right foot 💥
@LaMelo Ball | @Drpepper | @HornetsOnBally pic.twitter.com/UmAyUuzC9b – 8:17 PM Chris Fedor @ChrisFedor
Here is a little more from #Cavs Jarrett Allen’s pregame workout tonight. pic.twitter.com/Ojb9DeaIp6 – 8:15 PM Kristian Winfield @Krisplashed
Evan Mobley, emphatic shot blocker. – 8:14 PM Kristian Winfield @Krisplashed
Here’s a reminder of what’s at stake tonight: Sole possession of the Eastern Conference’s 7th seed. If the Nets win, they will win the tiebreaker because they have a better record in-conference (29-21) than the Cavaliers (26-24). pic.twitter.com/lkw8XBzzRy – 8:10 PM Kelsey Russo @kelseyyrusso
#Cavs Kevin Love makes the first 3 for Cleveland to open the second quarter. – 8:09 PM Charlotte Hornets @hornets
Let’s get to it in the Windy City! 😈
📍 – Chicago, IL
🆚 – @Chicago Bulls
📺 – @HornetsOnBally
📻 – @WFNZ 610 AM/92.7 FM pic.twitter.com/m0fYfHMtIE – 8:07 PM Kelsey Russo @kelseyyrusso
Not a great quarter on either end of the floor for the #Cavs. Nets lead 34-19 at the end of the first. Cavs shot 8 of 20 (40%) from the field and 0 of 7 from 3. Darius Garland leads with 6 pts.
Nets made four 3s in the first quarter, and are 13 of 23 from the field. – 8:06 PM Barbara Barker @meanbarb
Anyone get the feeling KD just was sick of these comeback games? He has 16 points in the first quarter — all in the final 7:14 — and the Nets lead 34-19. – 8:06 PM Brooklyn Nets @BrooklynNets
Locked in to start 🔒 pic.twitter.com/6svaCZfH5p – 8:06 PM Cleveland Cavaliers @cavs
One down. – 8:06 PM Brooklyn Nets @BrooklynNets
16 in the first 🔥
He’s not wasting time tonight. pic.twitter.com/EFWvtMYgIG – 8:05 PM Alex Schiffer @Alex__Schiffer
End of the first quarter: Nets lead the Cavs 34-19. Cleveland started 0-for-7 from 3. Kevin Durant already has 16 points on 6-for-7 shooting. BK is 13-for-24 from the field. Nets treating this like a big game, because it kinda is. – 8:05 PM Nick Friedell @NickFriedell
One of the strongest opening quarters of the season for the Nets. Just dominated the Cavs from end to end.
Nets up 34-19 early. They went 13-for-23 from the field.
KD already has 16 points. – 8:05 PM Brian Mahoney @briancmahoney
Cavaliers are going to barely outscore Kevin Durant in the first quarter. He has 16, they have 17 with 1.3 seconds left. Brooklyn leads by 17. – 8:04 PM Kristian Winfield @Krisplashed
The Nets have doubled up the Cavaliers and opened up a 34-17 lead over here in the first quarter. – 8:04 PM Kristian Winfield @Krisplashed
I asked Steve Nash about the iso-ball we’ve seen in recent games, running the offense at times exclusively through Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving. He said iso heavy ball “is not the plan,” and we see that here in Q1 vs. Cleveland.
nydailynews.com/sports/basketb… – 8:00 PM Rick Noland @RickNoland
Cavs making Nets look like good defensive team – 8:00 PM Brooklyn Nets @BrooklynNets
Off one leg like it’s nothin’ pic.twitter.com/Z77I1Jl7HR – 7:56 PM Kelsey Russo @kelseyyrusso
Nets go on a 10-0 run in about three minutes, forcing #Cavs to call a timeout. Cavs shooting 5 of 14 from the field and have missed all 5 of their 3-point attempts.
Nets lead the Cavs 20-10 with 4:27 left in the first quarter. – 7:55 PM Sarah Kustok @sarahkustok
Big one at @barclayscenter
Join us for @Brooklyn Nets v @Cleveland Cavaliers on @YESNetwork ! pic.twitter.com/nSAYR0YmnC – 7:55 PM Brooklyn Nets @BrooklynNets
Gotta love the energy so far 😤 – 7:55 PM Alex Schiffer @Alex__Schiffer
Nets come out of the break on a 9-0 run. Claxton with a dunk, Durant with a 3, Brown with a layup. Nets started 3-for-10, now five for their last six. – 7:54 PM Kristian Winfield @Krisplashed
Timeout, Cleveland: The Nets have taken a 20-10 lead over the Cavaliers and look like the flat-out better team. Slow starts have plagued the Nets all season, and finally they’re off to a hot start. 6 assists on 8 made FGs. Good basketball being played in Brooklyn. – 7:54 PM Brian Mahoney @briancmahoney
Big game tonight in Brooklyn and so far Kevin Durant and the Nets look ready for it. Up 20-10 early on Cleveland. – 7:54 PM Alex Schiffer @Alex__Schiffer
Nic Claxton and Kessler Edwards are your first two subs tonight. Nets lead 11-10 with 6:27 left in the first. For the second time in as many games, Seth Curry opened the scoring, injury be damned. – 7:51 PM Cleveland Cavaliers @cavs
1,001 career points for #MobleyROTY 🤩
@Evan Mobley | #LetEmKnow pic.twitter.com/6SdC6GdFD2 – 7:49 PM Cleveland Cavaliers @cavs
Congratulations to @Evan Mobley on becoming the 8th rookie in franchise history to reach 1⃣,0⃣0⃣0⃣ points!
#MobleyROTY x #LetEmKnow pic.twitter.com/hG0NrGBXIh – 7:46 PM Charlotte Hornets @hornets
Frequent Flyer Miles
#AllFly x #MIP pic.twitter.com/lWyL6wCabH – 7:45 PM Kristian Winfield @Krisplashed
Bruce Brown just hit a 3, looked at the Cavs bench and held up 3 fingers. The confidence he’s showing in that jumper is night and day compared to last season. – 7:43 PM Alex Schiffer @Alex__Schiffer
Kevin Durant and Andre Drummond both hug Cavs coach J.B. Bickerstaff prior to opening tip. Drummond played for him in Cleveland. – 7:41 PM Alex Schiffer @Alex__Schiffer
From earlier today, Blake Griffin is once again tied for the league-lead in charges despite the drop in playing time recently. He once defied gravity, now he’s succumbed to it. On his mastery of the charge: theathletic.com/3237103/2022/0… – 7:38 PM Alex Schiffer @Alex__Schiffer
Greetings from Barclays. Nets-Cavs tips shortly. A win tonight puts Brooklyn one away from the seven seed. Keep an eye on Milwaukee tonight. They’re playing their stars. Do they rest them Sunday against Cleveland? We’ll see. Meanwhile, KD and Kyrie vs. Mr. LeVert and co. – 7:36 PM Charlotte Hornets PR @HornetsPR
ICYMI: @Rod Boone of @theobserver recapped the @Charlotte Hornets win last night over Orlando, discussing LaMelo Ball’s 3-point shooting and Charlotte’s record setting offense.
#AllFly
charlotteobserver.com/sports/charlot… – 7:34 PM Omari Sanfoka II @omarisankofa
The Cavaliers scored 9 points in the first quarter against the Celtics on Nov. 13. That’s the fewest points any team has scored in a first quarter this season.
The Pistons, who have 4 points with 2:48 to play in the first, are threatening that. – 7:32 PM Mary Schmitt Boyer/Jodie Valade @PDcavsinsider
Wish Cedi Osman a happy 27th birthday as the Cavaliers face the Nets in Brooklyn! Photo: John Kuntz, https://t.co/Hu25cO2vcT #Cavs pic.twitter.com/11EzDW9pe3 – 7:32 PM Charlotte Hornets PR @HornetsPR
PREGAME READ: @Charlotte Hornets F Miles Bridges made major strides on the court this season and has been professional with the media throughout. Because of this, he was named the inaugural Rick Bonnell Award winner. Read about it @theobserver here: charlotteobserver.com/sports/charlot…
#AllFly – 7:31 PM Kurt Helin @basketballtalk
Kyrie Irving: Knicks had ‘good chance’ at signing Kevin Durant and me in 2019 nba.nbcsports.com/2022/04/08/kyr… – 7:31 PM Charlotte Hornets @hornets
The usual.
@CrumblCookies | #AllFly pic.twitter.com/JlRkcOWATz – 7:30 PM Cleveland Cavaliers @cavs
Here. We. Go. #LetEmKnow pic.twitter.com/e32AgzHnYf – 7:29 PM Charlotte Hornets @hornets
INJURY REPORT vs CHI
Gordon Hayward (L Foot Soreness) is out.
@NovantHealth | #AllFly pic.twitter.com/zQfZyCIkiW – 7:24 PM Serena Winters @SerenaWinters
Great to see Jarrett Allen putting in work pre-game tonight!
(He’s still out with the left 3rd finger fracture. You can see him here shooting with a brace on his non-shooting hand). pic.twitter.com/P34XNCnRKK – 7:13 PM Chris Fedor @ChrisFedor
#Cavs Jarrett Allen went thru a pregame workout tonight ahead of the Nets game. (As you can see, he is still favoring his finger, essentially going one-handed) pic.twitter.com/hKhpunM0WC – 7:08 PM Mike McGraw @McGrawDHSports
Lots going on with Eastern Conf play-in position. Cleveland in 7th is a game up on Brooklyn & Atlanta. Cavs at Nets, Hawks at Heat tonight.
Charlotte is 1 game behind Bkn/Atl in 10th, so a win tonight vs. #Bulls would give Hornets some hope of at least hosting the 9/10 game – 7:02 PM Cleveland Cavaliers @cavs
Ready to ball for #TheFirstCedi’s birthday 🥳🏀 pic.twitter.com/x6c4nJIXqC – 7:02 PM Alex Schiffer @Alex__Schiffer
Nets starters vs. the Cavs: Irving, Curry, Durant, Brown and Drummond. – 7:01 PM Brooklyn Nets @BrooklynNets
Sticking with the same starters pic.twitter.com/oHmiSxB4Nl – 7:00 PM David Hardisty @clutchfans
Tonight’s cheat sheet of desirable outcomes for the #Rockets Draft:
MIL over DET
CLE over BKN
TOR over HOU
ATL over MIA
CHA over CHI – 6:54 PM Barbara Barker @meanbarb
Big comeback wins are cool and all, but that’s not the Nets’ ideal strategy On deadline, I prefer they build 20-point lead in the second quarter and maintain it, lol. Cavs, tonight’s opponent, had a 21-point halftime lead in Nov game, and Nets still won.
newsday.com/sports/basketb… – 6:52 PM Brooklyn Nets @BrooklynNets
Cozy Friday fits pic.twitter.com/pxvgGC00LI – 6:52 PM Kelsey Russo @kelseyyrusso
#Cavs starting lineup tonight against the Nets: Darius Garland, Isaac Okoro, Caris LeVert, Lauri Markkanen and Evan Mobley – 6:44 PM Brooklyn Nets @BrooklynNets
If you’re coming to Friday Night Live, get your photo on the Black Carpet outside Section 23 and post it with #EmbraceTheLights for a chance to win a signed KAI t-shirt! pic.twitter.com/i6HbRsICaf – 6:43 PM Cleveland Cavaliers @cavs
Welcome back to the starting lineup, #MobleyROTY! pic.twitter.com/W0nydwsAIh – 6:42 PM Cleveland Cavaliers @cavs
One of two players averaging 25+ PTS and 10+ AST since the All-Star break 🌟
#DGMostImproved x #LetEmKnow pic.twitter.com/Sh3P4PyEYk – 6:37 PM Michael Scotto @MikeAScotto
Cavaliers coach JB Bickerstaff on Kevin Love’s candidacy for the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year award. pic.twitter.com/uVK08rEbFe – 6:27 PM Kelsey Russo @kelseyyrusso
J.B. Bickerstaff said #Cavs Evan Mobley will play tonight. – 6:17 PM Joe Gabriele @CavsJoeG
Per Coach Bickerstaff, #Cavs F/C Evan Mobley will see action tonight. pic.twitter.com/lxPRGefgDb – 6:13 PM Alex Schiffer @Alex__Schiffer
Caris LeVert back in Brooklyn. pic.twitter.com/InBdWPl2w5 – 6:11 PM Cleveland Cavaliers @cavs
Look who’s back 👀 #LetEmKnow pic.twitter.com/lNiNgnJqFB – 6:08 PM Serena Winters @SerenaWinters
Evan Mobley will play tonight, per JB Bickerstaff. #Cavs – 6:07 PM Chris Fedor @ChrisFedor
#Cavs Evan Mobley is playing tonight. – 6:07 PM Duane Rankin @DuaneRankin
Looking at Eastern Conference, three questions pop in my 🤔:
1. Say Nets lose to Cavs in play-in and have to play Charlotte or Atlanta for final playoff spot. Win or go home vs. Trae Young or fast-paced, high scoring Hornets?
2. Bulls 1st round exit?
3. Raptors most dangerous? pic.twitter.com/mZb7reyyCe – 5:38 PM Vincent Goodwill @VinceGoodwill
Notorious trash talker Draymond Green on KD talking trash early in his career: “Who is this? What he doing on the floor? You hear stuff like that and you’re like, “do I really not belong on the floor”? I’ll tell you: he and his teammates left that game pissed off at me.” pic.twitter.com/e2k3hLONvu – 4:24 PM Cleveland Cavaliers @cavs
Seeding at stake.
🆚 @Brooklyn Nets
🕢 7:30PM ET
📺 @BallySportsCLE
@betwayusa | #GetItLocked pic.twitter.com/0tWg14D92T – 4:00 PM James Boyd @RomeovilleKid
If you’re a #Pacers fan and you like first-round draft picks, you should be rooting for the #Cavs — led by All-Star point guard and Gary native Darius Garland — to make the playoffs. indystar.com/story/sports/n… – 3:00 PM Brooklyn Nets @BrooklynNets
Two basketball artists making history.
Watch Episode 6 of The Bridge: https://t.co/n1Iv1qSpye pic.twitter.com/OKpygq57Jx – 3:00 PM Cleveland Cavaliers @cavs
A huge thank you to Dr. Cynthia Johnson who joined us last Sunday to share important facts about autism during our annual Autism Awareness Night, presented by @ClevelandClinic Children’s and @kulturec 💙 pic.twitter.com/lzhgbZ2PtS – 2:30 PM Charlotte Hornets @hornets
“I called Kevin and asked if he’d follow me if I organized a Jordan Tour and he said, ‘Are you crazy? It’s my dream.’”
📝 @sam_perley | #AllFly – 2:06 PM James Boyd @RomeovilleKid
I asked Tyrese Haliburton about teaming up with Gabe York, who has one of the best @Ballislife mixtapes ever (https://t.co/VdJRhVDmD2).
“I was like, ‘Bro, I used to watch your BallIsLife mixtape every day.’ So it is cool. This is the first time I’ve ever met him.” #Pacers pic.twitter.com/CLjaAUoSzV – 2:04 PM Ira Winderman @IraHeatBeat
Heat with uneven playoff record as No. 1 seed; tip time for April 17 opener up in air. sun-sentinel.com/sports/miami-h… And it will be a while before Heat know if opponent is Nets, Cavaliers, Hawks or Hornets. – 1:31 PM Brooklyn Nets @BrooklynNets
Back in Brooklyn for the final of the regular season pic.twitter.com/PyhI69xm1X – 1:31 PM Charlotte Hornets PR @HornetsPR
INJURY UPDATE: @Charlotte Hornets at CHI 4/8
Gordon Hayward (L Foot Soreness) is out
#AllFly – 1:30 PM