The Cavs must play as if they’re on a mission to strike fear into their opponents

The Cleveland Cavaliers need to strike fear in their opponents when Isaiah Thomas returns.

If there’s anything that the Cleveland Cavaliers’ 4-0 record against Eastern Conference contenders shows, it’s that the 7-7 Cavs are anything but your average .500 team. If there’s anything to glean from LeBron James’ dominance and his inclination to taunt opponents like Enes Kanter and the New York Knicks, it’s that The King still reigns supreme in the NBA.

But if there’s anything that’s disappointing thus far it’s that the Cavs aren’t striking fear into the hearts of their opponent. It’s seen in their 3-7 record against the low-rung teams of the NBA. In the way those teams come out red-hot against the Cavs as little-known players set career-highs against a matador defense.

However, it’s the reason why players like the Brooklyn Nets’ Rondae Hollis-Jefferson feel like they can say things like this:

https://twitter.com/IAmCHAP24/status/930522167896403974

Keep in mind that the Nets haven’t won more than 21 games in a season where Hollis-Jefferson has played. To be honest, I don’t think I’ve ever seen Hollis-Jefferson talk any smack. So the idea that he did with James and the Cavs is a little alarming.

It’s probably not why Kanter took offense to James trolling Phil Jackson (which he took as a jab to rookie Frank Ntilikina) but James’ fourth quarter dominance during the Cavs’ amazing comeback victory was a perfect way for the Wine and Gold to establish that they mean business. Like he did with the Washington Wizards after John Wall and Bradley Beal’s proclamation that the Cavs were scared to play them in the postseason, James reminded everyone whose boss.

Unlike the game against Washington, James received quite a bit of aid from other players. That’s incredibly important for a team that needs to show that they, collectively, mean business.

James was aided by Kyle Korver and Dwyane Wade against New York but players like Kevin Love (who looks to be entering ‘Minnesota Kev‘ form) and Jeff Green have proven that they’re ready to get their respect back with their play early this season.

Iman Shumpert has shown up and played with his customary energy and attitude but looked great on the court, honestly. Now, J.R. Smith and Jae Crowder must find consistency on both ends and let their passion do the rest, but they too have the qualities necessary to make the Cavs a scary team.

When Derrick Rose and Tristan Thompson return to health, they’ll be helpful in different ways. Rose as an attacking guard who can score around the rim and Thompson as a relentless hustle player and rebounder.

Nonetheless, while much of has been made of the Cleveland Cavaliers’ rocky start (and while there certainly interesting trends to take note of early in the season), the Cavs are a team who – much like they have been for the past two seasons – are trying to weather an injury storm.

Isaiah Thomas will be out until, likely, January 1st (although there are signs he could return far sooner than that).

James missed the first week of training camp dealing with an ankle injury. Shumpert has missed 4 games due to a knee injury. Rose, the Cavs’ incumbent starting point guard, has missed 6 out of the Cavs’ first 13 games this season while dealing with an ankle injury. Thompson has missed 5 games with a left calf strain and will be out until the end of the month.

For a team trying to incorporate four new players into the rotation, who changed the position of one of the Big 3 in Love (from power forward to center), who has half the rotation struggling to find consistency and rhythm, there’s no way to accurately judge a team that’s completely incomplete.

As previously mentioned, there have indeed been interesting trends to take note of. The Cavs’ passive (and league-worst) defense, the shooting slumps of Smith and  Crowder, Rose’s limitations (which do not include his ability to get to the rim and finish), Green’s stellar play, James’ dominance and the return of Minnesota Kevin.

However, the Cavs’ floor balance and ability to keep opponents at bay with the threat of two merciless scorers, as they had before the Irving trade, has been compromised. As a result, what we’re seeing from the Cavs is merely a shadow of their actual image.

When Thomas returns, the Cleveland Cavaliers will be able to function like the time that went to the Finals for three straight seasons, destroying every Eastern Conference contender in its wake. Yet they’ll have a bench that’s more formidable than it’s ever been as well as athletes and defenders that they haven’t had since The Return.

They’ll be able to strike fear in their opponents whether the defense shores up or not because what you don’t want to do is face off against a team with two players who could go for 40 points in the blink of an eye. That’s the Cavs’ true image.

Nobody really wants to go against that.

Especially when that team has a collection of snipers: Love, Korver, Thomas, Smith and Channing Frye (who should remain in the Cavs’ rotation) come to mind and the most physically dominant player in the game.

When Thomas returns it’s time to remind the league who they’re playing with and who they don’t want to play against. It will be time to strike fear in the league and put them on notice.

The “Cavs” never left.

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