The Cleveland Cavaliers pulled out a win against the Golden State Warriors. Let’s go over today’s winners and losers.

On one hand, the Cavs played to their strengths by packing the paint and daring Golden State to shoot from downtown. The math worked in Cleveland’s favor as the Warriors shot just 12-44 from downtown. That’s a win for the Cavs.

Nonetheless, am I greedy for thinking the Cavs’ defense could have been even better? They blew a handful of possessions by simply falling asleep at the wheel.

Let’s take a look at a few examples.

This first clip is a prime example of ball watching. If any of Cleveland’s guards made an active effort to attack the glass, they might have secured this defensive stop.

Next, we see the Cavs… just completely ignore Gary Payton II in the corner.

Don’t get me wrong, I understand why you’d leave a non-shooting threat open. But, is it really smart to not even make the Dubs work for it? I’m not sure it’s wise to leave anyone this available on an inbounds play. Payton misses the shot, but my point remains.

Finally, here’s a clip of James Harden being backdoor cut for a layup. This happened a handful of times tonight.

The Cavs didn’t need to have razor-sharp focus to beat the Warriors in April. But they will need to be more dialed in later this month. This was another missed opportunity to build healthier habits defensively — even if the result was a win.

(Honorable WINNER mention for RealCavsFans. Thanks for the clips.)

Unforced errors were the name of the game. The Cavs let a few mental lapses stop them from having a truly dominant night on defense. The same can be said for their sputtering offense.

Cleveland had double-digit turnovers going into halftime. But it wasn’t just the frequency at which they turned it over; it was how they threw the ball away.

There’s nothing more damaging than carelessly throwing the ball to your opponent. Granting the enemy a full head of steam going the other way with a numbers advantage is how you lose control of games. The Cavs flirted with this outcome throughout the first half, dangerously giving the Warriors plenty of opportunities to score in transition.

Golden State outscored the Cavs 23-8 in points off turnovers. A 15-point swing in one category is big in a game that came down to the wire.

The Dubs deserve some credit. Draymond Green, in particular, did a fantastic job guarding the pick-and-roll and was responsible for blowing up numerous actions. The Cavs’ ball-handlers had a difficult time getting comfortable against a pesky Warriors backcourt, too.

Things eventually normalized as Cleveland regained control in the second half. Still, it was a bit frustrating to see the Cavs spin their wheels for minutes at a time. This offense is too potent to get stuck in the mud. A single Cavalanche would have made this game feel much more digestible.

The Cavs picked up a flagrant foul and two technicals in a span of 30 seconds. Toss in a few turnovers, and I can only describe this moment with one gif:

Thankfully, things didn’t go as badly as they could have. The Cavs pulled themselves back together just in time for a great finish.

This was shaping up to be a bummer of a game. Turnovers and defensive errors were going to result in a frustrating loss.

Then Max Strus happened.

Strus poured on 24 points on 6-10 three-point shooting, multiple coming in the crunch time of the fourth quarter. His off-ball activity made it so the Cavs always had a release valve — and his pairing with James Harden is seamless. Any time the Warriors overloaded on Harden, Strus made them pay.

On defense, he ramped up the intensity by being aggressive on box-outs and getting into his opponent’s chest. All of the tone-setting things you’d expect from a winner like Max.

“Big Shot Max,” said Kenny Atkinson after the game. “It’s just certain guys whose DNA is made, make or miss, it’s either a big shot or a big offensive rebound. That’s why, now that I know him better, it’s like we need him at the end of the game.”

The Cavs know what they have in Strus. That’s why he’s already back in the starting lineup and playing 28 minutes just a few games after returning from injury. This is a guy who can help you win on the margins, as he did tonight.