Cavaliers: 3 things fans should be thankful for regarding 2019-20

Here’s a few things fans of the Cleveland Cavaliers should be thankful for in relation to the 2019-20 season.

The Cleveland Cavaliers‘ 2019-20 season has been alright at this point. No, a 5-13 record is not knocking anyone’s socks off.

Cleveland has made positive strides under the direction of head coach John Beilein and the coaching staff, though, and it’s been good to see Cedi Osman get more involved as a playmaker in the last few games.

Anyway, with Thursday being Thanksgiving, I figured I’d touch on a few things Cavs fans should be thankful for in regards to this season.

#1: Tristan Thompso’s offensive improvement on-ball

Cavaliers veteran big Tristan Thompson has been one of the team’s most important players throughout this year, and he’s done a solid job as a back line rotator, communicator and post defender, for the most part. What I’m especially thankful for is TT’s on-ball offensive improvement shown, though, as I’m sure many Cavs fans are.

Thompson is putting up what would be a career-high with 14.3 points per game according to Basketball Reference, and that’s from him being much more active as a consistent post presence, and coupled with that, he’s shown a lot better touch with both hands with jump hooks.

TT has shown more willingness to attack primary defenders this season when they’ve dropped close to the basket, of which Thompson has then done productive straight-line drives, and gotten to either hooks or gotten lay-ins.

While TT has been an active roller and screener for pieces for Darius Garland, Collin Sexton, Cedi Osman and others (he is also fourth in the NBA in total screen assists, according to NBA.com), Thompson, again, has been more willing to attack his primary defenders.

That’s usually been related to drives more this season, and that’s been encouraging.

Thompson has also had what would be a career-best with 2.3 assists per contest, as noted by Basketball Reference, too.

Beilein has utilized Thompson as a big man passer, just like Kevin Love, often, and TT has gotten a number of on-time deliveries to cutters and players such as Osman and Garland on hand-offs throughout this year.

That’s been a nice wrinkle, too, paired with Thompson always being a great offensive rebounder. Thompson has put up 9.9 rebounds per game this year, and is second in the league in total offensive rebounds, as indicated by NBA.com, which always help teams, and young teams, in particular.

Though I can understand if the Cavaliers want to eventually hold on to Thompson through the 2020 trade deadline due to his improved play, hustle and leadership presence, if the Cavs can get a solid first-rounder eventually with it being paired with a bad contract wing or two decent young pieces for Thompson at some point, that could be a good move for their rebuild.

Moreover, I’m thankful for TT’s improvement on-ball displayed in this 2019-20 season.

Alright, so on to another thing I’m thankful for in relation to this season.