Cleveland Cavaliers

Ashley Bachelor, who is the former partner of Rajon Rondo and the mother of their two children, was granted an emergency protective order against the Cleveland Cavaliers guard after he allegedly pulled a gun on her and threatened her life.

TMZ Sports reported Bachelor wrote the following in the emergency order filing:

I am extremely fearful for my safety and for the safety of my children. Rajon has a history of volatile, erratic, explosive behavior. He is verbally, emotionally, and financially abusive. He physically hits our son and calls him names like 'p---y' and accuses him of acting like a 'b---h.'

Rajon verbally assaults our daughter. He calls her names like 'thot, b---h, and d--khead.' Rajon has made several threats on my life, saying at various times he will shoot me or shoot up my car.

Bachelor described an alleged violent outburst by Rondo on May 11 when he became angry after she asked their son to separate laundry when he and his father were playing video games.

She said Rondo then ripped the game console from the wall, smashed things at the house, told Bachelor "you're dead" when she attempted to "deescalate" the situation and then left the scene before returning with a gun.

She said he demanded to see his son and then "yanked" him outside and yelled at both children for being afraid of him.

Bachelor said she did not intervene because she feared for her life since Rondo had the gun. She said the 36-year-old eventually left the house after his parents arrived.

"We are aware of the report and are in the process of gathering more information," NBA spokesperson Mike Bass said, per ESPN's Malika Andrews.

Rondo has been in the NBA since the 2006-07 season and has played for the Boston Celtics, Dallas Mavericks, Sacramento Kings, Chicago Bulls, New Orleans Pelicans, Los Angeles Lakers, Atlanta Hawks, Los Angeles Clippers and Cavaliers throughout his career.

He appeared in 39 total games this past season for the Lakers and Cavaliers.          

Brooklyn Nets star Kyrie Irving once again lamented how his partnership with LeBron James ended while they were members of the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Irving said on I Am Athlete he wasn't in the right frame of mind to build a truly successful relationship with James and others on the team:

I definitely feel like if I was in the same maturity level I am now and understanding who I am and I look back on that time then, we definitely would have won more championships together because there would've been a better man-to-man understanding about what I'm going through. I didn't know how to share my emotions, I didn't know how to do that. So, instead of sharing, I isolated myself. And I just started pouring myself more into the game of basketball and I had one of my better seasons, but I wasn't connecting with everybody as much during our championship year.

And so in 2017, it was a different year for us. So when we went against Golden State, we went against a great team. When you're not a great team, and you're not clicking on all cylinders and together, you're easily defeatable. You're defeated before you even get to the arena. We were in those games against Golden State, but we definitely could've given them a run for their money, regardless if they had [Kevin Durant].

This isn't the first time Irving has reflected on his Cavs tenure and wondered what could've been. He said in January 2019, more than a year after his trade to the Boston Celtics, that he had reached out to James and "apologized for being that young player that wanted everything at his fingertips."

James also waded back into the situation on Road Trippin' in December 2020. The four-time MVP explained how he "only wanted to see [Irving] be an MVP of our league" and "only cared about his success."

Damn... @kingjames addresses Kyrie’s statements made during the NBA Finals. SUBSCRIBE to get it when it drops ⁦@RoadTrippinPod ⁦@channingfrye⁩ ⁦@RealAClifton⁩ ✊🏾✊🏾. https://t.co/3t6kFNCOC4 pic.twitter.com/KcHfjqkf91

— Richard Jefferson (@Rjeff24) December 8, 2020

To some degree, those comments might have underlined why things didn't work out between James and Irving in Cleveland.

LeBron was almost using a paternal tone to speak about his former teammate, and he didn't seem to consider whether a mentor/mentee dynamic was what Irving was seeking in the first place.

Irving bristled in May 2015 at a question about what "parental role" James was playing for a young Cavs roster that hadn't tasted much collective success.

As Irving was on his way out in July 2017, ESPN's Stephen A. Smith added more perspective when he cited a source who said the seven-time All-Star guard was "not about to let LeBron 'SON' him … treating him like he's the child and LeBron's the father or big brother he’s supposed to look up to."

Somewhat unfairly, Irving's recent comments are likely to fuel the perception he was solely at fault for his and James' relationship breaking down. In reality, each party likely shared some level of blame. 

In general, the three years James and Irving spent together in Cleveland shouldn't be viewed from a standpoint of what they didn't achieve. They won a championship in 2016 and claimed three straight conference titles. It was a great run while it lasted.

Darius Garland was one victory away from making the playoffs for the first time in his career, but the Cleveland Cavaliers lost to the Brooklyn Nets and Atlanta Hawks in the play-in tournament.

While the losses still hurt, he is using them as motivation for the 2022-23 campaign.

"Getting into the playoffs, for sure," he told Tyler R. Tynes of GQ when asked what his goals are moving forward. "I want to make it to the first or second round. That’s my No. 1 goal. Having that play-in game experience and not getting into the playoffs, I was kind of hurt about it. But, next year, we’ll be back better and a lot healthier."

Tynes also asked Garland what specifically hurt about those losses, and the guard explained he just wanted to keep playing in those types of environments:

It was getting that experience and I didn't want the season to end. Being there, feeling the playoff experience, that atmosphere with the whole city behind you, you could barely hear in the arena. It was lit the whole time, in Brooklyn [and in] the second game against Atlanta at home. That was probably the most intense basketball I've ever had in my life. So it was cool having that experience, but I definitely want to get into the playoffs.

There are plenty of reasons to think Garland will get that playoff experience sooner rather than later.

He is part of a talented young core that includes Evan Mobley, Jarrett Allen and Caris LeVert. Garland and Allen were each first-time All-Stars this season, and Mobley was a double-double threat every time he stepped on the floor during his rookie campaign.

The potential return of Collin Sexton, who was lost for the season because of a knee injury, could also bolster Cleveland's chances, although he is scheduled to be a restricted free agent this offseason.

Yet Garland may represent the biggest source of optimism.

The No. 5 overall pick of the 2019 NBA draft took a major jump this season and averaged 21.7 points, 8.6 assists, 3.3 rebounds and 1.3 steals per game while shooting 46.2 percent from the field, which were all career-high marks.

His ability to score from the outside or by attacking all while facilitating and running the offense at just 22 years old suggests the best is yet to come for the Cavaliers.         

Cleveland Cavaliers star Jarrett Allen is considering a return for Friday's play-in game against the Atlanta Hawks, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium.

ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported Allen only views himself as "50-50" for the contest, however.

The 2022 All-Star hasn't played since a March 6 win over the Toronto Raptors after suffering a fractured finger. Per Wojnarowski, he's still experiencing a "significant" level of pain.

Allen more than lived up to his five-year, $100 million extension in the first season. He averaged 16.1 points, 10.8 rebounds and 1.3 blocks in 56 appearances.

After being one of the best defensive teams in the NBA, the Cavs suffered mightily on that end of the floor after losing the 6'11" center. His absence loomed large in a 115-108 loss to the Brooklyn Nets on Tuesday as the Nets scored 50 points in the paint.

Having Allen lining up alongside Evan Mobley would obviously be a boost for Cleveland in a must-win situation. 

The Hawks are fresh off a 132-103 demolition of the Charlotte Hornets in which they shot 52.1 percent from the field. Slowing down a unit that finished with the second-best offensive rating (115.4), per NBA.com, won't be easy.

The fact the Cavaliers listed Allen as questionable would seem to indicate he's not yet back to 100 percent, though, which was backed up by Wojnarowski's reporting. If that's the case, then he may not be the same kind of imposing presence inside he was earlier this year should he even manage to play.

The Brooklyn Nets secured the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference with a 115-108 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA play-in tournament at Barclays Center in Brooklyn.

A first-round playoff series with the Boston Celtics now awaits the Nets.

Brooklyn set a blistering pace with 40 points in the first quarter, at which point it looked like things would get out of hand quickly. Instead, the Cavaliers continued to hang around and trailed by as few as six points inside the final five minutes of the fourth quarter.

Kevin Durant hit a pair of pull-up jumpers to put the Nets back up 10, 103-93, with 3:38 on the clock. Cleveland remained within touching distance but wouldn't get close enough to threaten Brooklyn's lead.

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Notable Performers

Kyrie Irving, PG, Nets: 34 points, 3 rebounds, 12 assists

Kevin Durant, PF, Nets: 25 points, 5 rebounds, 11 assists, 2 steals, 3 blocks

Darius Garland, PG, Cavaliers: 34 points, five assists, 2 steals

Evan Mobley, C, Cavaliers: 19 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 blocks

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Nets Stars Too Much for Undermanned Cavs

Through all of the dysfunction the Nets experienced this year, a sliver of hope remained in Brooklyn that things would start clicking in the postseason. When you have Durant and Kyrie Irving both healthy and available, you like your chances in a best-of-seven playoff series.

Tuesday showed exactly why as the pair torched Cleveland's defense. Sometimes basketball boils down to having the two best players on the floor.

Kyrie + KD in the first half: a combined 13-of-14 shooting from the floor and 4-of-4 from the line. KD has 12 and 7 assists. Kyrie has 20 points and four assists. The Nets are up 14 at the half because their stars almost literally can't miss.

— Mike Vorkunov (@MikeVorkunov) April 13, 2022

This is how these games are supposed to go. They're supposed to be dominant and leave no shadow of a doubt who the better team is. The Nets are up 20 over the Cavs here at the 8:45 mark in the 3rd quarter. Brooklyn is overwhelming Cleveland. Too many weapons on offense.

— Kristian Winfield (@Krisplashed) April 13, 2022

Irving, in particular, seemed to relish heaping misery upon his old team. Even when the Cavaliers had him defended well, he couldn't miss. There aren't many stars more electric than the 30-year-old guard when he's at his best.

Kyrie's putting on a SHOW.

Nets up 40-20 after 1Q. https://t.co/qCQ1aFNtNe

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) April 12, 2022

KYRIE. UNREAL.
He's 9/9 at the end of the first half https://t.co/JYrBJt7VxW

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) April 13, 2022

Irving made his first 12 shots and didn't watch an attempt bounce off the rim until the fourth quarter.

This game did send up some red flags, though. Cleveland outscored Brooklyn in the last three quarters, and the Nets had problems in the brief moments head coach Steve Nash tried to get Durant and Irving a breather.

It's probably not good for the Nets' prospects that I get nervous for them when KD sits out 4 minutes in the 2Q against the Jarrett Allen-less Cavs but that's where they're at right now.

— Yaya Dubin (@JADubin5) April 12, 2022

I imagine it's cold comfort after watching two Hall of Famers put up an ostensibly perfect half of basketball against you, but if the Cavs could just *not* go 3-for-14 from 3, they might be in business if the Nets keep playing with their food

— Dan Devine (@YourManDevine) April 13, 2022

Every time the Cavs went on a run to trim the deficit, there still wasn't much drama. Durant or Irving would hit a big bucket or find an open teammate at a critical time.

Things might get a little dicier if the Nets take their foot off the gas against a tougher opponent.

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Allen's Absence Proves Costly

What could've been for Cleveland.

Even if the team remained fully healthy, the Cavs were bound to hit a wall at some point. Sooner or later, the more seasoned contenders in the conference would push them down the standings.

But Evan Mobley's ankle injury and Jarrett Allen's fractured finger caused J.B. Bickerstaff's squad to sputter down the stretch. Allen remains out of action, and the impact of his absence was laid bare once again.

Cavs Defensive Rating Before Jarrett Allen Injury:
106.5, 4th in the NBA

Since,
117.3, 21st in the NBA pic.twitter.com/sqsQPJvh3J

— Kirk Goldsberry (@kirkgoldsberry) April 12, 2022

The Cavs are out of gas and this is a terrible matchup for them. Add a Jarrett Allen injury and here we are.

It's ok! A one-game, winner-take-all moment in Cleveland on Friday is all you can ask for, given the adversity they endured at the end of this season. #Cavs

— Hayden Grove (@H_Grove) April 12, 2022

This game did provide some positives for Cleveland. If moral victories are a thing, they certainly apply when a young team doesn't throw in the towel in its first postseason test. The extent to which the supporting cast struggled was indicative of how the playoffs—what's effectively a playoff game in this instance—is a different beast.

Cavs not named Darius Garland, Evan Mobley and Kevin Love are 9-of-34 (26.5%) from the field entering the 4Q.

— Ashley Bastock (@AshleyBastock42) April 13, 2022

The way in which Darius Garland put the offense on his back reinforced how he can be a cornerstone for the franchise's future.

Darius Garland OH MY 😳 https://t.co/8UVamYSYke

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) April 12, 2022

#Cavs Darius Garland is in absolute takeover mode. No one else is really touching the ball on offense -- and no one else should at the moment. He is torching every defender in his path.

— Chris Fedor (@ChrisFedor) April 13, 2022

If they suffer another defeat, failing to qualify for the playoffs will undoubtedly be a disappointment relative to what the Cavs did in the regular season. But notching 44 wins means this year has already been a success.

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What's Next?

Brooklyn and Boston will get their series underway Sunday. The Cavs will now play either the Charlotte Hornets or Atlanta Hawks at home on Friday to determine the No. 8 seed.

Cleveland Cavaliers governor Dan Gilbert has joined a group bidding for ownership of the English Premier League's Chelsea FC.

The Ricketts family, which owns the Chicago Cubs, is also part of the group.

"We are excited to join the Ricketts family and Ken Griffin for their bid to acquire Chelsea, one of the most admired football clubs and professional sports teams in the world," Gilbert said in a statement. "We have great respect and deep admiration for the long and winning tradition of Chelsea and their millions of fans across the world. Rock Entertainment Group will approach the bid for Chelsea with the same philosophy as we operate our other professional sports teams: an open mind and a listening ear to the fan base, ample investment and an unwavering commitment to both winning on the pitch and serving the community."

Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich is selling the club amid calls for him to face sanctions related to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Abramovich has a longstanding relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin and was an advocate of Putin taking over for former President Boris Yeltsin.

Abramovich has been involved in peace talks between the two countries. He, along with Ukrainian peace negotiators, showed signs of being poisoned after a meeting in Kyiv last month. 

The billionaire said selling the club is in its best interest. 

Several prominent buyers have emerged as potential suitors, and a decision on a new ownership group is expected soon. Raine Group, which is handling the sale, initially hoped to have a buyer in place by the end of March.

Chelsea is valued at $3.2 billion by Forbes.  Abramovich has been seeking at least $4 billion during the bidding process. 

Gilbert has a net worth of $19.9 billion. 

The Cleveland Cavaliers could be getting back two key contributors soon.

ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported on Tuesday's NBA Countdown that rookie Evan Mobley "could be back as soon as Friday against Brooklyn" from his sprained ankle, while Jarrett Allen has a "very good chance to be back before the playoffs" as he recovers from a fractured finger.

Mobley, 20, last played March 28, while the 23-year-old Allen last played March 6.

JB Bickerstaff said Evan Mobley (ankle sprain) is progressing well & did a lot of on-court work today. #Cavs will have practice on Thursday & see how Evan responds on Friday.

While Jarrett Allen has been ruled out tonight, still a positive sign to see him w/ the squad in ORL.

— Serena Winters (@SerenaWinters) April 5, 2022

"We're monitoring how much attention that finger is getting," Cavaliers head coach J.B. Bickerstaff told reporters Sunday regarding Allen. "Making sure that, if the time comes and hopefully when the time comes, it won't be a conditioning-fatigue-legs, issue. It's just a matter of the finger healing properly and giving him the best time to heal."

Without both in the lineup over the past two weeks, the Cavs have gone 1-3. Since Allen's injury, the Cavs have gone just 6-9, dropping to seventh in the Eastern Conference, with the play-in tournament looming.

It shouldn't come as a surprise, as Cleveland has struggled without its big men. The pair have combined to average 31.0 points, 19.1 rebounds and 2.9 blocks per game. That's a lot of production to replace.

The Cavaliers are playing with house money this season, to a certain degree. While there was no question the team had put together an impressive collection of young talent, led by the two big men and Darius Garland, its jump to potentially reaching the postseason feels a bit ahead of schedule.

That feels reminiscent of the Atlanta Hawks last season, a team that advanced all the way to the Eastern Conference Finals with a young core.

These Cavs will have to navigate the play-in tournament and an even deeper Eastern Conference to pull off a similar trick. Getting back the two anchors of one of the NBA's staunchest defenses—the Cavs have a defensive rating of 108.5 this season, fifth in the league, per NBA.com—will certainly help.

Until then, the Cavs are trying to put their best foot forward.

"We're trying to fight with the guys that we have right now," Caris LeVert told reporters Sunday. "We don't want to put any extra pressure or whatever on those guys. Those guys will be back when they're ready, when they're healthy. Regardless, we got to fight in their absence. We're doing the best we can right now to hold down the fort until they get back, whatever that is."

Cleveland Cavaliers rookie center Evan Mobley had X-rays done after he suffered a left ankle sprain against the Orlando Magic on Monday and they came back negative, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. 

Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com reported there is "no initial feel" for the severity of the injury:

A source who spent time with #Cavs Evan Mobley after the game told @clevelanddotcom they had no initial feel for the severity of Mobley's sprained left ankle. Mobley did tell the source it was "sore" after the game. The Cavs are "gutted" by this one.https://t.co/sD9r3bYKee

— Chris Fedor (@ChrisFedor) March 29, 2022

Mobley had six points on 3-of-3 shooting in 13 minutes at the time of his injury and was ruled out for the remainder of the game.

Mobley also missed time earlier this season after it was announced on Nov. 16 that he had suffered a right elbow sprain that was expected to sideline him for two to four weeks. Since making his return, he hasn't missed a step.

The third overall pick in the 2021 NBA draft, Mobley has established himself as one of the best first-year players in the league this season. He is averaging 15.0 points, 8.3 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.7 blocks per game.

The Cavaliers are playing well this season with a surprising 41-33 record entering Monday, which ranks seventh in the Eastern Conference. Third-year point guard Darius Garland was named to the All-Star Game and is averaging 21.5 points and 8.6 assists. 

The 20-year-old USC product has made a huge impact on the defensive end for the Cavaliers. Cleveland has the third-best defense in the league, holding opponents to an average of 104.7 points per game. It's a sharp improvement for a team that allowed 112.3 points per game last season.

Another injury to Mobley is the latest blow to a young Cleveland team. Starting point guard Collin Sexton is out for the season after suffering a torn meniscus in his left knee. 

Big man Jarrett Allen, who is averaging 16.1 points and 10.8 rebounds and earned a trip to the All-Star Game as a replacement, has not played since suffering a fractured finger on March 6.

While Mobley is set to miss time again, veteran forward Kevin Love is likely to fill his role. Love is averaging 13.4 points and 7.3 rebounds this season. The Cavs also acquired swingman Caris LeVert at the trade deadline. Since joining Cleveland, LeVert has averaged just 12.6 points in 11 games.

From guarding Trae Young to Jayson Tatum, the Cavs star rookie sits down with B/R and Microsoft Azure to tell us about his defensive approach. 

The Cleveland Cavaliers announced Friday that point guard Rajon Rondo will miss approximately two weeks with a toe injury.

The team noted that Rondo suffered the setback during the fourth quarter of Thursday's loss to the Detroit Pistons, and an MRI later confirmed that he had a sprained right big toe.

Rondo has appeared in 14 games for the Cavs since they acquired him in a trade with the Los Angeles Lakers in January.

Cleveland traded for Rondo just days after losing point guard Ricky Rubio for the remainder of the season because of a torn ACL.

Rondo is averaging 7.5 points, 5.0 assists, 3.4 rebounds, 1.2 three-pointers made and 1.0 steal per game with the Cavs. He is also shooting 42.4 percent from the field and 37.0 percent from beyond the arc.

That's far better than what he did in 18 games with the Lakers when he averaged 3.1 points, 3.7 assists and 2.7 rebounds while shooting 32.4 percent from the floor and 26.7 percent from deep.

Rondo was once among the NBA's best point guards, earning four consecutive All-Star nods from 2010 to 2013 when he was a member of the Boston Celtics. In parts of nine seasons in Boston, Rondo led the NBA in assists twice and steals once, and he won a championship.

All told, Rondo averaged 11.0 points, 8.5 assists, 4.7 rebounds and 1.9 steals per game in 527 regular-season appearances for the Celtics.

Since then, Rondo has been a journeyman, playing for nine different teams over the past eight seasons.

Before joining the Cavs, Rondo had stints with the Dallas Mavericks, Sacramento Kings, Chicago Bulls, New Orleans Pelicans, Atlanta Hawks, Los Angeles Clippers and Lakers.

While productive in the minutes he is given, Rondo has not averaged double figures in points or assists since 2015-16 with the Kings.

Still, the 36-year-old veteran's presence and experience are important, especially for a Cavs team led by several young players such as Darius Garland, Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley.

Even with so many young guys, the Cavaliers have been among the NBA's most pleasant surprises this season, as their 35-24 record is good for fifth in the Eastern Conference.

Garland is dealing with a back injury that kept him out Thursday, and Caris LeVert will miss at least a week with a foot injury.

For as long as all of them are out, Cedi Osman figures to take on greater responsibility as a ball-handler, and Brandon Goodwin should see increased playing time as well.