The Cavs almost let another early double-digit lead to a loss for them. They needed someone to step up big, especially with Darius Garland remaining sidelined with an injury.
In the last few games, it's been Donovan Mitchell and Kevin Love who have led Cleveland to victories. But the Cavs got an unsuspected hero in their win over the Suns.
It's safe to say that the Cavs don't beat Phoenix without Raul Neto coming into the game and providing the spark he did.
Cleveland's head coach J.B. Bickerstaff praised Neto for his contributions after the game:
"He was on both sides of the ball extremely impactful. His ability to pick guys up full court, get deflections, move his feet, keep people in front of him, be disruptive. Then again there were times when we were struggling offensively when he found a way to get a bucket. So, he was huge for us tonight."
Catch The Rest Of J.B. Bickerstaff's Comments Here:
Neto did finish with 14 big points during a night when the team couldn't buy a shot from the field. But the scoring was just part of what he provided. He drew a massive charge that sparked a Cavalier run in the third quarter. Neto also caught the Suns sleeping on an inbounds pass and recorded a steal with a quick layup that proved to be a huge momentum swing.
If Neto could quickly play himself into regular minutes if he continues to perform as he did against the Suns on a regular basis.
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