The 2 Cavaliers Who Cost Cleveland the Most in Game 1 Loss Against Pistons

The Cleveland Cavaliers dropped Game 1 against the Detroit Pistons 111-101.

The Cavs tried to put together a second half surge, but their 19 team turnovers, questionable lineup decisions and bad offensive execution proved too much to overcome on Tuesday night.

Let’s take a look at two Cavaliers who did more hurt than help in Game 1.

James Harden

Harden rectified his Game 1 performance with an impressive fourth quarter. But his seven turnovers found himself parked next to head coach Kenny Atkinson on Cleveland’s bench during the third quarter.

With Harden sidelined, the Cavs clawed back into Game 1. As bad as he was, he sparked an 11-0 run in the fourth quarter, giving the Cavaliers a real opportunity to win the game. But Harden's seven turnovers proved costly, especially against a young Pistons team that likes to run in transition. The Pistons had 31 points off of turnovers. Detroit’s 18-point lead just proved too difficult to overcome.

Even though Harden was a perfect 9-of-9 from the free throw line, he was just 1-of-7 from deep, joining an entire Cavaliers team that will need to shoot better in Game 2. Donovan Mitchell had a solid Game 1 despite four turnovers of his own, but was 9-of-19 from the field.

In Game 2, the Cavaliers will need more out of Harden and Mitchell. They had 45 combined points, but their 11 combined turnovers were a bigger issue. The Cavs have the most turnovers through eight playoff games since 1996 with 141. They need to tighten up offensively and take care of the basketball.

Kenny Atkinson

It’s always easy to blame the coach, especially following a game that felt within reach for the Cavaliers to steal. But it felt like Atkinson waited too long to reinsert Mitchell and Evan Mobley in the fourth quarter, especially as Thomas Bryant struggled to contain Pistons All-Star center Jalen Duren.

Jarrett Allen got into early foul trouble, picking up three in the first quarter. But Allen wasn’t on the floor during the closing minutes of the game and only played 18 minutes. Allen finished Game 1 with just two points and three rebounds.

After the game, Atkinson explained that foul trouble messes up rhythm and rotations.

Allen finished the game with only four fouls, though. There’s no debating that he was in foul trouble early, but it felt like Atkinson prevented Cleveland’s big man from building on momentum from his massive Game 7 outing against the Toronto Raptors.

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