James makes history, Hill scores season-high 26 points in 129-123 victory over Nets; Three takeaways

Hill posts best effort of 2017-18

From 15- to 20-minute workloads in Sacramento to a critical role in Cleveland, Hill has had quite the change of scenery since the trade deadline. With Isaiah Thomas and Derrick Rose moving elsewhere, the bulk of the point-guard minutes were now in new hands.

Hill found his form in the third, knocking down 6-of-7 shots from the field for 16 points over 10 minutes, 51 seconds. His agility off the pick-and-roll helped create space on mid-range jumpers and floaters in the paint. When Hill was off the ball and James drew coverage, he drained a pair of treys from the corner.

“Just staying aggressive, just trying to find that rhythm,” said Hill. “Just letting the game come to you, taking shots. Putting more focus on the defensive end, and the offense will take care of itself.”

Over the past six games, the Wine and Gold had depended on James for late-game production, leaning on his efforts in the absence of Kevin Love (hand). Hill is averaging 10.1 points per game this season – his lowest since 2011-12 – but an elevated role on a championship-caliber roster might be enough for him to stuff the stat sheet.

“I’ve never moved to another team in the middle of the season,” Hill said. “Just trying to figure things out. Our coaches are doing a great job of implementing us in different situations.”

The 31-year-old out of IUPUI shot a team-high eight free throws, including two conversions to expand the lead to four points with 13 seconds left in the game.

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Related TopicsBrooklyn NetsCleveland CavaliersDerrick RoseGeorge HillIsaiah ThomasJR SmithKevin LoveLarry Nance Jr.Lebron JamesRodney HoodTyronn Lue

John Alfes

John Alfes is a senior at John Carroll University, and hails from Westlake, Ohio. His love and passion for the game of baseball originated in 1998, when he played catch with his father at the age of two. A former collegiate pitcher, Alfes currently serves as a Cleveland Cavaliers reporter for AP Radio/Metro Networks and the Cleveland Indians Beat Writer for CBS Sports/Scout Media Network, all while majoring in Communications (focus in Journalism) and English (focus in Professional Writing). He is the Sports Editor for The Carroll News, Sports Director for WJCU 88.7 FM and Senior Writer for the John Carroll Sports Information Department. John is an Eagle Scout and loves his two younger brothers (Conrad and Daniel) and two parents (John and Celeste). You can follow John Alfes on Twitter (@JohnAlfes) or reach him through email (jalfes18@jcu.edu).

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