Cavs must be especially Kevin Love-centric in next few contests

The Cleveland Cavaliers have been hit hard by the injury bug, and in seemingly the next few contests, they’ll need to run offense through the likes of Kevin Love even more than usual.

It’s been really encouraging that the Cleveland Cavaliers seem to be rejuvenated in recent games for the most part, as they are at least 3-3 with J.B. Bickerstaff as their head coach.

Along with that, while it’s hardly of the knock-your-socks-off variety, Cleveland has a somewhat respectable net rating of minus-2.5, according to NBA.com, and the Cavs have had comeback victories over the Washington Wizards and an ever-thrilling come-from-behind effort against the Miami Heat, both of which KJG’s Corey Casey hit on.

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Cleveland has continued to have Collin Sexton light it up as a bucket-getter, as the Cavs’ leading scorer is now averaging 20.0 points per game in the 2019-20 season. Plus, in his last 15 games, Sexton has had 21.9 points per outing on 58.6 percent true shooting and a three-point shooting clip of 44.7 percent, as noted by NBA.com.

We’re also seeing the Bull as a more willing passer, too, as he’s averaged 4.1 assists per game over this 15-game stretch, which is up from 2.8 per outing on the season, and defensively, Sexton has shown growth in regards to his point-of-attack defense.

Darius Garland, while defensively, he’s still struggling, as many young point guards do early on, the rookie keeps displaying his impressive court vision and playmaking ability, and he seems to making quicker decisions more consistently with Bickerstaff at the helm.

Furthermore, in his last 15 games, the rook has averaged 4.6 assists per outing to 2.2 turnovers, and while he shot a fairly average 35.6 percent from three-point range in that span, he’s showing plenty of flashes as a deep shot-maker. I’d imagine if he improves his quickness and gets stronger this offseason, his tight handle next season should pay dividends more for him.

Additionally, Kevin Porter Jr., who had a career-high 30 points versus Miami in that aforementioned comeback, continues to showcase big-time potential as a wing scorer, impact perimeter defender and key secondary or even at times, primary playmaker, for Cleveland.

In these next games, though, while the Cavs will still need Sexton and Porter to make their presences felt and put pressure on opposing defenses, with the injury bug hitting Cleveland hard, the Wine and Gold will need to be especially Kevin Love-centric against the Utah Jazz on Monday, the Boston Celtics on Wednesday and potentially versus the Denver Nuggets on Saturday.

Against Utah, the Cleveland Cavaliers will be without Garland due to a reported groin injury, still Dante Exum (ankle) and Alfonzo McKinnie (plantar fasciitis in his left foot), and Tristan Thompson (left knee contusion) for the second consecutive game.

Andre Drummond is doubtful due to a reported calf strain, too, h/t Basketball Insiders’ Spencer Davies, who suggested that we could see some point KPJ in this one sans Garland, and also noted that Matthew Dellavedova and even two-way point man Matt Mooney could see some meaningful run.

The Wine and Gold could’ve definitely used Drummond, who is fresh off his best performance as a Cav, on Monday against the shot blocking and rolling/screening presence of Rudy Gobert, but instead, Cleveland will need to have a collective effort from Ante Zizic, Larry Nance Jr., Love and feasibly Cedi Osman to keep Gobert off the offensive glass. Davies also noted that Love will be starting at the 5 in this one, Nance will be starting at the 4 and that Porter will be starting at the 2, by the way.

With Cleveland in for a rough matchup against Donovan Mitchell, Joe Ingles, Royce O’Neale and former Cav, Jordan Clarkson, to go with Mike Conley (even with him having a rough season thus far, he still presents a challenge for Sexton and Delly) and 37-22 Utah on Monday, they’ll again, need to be especially Love-centric, and ideally, get to the free throw line at a high clip.

Utah is still a stingy defensive club, though, and with Bojan Bogdanovic in there and Clarkson potentially going off, combined with the Cavs minus key pieces, it’s warranted that the Jazz are considerably favored on Monday, as shown courtesy of The Action Network. Sticking with the script of most public bets at The Action Network in this case, I’d take the Jazz to get the W and cover here, too.

Swinging back to how the Cavs can keep this one tighter, Love had 20 points, 12 rebounds and a team-leading seven assists on Saturday against the Indiana Pacers, per ESPN, and without TT, Dre (two terrific screeners on and off the ball), and Garland, Cleveland needs to get Love even more touches for inside-out scoring and playmaking purposes. While the Jazz I’m sure will have Gobert on Love a good bit, with how Love spaces the floor, I’d think Gobert would still be matched up elsewhere a bunch whereas not exclusively on Love for rim protection purposes, and that could lead to O’Neale on Love on plenty of occasions.

While O’Neale is an instinctive defender that’s sound in perimeter defensive matchups and filled a role admirably as a small-ball 4, if Love’s matched up on him offensively, or the likes of Georges Niang on occasion, Love should be able to get some favorable post-ups and be able to playmake out of the elbows some in this one, while Nance will need to I’d think as well.

Anyhow, this one on Monday, the matchup against Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and the surging Celtics on Wednesday, and against Nikola Jokic and the ever-deep Denver Nuggets on Saturday, with the Cavaliers banged up, they’ll need huge efforts out of Love, who needs to be featured likely even more than is usually the case.

That’s not including just the first parts of games, either, though Bickerstaff does need to try to preserve Love here and there if possible, whereas we’d likely see more initiating out of KPJ in the pick-and-roll game, and hopefully Cedi Osman can have more of an impact throughout games than he’s had recently.

Moreover, let’s hope Garland, Thompson and Drummond don’t miss too much time, as the Cleveland Cavaliers have been much more competitive and showing new life as of late with Bickerstaff leading the way.