Cavs’ Isaac Okoro is excelling in these areas on offense and defense

Where Okoro’s excelling defensively: Team defense/playmaking

As we alluded to previously, Okoro has made a name for himself for his on-ball defensive work. Sure, given the matchups he’s tasked with for some extended stretches, there’s going to be some production from opponents.

Despite that, typically, he’s done an admirable job, and he’s forced his share of difficult shots throughout the season in primary coverage of opposing wings and guards.

However, as the season has progressed, while the offense is still a relative question mark, Okoro has shown progression as a defensive playmaker. He’s had 1.4 steals per-36 minutes this season, and his steal and block rates have been a more robust 1.9 percent apiece, respectively.

He’s had six multiple-steal games so far in January in an 11-game span, and that’s included the past pair of contests. Okoro’s anticipation as a team defender has improved in making plays in passing lanes, and he’s made multiple-effort plays of late in recovering to block shots on drivers, and his effort in defensive transition has led to deflections in some sequences.

As he’s gotten more experience and his chemistry with other key defenders such as Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen has been further established, it’s enabled Okoro to accumulate more steals/deflections and blocks as a rotator.

Hopefully, that trend continues as the soon-to-be 22-year-old rounds more into form as a perimeter defender. Work with vets such as Ricky Rubio and Raul Neto can help Okoro in the defensive playmaking realm, too, and one would imagine has behind the scenes in film study.