The Cleveland Cavaliers defense looks to be their calling card early on this season.
The Cleveland Cavaliers came into the season projected to be one of if not the worst team in the entire NBA. The Cavs came out of the gates hot, though, and they currently sit at a 4-3 record and are the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference.
There have been minor changes made to the roster over the offseason in comparison to the turnover that is typically seen around the NBA. This raises the question of what has changed for the Cavs to turn them into a winning basketball team.
The biggest area of improvement that Cleveland has experienced is their defense.
Last season, the Cavaliers had one of the worst defenses in the NBA. They ranked 22nd in opposing points per game with 114.8 points given up per game.
Along with this, they eventually would end up having the league’s worst defensive rating for the second straight season, at what was an identical clip as their opponent points average in 2019-20.
The Cavs defense looks to be a key positive to this point this season, though.
So far in the 2020-2021 season, Cleveland has greatly improved on the defensive end. Their opposing points per game have dropped to 105.0 points per game which is the fourth-best in the league. Along with this, their defensive rating has dropped to 102.8 which is the second-best in the NBA.
This improvement has done wonders for the Cleveland Cavaliers. The first thing that it has done is to give the Cavs an identity. Last season, the Cavs seemed to be in no man’s land. They had young lottery picks paired with aging veterans who did not have skill sets that really aligned well with each other.
This season, the Cavs have seemingly been able to unite under a defensive mindset. It aligns incredibly with the city that they are in and the composition of their roster. Cleveland is a very blue-collar and gritty city and a defensive-oriented team could not represent the city better.
Along with this, Cleveland is a team without a superstar-level player and is not a big free agency destination. This leads to being again, a gritty team that can shut down some of the offensive juggernauts of the league, which is something that is perfect for the Cavs.
Obviously, defense is a team effort, however, there are a few players who have really stuck out on the defensive end.
More from King James Gospel
- 3 possible starting lineups for Cleveland Cavaliers in 2023-24
- The Cavaliers may have snagged a hidden gem in Craig Porter Jr.
- 4 players the Cavaliers should pursue in 2024 free agency
- 6 players Cavaliers might replace Jarrett Allen with by the trade deadline
- This stat is one to keep an eye on for Cavaliers’ Max Strus in years ahead
The first being Collin Sexton. Sexton coming into the league was projected to be a potential defensive stopper with a high motor.
Up to this point in his career, he has had some ups and downs in that realm, but looked better as last season progressed on-ball, really, albeit this season, has taken further strides there.
He has looked to be capable of defending the opposing team’s best guard and slowing down almost all aspects of their offensive game. Sexton has also averaged a healthy 1.4 steals per contest, and he deserves credit for his ball pressure.
The second player is Andre Drummond. Drummond is a player who fills up the stat sheet defensively. In terms of defensive rebounds and blocks, he leads the Cavaliers in each of those categories. He averages 10.1 defensive rebounds and 1.9 blocks a game.
The third player is Larry Nance Jr., who has proven himself to be a very versatile defender. He is listed as a power forward, but has the athleticism and build to play small forward, power forward, or center. Currently, Nance has been filling in for the injured Kevin Love (right calf strain) at the starting 4 spot, for what it’s worth.
Anyhow, Nance Jr. leads the team in steals per game with 2.6, and he even has led the entire NBA thus far in total steals with 18. This is an incredible jump from last season in which he only averaged 1.0, albeit Nance’s rotational feel and ability to help take away rollers has continually jumped out, even dating back to last season/the year prior.
The final player that has really stood out on defense is Isaac Okoro. Okoro is another lottery player that had major hype for his defensive play. He has already proven himself to be a highly capable wing defender when he’s been able to go; although Okoro has missed five games due to a sprained right foot, and he was placed into the league’s COVID-19 health and safety protocol.
Fortunately, it seems as if Okoro could make his return on Wednesday at the Orlando Magic, per a report from Cleveland.com’s Chris Fedor. And after Dante Exum, who played so well on defense to this point, suffered a right calf strain on Monday, that’d be aid Cleveland’s team defense once again.
Okoro has excellent athleticism and he has the makings of a truly ultra-switchable defender for Cleveland 1-4.
In any case, with the Cavaliers experiencing a tough bout of injuries, it will be interesting to see if the team will be able to keep up their defensive intensity.
And Darius Garland’s recent right shoulder strain, of which we’ll have to see more on as far as the potential timetable, and he missed Monday’s loss at Orlando, was unfortunate for Cleveland’s offense.
But if they are able to keep up the heat on defense they may be able to continue their early-season success and make a push for the playoffs, of which would be the first time without LeBron James since the 1997-1998 season that they did so.