CLEVELAND -- For the first time since the end of the 1994 season, the No. 22 was worn by a member of the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Retired by the organization to honor power forward Larry Nance, the No. 22 was kept in the family, as Larry Nance Jr. wore the number for the first time in Sunday’s game against the San Antonio Spurs at Quicken Loans Arena, nearly 24 years after his father last played for the Cavaliers and stepped away from the game.
“It’s really cool,” Nance said following Sunday’s 110-94 loss to the Spurs. “Obviously, I sent the picture to my parents and everything, and we thought it was cool, but as soon as I got out on the court, I kind of forgot about it.”
During his first game with the No. 22 on his jersey, Nance scored four points, corralled four rebounds, two each on the offensive and defensive sides of the floor, handed out four assists and stole two passes over 15 minutes on the floor.
Along with point guard Jordan Clarkson, Nance Jr. was acquired by the Cavaliers in a deal with the Los Angeles Lakers ahead of the NBA Trade Deadline on February 8, and was given the No. 24 upon his arrival and playing in his first game, a 121-99 win over the Boston Celtics at TD Garden, just three days later.
In his first five games with the Cavaliers, Nance Jr. has averaged a career-best 8.6 points, 5.6 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 0.8 blocks and 1.8 steals over 20.8 minutes per contest. Nance Jr. is shooting 58.6 percent from the floor and pulling down an average of 3.0 offensive rebounds per game.
“These guys have done a good job of giving us freedom just to play basketball, so we were getting steals, getting stops, getting rebounds and going,” Nance said. “A couple of those just happened to end up in my hands, so I was just trying to push the break and get us the best shots I could and guys were knocking them down.”
In addition to wearing his father’s number for the same team Larry Sr. twice represented at the NBA All-Star Game and earned three All-NBA Defensive Team accolades, Nance Jr. gets a chance to watch his younger brother, Pete, play for Revere High School in nearby Summit County.
“I got to go to his last game at Shaker Heights and was there sitting on the bench,” Nance said. “Whenever we’re not playing and he is, I’ll be sitting on the bench. I look forward to watching his playoff run, and ‘Go Revere,’ right?
“Me and him are polar opposites. I stay in the paint, not really a ball-handler, and he’s the total opposite. He likes to bring the ball up and take one-dribble pull-ups and threes and stuff like that. I’ve yet to admit it, but I guess he’s a little bit taller than I am as well. He’s going to be really good, and I’m just excited to be home and watch him play.”
