The Cleveland Cavaliers are playing complimentary basketball

The Cleveland Cavaliers are a resilient bunch. They’ve had their injury issues and social media critics, but they are now riding high, with the longest winning streak currently in the NBA. They have won nine in a row.

Ideally, you’d like to be effective on both ends of the basketball floor. The Cleveland Cavaliers have been one of the best offensive teams in the league since LeBron came back in 2014-15, as they’ve been in the top four in the NBA in offensive rating in each season (including so far this year) since that time, per nba.com. They’ve been at their absolute best when they’ve been executing at a high level on both ends, though.

Only one of “The Return” seasons has seen the Cavs have a defensive rating in the top ten of the association. In that 2015-16 season, the Cavaliers won it all. In this nine-game Cavs heat wave, they’ve been getting back to that two-way execution. KJG’s own Quenton Albertie touched on that in a piece published yesterday.

"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."

What has worked so well is the contrasting styles of the first and second units. The Cavs starters, since Derrick Rose has been out of the lineup, have been much more effective, getting leads at the beginning of games.

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The Cavs’ starters, including with at times Iman Shumpert manning the point guard position, have been more efficient playing with a slower, more controlled pace. Earlier in the year, the starters were struggling, attempting to play at a frenetic pace. One game that comes to mind was an early season loss to the Brooklyn Nets, who were running and gunning all over the floor against the Cavaliers. That didn’t mesh well with Cleveland’s older roster, and the Cavs lost a game they clearly should have won, as they appeared worn down at the end.

Even in early-clock shooting situations, the big guns are shooting efficiently, whereas before it was often D-Rose and D-Wade shooting contested 2’s, and the Cavs’ defense would be in a rough spot defending in transition and in situations where they needed multiple rotations. They haven’t been stuck in as many unfavorable situations defensively in the last few weeks.

Since the turning point in the Cavaliers’ season, a 117-113 loss to the Houston Rockets, LeBron James and Kevin Love have been initiating offense more, when the opportunity has presented itself. The last game against the Miami Heat provided plenty of those looks. Love was firing away, as he was abusing mismatches on the perimeter and got putbacks. Love had a season-high 38 points and was a plus-25.

Nonetheless, In the Cavs’ last nine games, the starters are just 17th in the league in pace, per nba.com. They’ve been able to get favorable matchups with Kevin Love both on the perimeter and in the post, and it’s caused defenses to scramble more. That’s led to easier shots for JR Smith and Jae Crowder out of slow rotations. Even Jose Calderon (69.1 percent true shooting on this win streak) has looked competent knocking down shots above the break from ball movement.

That being said, what has been the ultimate boost has been the bench play for Cleveland in this win streak. For teams in their last nine contests, the Cavaliers’ bench is second in the NBA in net rating, per nba.com. While the starters are playing at a more controlled pace, the bench is making things happen more in the open floor, or with spacing centered around Dwyane Wade’s scoring and playmaking.

He’s been dissecting opposing defenses in pick-and-roll with Channing Frye and has looked much more sure of himself with the ball, while taking over with James on the bench. That said, he’s also been great in his two-man games with James as well. The cutting of Wade, James, and Jeff Green has provided a different element to this Cavaliers’ offense clicking on all cylinders; Cleveland is currently the most effective cutting team in the league, per Synergy.

That’s created more post-ups for Love, and spot-ups for Kyle Korver to do what he does (shoot the ball in the net) on other occasions. In this stretch of wins, Korver has the best net rating and continues to lead the Cavs in threes made per game, per nba.com.

Cleveland Cavaliers

To my surprise, though, it’s the defense of the aging Cavaliers that has fueled this resurgence. The Cavs have been disciplined in their perimeter defense, led by Smith (both with the starting units and with other bench pieces), Korver, and Wade. Cleveland has given up the lowest three-point percentage in these nine games, according to the aforementioned Albertie.

They’ve also been great in their blitzing of opposing perimeter scorers, and that’s enabled them to dictate pace and limit opposing penetration into problem areas on the floor. With the Cavs being the worst team in defensive isolation this year (per Synergy), the pressure defense and forced action from primary ball handlers has prevented guys being on islands as often. It’s also helped to have the team placed third in defending the ball handler in PnR, per Synergy.

Cleveland is in the 83rd percentile in defending cutters and has risen to the 69th percentile in post-up defense, too, per Synergy.

The team defense has been there on a consistent basis, and that was demonstrated against a talented Philadelphia 76ers team Monday night, as Cleveland only allowed Philly to shoot 37.5 percent. Besides great plays from Joel Embiid, the Sixers could not get consistent offense, as the Cavs contained rookie phenom Ben Simmons (just two assists and four turnovers) all night.

Sharpshooter J.J. Redick got off to a rough start and finished only 4-16 from the field. Defending shooters coming off screens has been a clear emphasis this season for the Cavs’ D, and they’ve greatly improved. Cleveland is in the 90th percentile in that category this year, per Synergy.

Now to some good stuff.

As a result of the hustle and tenacity on D, we got to see Channing Frye run like the wind and get this sick pass from Korver in transition.

With the Cavaliers’ starters playing much better to open games, and the bench bringing its energy to both ends, this team is in a great spot. With Isaiah Thomas back next month, look out. The Cavs look fun again.

Must Read: Why this is STILL the best team LeBron James has ever been on

You better keep the Arthur memes coming too, Bron.