Their defense has matured as they’ve built that understanding of what they want to do defensively, of the shot profile they are trying to force and the overall buy-in from the players. Just slightly over a quarter of the way through their season, the Cavs have not faltered much from their defensive identity. The defensive contributions come from all five players on the court. They have the height and length with their big lineup to bother opposing teams. They have both talented individual defenders as well as solid team defenders to build their defensive presence around. What’s changed is the consistent play to back up their statements. The Cavs never wavered in their belief of who they are as a group or altered those goals, even as injuries struck hard. The early days of the season would be their first test to how plausible those beliefs and goals were, as the Cavs faced a slew of playoff-contending teams in the first quarter of the season. They believed they had taken that next step forward. They had goals and aspirations for the Play-In Tournament, maybe even the playoffs. Since the beginning of preseason and the early portion of the season, the Cavs believed their defense would be their calling card. “We can beat good teams on the road, as well.” “We can beat good teams,” Darius Garland said following Monday’s 114-96 win over Dallas. They are sixth in the Eastern Conference with a 12-10 record following their win over the Heat. The Cavs’ defensive identity continues to ring true, and they’ve cemented how they look like a legit team that can compete with some of the best teams in the league vying for playoff spots.
For the third-consecutive game, the Cavs kept their opponent under 100 points. Yet, that wasn’t the element that shined brightest on Wednesday.
0 kommentar(er)
