The Cavs’ transition game will be crucial heading into 2021

The Cleveland Cavaliers have had more success when they’ve been able to get out and run.

I’m not expecting the Cleveland Cavaliers to be a fast-paced team, in the overall sense, this season. Thus far, the Wine and Gold are 21st in pace through five contests, which would seem to be about what I’d have expected coming into the season.

That’s probably fine for them, and we know that, even with Kevin Love sidelined, as of Tuesday for the next three to four weeks approximately due to a calf injury, after which he’ll be re-evaluated, Cleveland won’t be a top five team in pace.

That’s just not realistic; granted, Love as a trailer in secondary transition can still make things happen, and/or as an outlet passer.

Anyway, even though the Cavs won’t be a particularly fast-paced squad in a general sense, I still believe the transition game will be crucial for them. They’ve had success in that area so far, albeit we are still just five games into this 2020-21 season.

The transition game will be crucial for the Cavs heading into 2021.

For the Cavs, in an overall sense, they need to keep incorporating the transition game fairly regularly into their offense. Now, some of that can be limited, but it does seem that Cleveland is making more of a concerted effort to get out and run, though.

Through five, Cleveland is in the middle of the pack in transition frequency, and in terms of efficiency, they have placed in the 48th percentile thus far, both per Synergy Sports. Those metrics were better through four, but either way, last season, they were second-last in transition frequency, and placed in just the 10th percentile in terms of efficiency, per Synergy.

Of course, the defensive effort from them, and from players such as Andre Drummond, Larry Nance Jr. and JaVale McGee, has had plenty to do with the generating of those chances early this season, but the Cavs have converted on those more, too.

Now, were the Cavs going to lead the league in steals per game this season?

No, albeit even with Cleveland’s rough loss to the Indiana Pacers on Thursday, it is evident that when the Cavaliers are applying pressure/shutting off passing lanes and on-point with their help, Collin Sexton, Nance and Darius Garland can ignite them in the open floor. By getting those transition looks, it can generate momentum and get guys going.

Sexton, while it has been five games, is still third in the NBA in total transition points, and he’s placed in the 79th percentile in scoring there, per Synergy. His improved finishing, along with him being more put together physically, has played into that.

Anyhow, the Cavs are currently 12th in the league in transition points per game, which could be sustainable. Although if they keep making heady lead passes, and if they can find a way to be more disruptive than they were consistently against Indy last game, they could have more of their transition looks open up.

And with Kevin Love out of the lineup for a good bit here, that’s crucial, from my perspective, along with, in settled offense, Cleveland taking what is there, but also making sound extra passes.

On the plus side, when Kevin Porter Jr. (personal) is back in the fold, with his athleticism, handle, body control and passing feel on-ball, that could definitely help the Cavs in the open floor for stretches, too. Diddo for Isaac Okoro, of whom is not seemingly yet cleared from his foot sprain.

Let’s also hope Okoro, who was recently placed into the NBA’s COVID-19/health and safety protocol, albeit did not test positive, based on no negative player tests since a Dec. 24 round of testing, as h/t Cleveland.com’s Chris Fedor, is back fairly soon, too.

Okoro, both in the defensive/ball pressure realm, and with him being such a polished finisher, could really aid the Cavaliers’ transition efforts, and that’s in the passing/ball movement sense, too, I believe.

I don’t want to discount Cedi Osman there, either, who was second on Cleveland in total transition scoring last season, but that’s more so in a cutter/walk-in triple shooting sense in bench minutes, feasibly.

In any case, for the Cavs, while I’m not saying it’ll happen a ton of the time/that they’ll generate boatloads of live-ball turnovers into 2021 here, it’s paramount that they can get out for some easy baskets in the open floor from pushing it.

That’s whether or not Love is available; it’s clear that gives this squad juice, to go with productive ball movement when they are in settled offense.