5. Defense
This one is a no brainer, last season the Cavs ranked 21st in the NBA on defense, and this upcoming season, that must change.
This flaw in the team became a huge problem come playoff time. On their way to the Finals, the Cavs only managed to hold opposing teams under 100 points in three of the 13 games played. Opponents had no problem scoring on the Cavs because the team looked lost as a unit on the defensive end.
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Fortunately, Cleveland’s flaws on defense weren’t enough for other Eastern Conference teams to defeat them. However, you can not afford to play that poorly against a powerhouse like Golden State.
To no one’s surprise, the Warriors torched Cleveland every night. Golden State averaged 121 points a game in the Finals and shot 48% as a team. Cleveland showed no ability to stop the Warriors from running on the fast break, and it killed them. The Cavs will have no chance to win if they can’t fix their problems on defense.
The key to fixing the defense might start with LeBron James. It’s no secret that LeBron has been “coasting” on the defensive end lately. James is obviously still a great defender, but he just hasn’t been as engaged as he was in the past.
As the leader of the team, James needs to step it up and lead by example. The Cavs will struggle to be a good defensive team unless LeBron locks himself in every night.