Portland Trail Blazers Shock the Cleveland Cavaliers

If you looked at the schedule before Tuesday night, you probably penciled this one in as a “W” for Cleveland. The Portland Trail Blazers were in town, coming off the second night of a back-to-back, and frankly, they haven’t been scaring anyone lately. They’d lost eight of their last ten.

But that’s the thing about the NBA—if you don’t show up, you get embarrassed. And that’s exactly what happened at Rocket Arena. The Cavs didn’t just lose; they were outworked, out-hustled, and eventually run out of their own gym in a 122-110 defeat that felt heavier than the final score suggests.

Trail Blazers Exploit Cleveland’s Defensive Nap

Let’s call it what it was: a defensive no-show. The Cavs came out with the kind of energy you usually reserve for a Sunday morning walk, not an NBA game. While Cleveland hung around in the first half, the third quarter was where the wheels completely fell off. The Trail Blazers, a team that struggles to find offensive rhythm, suddenly looked like the ’96 Bulls, torching the Cavs to build an 18-point lead.

It wasn’t just that Portland was hitting shots (though they shot 41% from deep compared to Cleveland’s icy 25%); it was that Cleveland let them get comfortable. Deni Avdija looked like an All-Star, dropping 27 points, while the Blazers’ bench unit outplayed Cleveland’s reserves significantly.

Mitchell and Mobley Can’t Do It Alone

You can’t pin this one on the stars. Donovan Mitchell is in the midst of a career year, and he did his part, pouring in 33 points and trying to drag the offense along. Evan Mobley was right there with him, starting the game aggressively and finishing with 23 points.

But basketball is 5-on-5, and the rest of the roster went missing. Darius Garland had a night to forget, struggling to find his shot (2-of-13 shooting) and finishing with just 6 points. With Jarrett Allen, Sam Merrill, and Max Strus out with injuries, the Cavs needed their healthy guys to step up. Instead, De’Andre Hunter floated through the game with 10 points, and the bench couldn’t stop the bleeding.

Rebounding Woes Continue Against Trail Blazers

Here is the stat that should keep the coaching staff up at night: 54-45. That was the rebounding margin, favoring Portland.

The Cavs have had a recurring nightmare this season where athletic, high-motor teams just bully them on the glass, and the Trail Blazers followed that script perfectly. Without Allen to patrol the paint, the Trail Blazers treated the offensive glass like an all-you-can-eat buffet. It’s hard to win games when you’re giving up second and third chances to a team that is already shooting well.

Cleveland fought back late to make the score look respectable, but it was too little, too late. This team has dropped four of its last five, and “effort” is becoming a concerning buzzword in post-game pressers. They’ll look to bounce back against the Spurs on Friday, but if they bring this same defensive intensity, it’s going to be another long night at the Rocket.