The red-hot Cleveland Cavaliers are on a roll, and don’t look now, but they are 7-4 on the young season and are currently riding a four-game winning streak. The Wine and Gold went into Madison Square Arena Sunday night and took it to the New York Knicks 126-109. This fast start for this young group is getting a lot of attention because they haven’t been this good early since the days that LeBron James was still a Cavalier.
The team has also been dealing with several players out due to injury or other medical issues such as COVID-19 health and safety protocols. Cavs forwards Kevin Love and Lauri Markkanen have both been sidelined for protocols reasons. The team has also been without wing Isaac Okoro for several games due to a hamstring injury.
In addition, it was announced on Monday that Cavs starting guard Collin Sexton will be out indefinitely due to tearing his meniscus in his left knee. Despite all these heartaches, the Cavaliers are winning and winning in ways that quite honestly we haven’t seen since the title season of 2015-2016. So how is this all possible? It’s pretty simple to see what some of the reasons are for the recent run of success so let’s discuss it a bit more, and examine three reasons, in particular.
#1: The Cavs bench
Let’s here it for the little guy. The guy that does all the dirty work. The guy that never gets the well-deserved praise for the team’s glory. The Cavs have been building and building since 2016. Not only a starting five that now is taking down numerous playoff teams from a year ago, but also a bench that is very confident in itself and can compete every night with anyone. Players like Dylan Windler of late, Dean Wade, Cedi Osman, Lamar Stevens and the veteran Ricky Rubio have all shined at various moments through this early part of the year.
With Sexton now being sidelined for a while, Rubio will likely step into the starting spot opposite point guard Darius Garland. It’s a great time for Rubio to make his appearance after that career night against the Knicks where he dropped 37 points and 10 assists. Rubio has been a huge part of this Wine and Gold success story so far and he certainly will have a big hand in the outcome of the next series of games with Sexton out.
Cavs forward Dean Wade also has started the last few games and has added a nice defensive-minded player to the mix. The former Kansas State product just has a knack to do the little things in a game that just make a huge difference between winning and losing. He’s diving after loose balls on the floor or chasing down an opponent in transition that prevents an easy score. His six to eight points a game as a starter aren’t overwhelming anyone but his role isn’t to be that offensive juggernaut. He’s hit the nice three-pointer on occasion and dished a nice assist or two to his guards.
Dylan Windler has found himself producing at timely moments too. While coming off the bench the sharpshooter from Belmont had 13 points in the win against the Portland Trail Blazers going three-for-three from beyond the arc and then knocked down three more threes in the win Sunday at New York.
Not to be left out, is Cavaliers forward Cedi Osman who has been spectacular with his shooting and has helped keep the Cavs close in games in the past that might have been an automatic loss. He only had two points in the Knicks game but he has added 12, 13, 17 and 20 points in the other games over the last week. He was 19-for-34 over the those games, going 56 percent from three-point land.
#2: Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen
These twin towers for Cleveland are proving their worth with every dribble, blocked shot and slam dunk of the ball. I don’t think I’ve said “wow” from my living room recliner so many times watching these two play this season. It really is at the root of the Cavalier success story so far.
Jarrett Allen has, literally before our very own two eyes, taken on a new personality when he’s out on the floor. He’s not the same guy we watched last season and just seems to be driven this year by being more aggressive and determined. Isn’t that awesome to watch a young player grow and get better? It’s why I’ve always loved coaching but that’s a story for another day.
With that energy seeping from Allen’s pores it seems to have dripped onto a young rookie Evan Mobley as well. Mobley is a rookie, but you wouldn’t know it from watching him play.
This young player has been outstanding in all parts of his game. From altering opponents shots, to knocking down a mid-range jumper from the elbow, to delivering a big three-pointer in the fourth quarter, this kid is really playing at a superstar level.
In the game the other night, under the bright lights of Madison Square Garden, he put down a career-best 26 points, going 11-for-15 for a nifty 73 percent shooting. He was a plus-26 on the floor in New York too, which is outstanding and another reason his addition to the Cavaliers has them winning.
#3: Newfound confidence
Confidence means everything. When you’re a young kid and you’re learning the ropes, let’s say as a teacher one doesn’t always exude confidence. But as an experienced yet aged, let’s say veteran school teacher you might share your confidence by having the ability to manage and work with your students in a nurturing and learning way better.
We aren’t here to talk school teaching, but what has happened with the Cavs team this season and that growing confidence we can all see with each game is definitely winning out and has these Cavaliers playing at a high level.
Games that were lost in previous seasons are now wins. In the recent win at the Toronto Raptors, when they played a very talented Raptors squad, the Cavs simply wouldn’t go away. They kept chipping away and finally grabbed the lead with 4.8 seconds left.
On Sunday in New York, on the biggest stage in basketball, where LeBron James used to have memorable games to the delight of the Knicks fans, these new Cavaliers played with an enthusiasm for the game like I haven’t seen for ages. The players diving after a loose ball or trying to grab a ball going out of bounds has been tremendous.
I give Cavs head coach J.B. Bickerstaff, who I’ve been critical of in the past, credit for really reaching this young team. His words and messages in practices and game huddles are seemingly finally starting to pay off and that must be exciting to him and his coaching staff.
Anything is possible and I believe this team knows now that it can compete and beat anyone in the league and that is how you get to the postseasons and championships. Don’t tell this Cavalier team they don’t belong because they know they do.