Cleveland Cavaliers takeaways: Indiana Pacers are who Cavs want to be

Tristan Thompson looks like his old self.

It’s dangerous to make sweeping conclusions from the preseason, but Tristan Thompson appeared to have regained the athleticism that made him one of the best rebounders in the league.

Thompson has had a tough time recovering from injuries the last two seasons. He stated at the start of training camp that this was the best he’s felt in years and he played like that was the case on Monday night.

The Cavs must be able to win games on the defensive end of the floor if they plan on competing this season. Thompson returning to his 2016 form will go a long way in the Cavs reaching that goal.

The Cleveland Cavaliers’ second unit needs Korver’s shooting.

The Cavaliers will struggle in the halfcourt without Love on the floor. The second unit’s success in the halfcourt could come down to how well they utilize Korver.

The Cavaliers are lacking guys who can find and create their own shot in the halfcourt. While Korver isn’t going to take people off the dribble, he’s someone who can kick-start an offense when he’s hitting his shots.

Cleveland did a great job of utilizing him in the halfcourt on Monday night. They’ll need to keep doing that if this second unit is going to keep them in games. With the way this team is structured, that’s a must.

The Cleveland Cavaliers have their final preseason game Friday night against the Detroit Pistons.