The Cleveland Cavaliers just put the league on notice.
Speaking to reporters postgame, Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra commented on the State of the Cleveland Cavaliers and gave a glowing complement:
"“This is a team that’s been playing very well. They’ve caught everybody’s attention with how well they’re playing and not just in general, particularly at home.”"
After a 5-7 start that, while indeed evidence of a team that had a lot of work to do, was causing premature hysteria, the Cavs have won nine straight games. In these nine games, they’ve held their last three opponents to under 100 points while scoring over 110 points in all but three contests (they’ve scored over 100 points in every game this season).
According to the NBA’s team stats, the Cleveland Cavaliers have averaged 111.6 points per game (3rd in the NBA) while shooting 46.7 percent from the field (7th in the NBA) and 37.5 percent from three-point range (11th in the NBA). They’re taking 35.9 three-point attempts per game (2nd in the NBA) and drawing 20.7 fouls per game (2nd in the NBA), which shows their floor balance and their focus on getting points from the most effective areas to shoot from: around the rim and behind the three-point line. For a team playing without one of its top two rebounders, the Cavs are actually 5th in the league in rebounds per game (46.0).
Their offensive rating (110.9) has been the fourth-highest in the league over the last nine games while their defensive rating (100.5) has been the fourth-best in the league. Their true shooting percentage (58.5) has been the fifth-highest in the league during that time.
To speak more on their defense, which has seen them being more consistent with their rotations, more alert off-ball and more aggressive on-ball, the Cavs have been holding opponents to a field goal percentage of 43.6 (5th-best defensive field goal percentage in NBA) and a three-point percentage of 30.9 (best defensive three-point percentage in NBA) over the last nine games.
Stifling defense indeed.
As Spoelstra, LeBron James and Dwyane Wade’s former coach alluded to, the Cavs have also been playing particularly well at home. Four of the Cavs’ first seven losses came at home and they had a 3-4 record at home during the streak. The Cavs have won four games at home since the win streak started.
A big part of that definitely has been the energy of the crowd, as The Q has been lively ever since James’ “Arthur” post.
However, it has much more to do with the Cleveland Cavaliers finding a thriving second unit; the increased comfort and aggressiveness of Wade; the consistency, shooting and playmaking of Kyle Korver; the dominance – yes, dominance – of Kevin Love; and the play of James, a basketball god.
Cavs’ head coach Tyronn Lue deserves credit as well, as the Cleveland Cavaliers have changed their offensive philosophy from a drive-and-kick offense to one of catch-and-shoot threes and post-ups to fit their personnel. Now, there’s more off-ball movement and cutting than Cleveland fans have probably ever seen as the Cavs play through their talented frontcourt (and Wade). On defense, while blitzing ball-handlers has become a staple of their scheme and their rotations have been timely, they’ve been playing guarding players on the perimeter with intensity while making a number of plays with help defenders.
For a team that was struggling to find their identity on either end, the Cavs have been consistent in what they run on both ends and the rotation. That doesn’t seem likely to change although Isaiah Thomas, Iman Shumpert and Tristan Thompson are out with injuries, Thomas will simply take the spot and Shumpert will return to the second unit. Unless the Cavs start Thompson (and potentially disturb a key to James’ early season dominance), Thompson will have the hardest time finding a role in the second unit but it will be up to Lue to figure out how to utilize a player with Thompson’s hustle, rebounding ability and defensive versatility without ruining the chemistry.
Thompson is a player who will probably absorb some of Jeff Green’s minutes, who is already playing a career-low 20.9 minutes per game (but shooting a career-high 49.0 percent from the field scoring 17.3 points per 36 minutes, the second-best mark of his career). Green is the only other frontcourt player the Cavs have that doesn’t possess a consistent jump shot, so in terms of fit, this is key in determining Thompson’s role moving forward.
Lucky for the Cavs, they’ve started rolling before Thomas returns to full health. If the NBA is already on notice, just imagine what they’ll see when Thomas replaces Jose Calderon in the starting lineup.
Pennywise and IT. That’s a scary sight.
Related Story: Cavs must strike fear into their opponents
*Unless otherwise referenced, all stats gathered from www.basketball-reference.com