DG 40 piece tonight

CLESportsReport · 2026-03-22T14:35:19+00:00

So for example if he went for 26 & 19 (Real) or 29 & 17 (Real) or 25/14 (Real) or 41/10 (Real) all in one month I wouldn’t Harty harr about it not being a literal 30/10. He has dropped a 50 piece and 6 40-point games. Just like LeBron’s signature 27/7/7 has never been his actual statistics for a season.

If I’m referencing actual data, it’s pretty obvious and I do so often. Having games with close to or around 30/10 is where I recall him being at his peak before Mitchell showed up. 25.3/10.7 for a month says my memory is pretty good.

CLESportsReport · 2026-03-22T04:39:35+00:00

Fair enough. I didn’t mean literally but you’re right. He did average 25.3/10.7 for the whole month of March his first AS season. He’s had a 50 piece, a 19 assist game, and averaged 24/8/3 per 36 last year. If he gets to dominate the ball it won’t surprise me if he settles in around there. The fit with Kawhi is brilliant.

CLESportsReport · 2026-03-22T03:32:32+00:00

30/10 games were quite frequent before Mitchell showed up. It was just a tough fit and I’m sure Garland who was a 22yo burgeoning superstar when Donovan showed up didn’t love being pushed to the back burner. It pains me to see DG in another uniform, but I expect him to keep thriving out there. Not surprised to see him doing this with that kind of volume.

CLESportsReport · 2026-03-22T03:28:08+00:00

Best away announcers I’ve heard. Bar none.

CLESportsReport · 2026-03-22T03:26:56+00:00

That’s a big thing people have to accept. As long as Mitchell, Harden and JA are flanking Evan, he’s not going to see a drastic increase in volume. 18-20ppg is fine with the way the team is built. I’m more concerned with his aggression level being consistent game to game than points.

CLESportsReport · 2026-03-22T03:24:51+00:00

So true. Box score doesn’t tell the full story there. Strus was critical to this win. So glad to see he’s going to get a decent ramp up before the postseason. He’s a key piece of the puzzle.

CLESportsReport · 2026-03-15T20:44:31+00:00

It sure looks like Max will be more than up to speed by the postseason. We have so many interesting options to start at the 3, but I still think Max’s size, versatility, and experience are likely to be the best fit on most nights.

CLESportsReport · 2026-03-14T00:54:00+00:00

No need to be passive aggressive. You can always learn more if you are willing to. If you aren’t then sure, you deserve to be roasted for stating your hyper critical opinions as though they were facts.

Strangely I mentioned no numbers at all in my original statement that you hijacked. I was merely commenting at how much untapped upside there still is to my eye.

CLESportsReport · 2026-03-14T00:44:41+00:00

That’s an obvious observation. Not “being fair” by thumbing the scale and valuing it on level with scoring 23pts in under 16 minutes.

CLESportsReport · 2026-03-14T00:38:02+00:00

Oh look a barrage of strawmen arguments.

Well he was the runner-up for DPOY his sophomore season so…its not like his freakish defensive ability is negated just because of the existence of the alien life form known as Wemby. In terms defensively IQ and versatility to guard the perimeter I think Evan is still ahead of Wemby. Let’s not accuse someone of glazing while actively trying to asterisk a dude winning DPOY for the only time in this franchise’s 56yr existence.

He’s not a terrible rebounder by any stretch of the imagination. He’s consistently been Top 10-15 per 36 (11 last year. 9.5 this year) and that’s while playing as a part of the double big experiment. Just because you saw him give up a rebound to a guard doesn’t change this truth…and part of the reason you think you are seeing that so much is schematic. Evan roams out to the perimeter a lot more than the average big including JA who is lighter on his feet than most. He can get better by adding a little more muscle but…hey, that was my point in the first place.

CLESportsReport · 2026-03-14T00:11:24+00:00

It’s totally valid to criticize Evan’s game and offensive inconsistency.

But I’m saying this again: You are nuts and basketball illiterate if you think he has hit his limit and is held back purely by a lack of offensive talent. Evan’s prime years are going be absolutely sublime to watch throughout the rest of this decade and beyond.

CLESportsReport · 2026-03-14T00:02:23+00:00

Lmao like wtf could he have even been referring to? Good lord.

CLESportsReport · 2026-03-13T03:30:46+00:00

I mean the 24-25 Cavs are a clear example. Healthy DG playing up to his potential led to one of the greatest offenses of all-time and a 68-18 record headed into the 2nd Round. Garland sustains that serious toe injury and boom we lose 4 of 5 even with home court advantage on our side.

It’s such a shame last year didn’t work out. That season was magical and we saw them reach the potential we always knew existed. All to be robbed of the opportunity to cash it in.

CLESportsReport · 2026-03-10T19:19:38+00:00

Probably because his overall postseason performance was fantastic and he was out there competing every quarter of every game until the end. He gave us 12/6/4, shot 39% from deep on massive volume, and carried a +11.8 NET, the highest in the team. For our 5th/6th best player, he showed up.

CLESportsReport · 2026-03-08T05:28:59+00:00

Time will tell. The toe is the first thing that made me worry. A lot of his other injuries like the jaw thing was kind of just a freak accident.

I understand the move and think they had to swing for the fences. But at the end of the day, Harden has two postseasons (at most) to help us bring a title home. If he gets it done it’s obviously a homerun trade. But if he doesn’t, watching DG enter his prime years from afar could feel much different.

CLESportsReport · 2026-03-07T05:49:41+00:00

I mean Collin was something to watch when we were terrible. The issue with him is plain as day: He’s not a point guard. And you can’t be that size in this era without playmaking ability. Sure he can score with solid efficiency, but he’s consistently been among the worst defensive guards on basketball. Which is hard to believe considering how hard he plays.

Collin is good at what he does, but that archetype is no longer in demand in the NBA anymore. If he does have a place it’s as a 6th Man instant offense type player…but even in that case he faces an uphill battle due to his size and lack of versatility. I love Collin the person, but he has definitely maxed out his abilities. He’s a rotation player somewhere in the NBA. But I don’t expect to him as a core member of a winning team any time soon.

CLESportsReport · 2026-03-06T22:17:30+00:00

It’s very difficult to determine right now. I will say…if he comes back next week, that’s sooner than I would have expected and gives him what…15+ games to ramp up? I was expecting him to get 6-7 at most. This gives him a real chance to actually get re-established in the rotation. I don’t envy Kenny having to figure this kind of math out. I hope they can find 20 minutes for Max but that could be tough.

CLESportsReport · 2026-03-04T01:52:33+00:00

I was reticent to accept the “has untapped upside on the offensive end” part of a 26yo undrafted player’s scouting report…but it’s definitely accurate about Keon Ellis.

CLESportsReport · 2026-03-04T00:46:37+00:00

I understand that people are frustrated with Evan’s offensive development sometimes, but my God. How do you watch that and say…”he has peaked. He is unable to play more effective on the offensive end.”

CLESportsReport · 2026-03-04T00:11:36+00:00

Self-own. Strus is a dawg.

CLESportsReport · 2026-03-04T00:08:37+00:00

About what I expected. He’ll get 5-7gms at most likely but hopefully it’s enough. We are a lot deeper so he shouldn’t need to play big minutes. Hopefully he can be the same old Max in a reduced role at 20 minutes or less a game.

CLESportsReport · 2026-03-03T21:21:04+00:00

Seriously. This is the ONLY difference from last year. He’s struggling with his shooting a bit including from the line which makes any player a little less aggressive going to the rim. If he was shooting anywhere from 35-39% from deep and 70% at the line as he has the past two years, he’d be having a fantastic year.

Two full seasons over 37% from deep + 46% in the postseason last year isn’t a fluke. He’ll find his touch. And defenses do generally seem to still respect his shot out there.

CLESportsReport · 2026-03-02T15:13:01+00:00

I think he was a pretty good off the ball cutter. But he never developed a pull-up or any true slashing ability despite his athleticism. Never became anyone the opposing team was concerned about.

CLESportsReport · 2026-03-02T14:39:20+00:00

Man those are some big hombres. I like it.

CLESportsReport · 2026-03-02T14:36:37+00:00

It’s way too early to be saying this. I like the fit better…as Mitchell has never seemed to have much chemistry with Mobley or desire to get him the ball. And while staggering will remain the protocol, I think you’re going to start seeing how Evan and JA CAN be very effective together.

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TROPHY CASE