By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
The Cleveland Cavaliers officially clinched a berth in the 2026 NBA Playoffs, presented by Google, following a victory at Chase Center, but the milestone was nearly overshadowed by a chaotic fourth-quarter sequence. With 9:28 remaining, the atmosphere turned volatile when Dennis Schroder committed a hard foul from behind on a driving LJ Cryer. Following a video review, officials ruled the contact a Flagrant 1, citing the German guard’s leap and kick into the Warriors guard.
The physical play immediately drew the ire of Draymond Green, who was assessed a technical foul after shoving Schroder while helping Cryer up from the floor. Seven seconds later, the Braunschweig native was whistled for his own technical. The officiating carousel concluded with Cavs head coach Kenny Atkinson receiving a technical of his own.
Despite the flurry of whistles, 32-year-old Schroder remained effective, finishing with 12 points on 4-of-7 shooting and six assists in 20 minutes, marking his first double-digit scoring performance in the 2025-26 Regular Season since early March.
Reflecting on the situation, Warriors head coach Steve Kerr remained pragmatic about the impact of the penalties. “It got a little heated there for a bit, but our team handled it well. I think we took the lead after that and had our chances, but I don’t think that stretch won or lost the game,” he noted during his postgame press conference. “I think it was just part of a physical game, two teams playing very hard.”
The win keeps Cleveland firmly in fourth place in the Eastern Conference, trailing the New York Knicks by a single game with five remaining.