The start of this Cleveland Cavaliers season has been weirder than Season 2 of Marvel’s Loki. The Cavaliers sit at 1-3 on the year, including three home losses. However, they have not been at full strength for any game so far this season. Just take a look at the injury report prior to their game with the Indiana Pacers last Saturday:
Donovan Mitchell-OUT (Hamstring)
Darius Garland-OUT (Hamstring)
Jarrett Allen-OUT (Ankle)
Ty Jerome-OUT (Ankle)
Ricky Rubio-OUT (Personal)
Four of the Cavs’ top five guards coming into the season were out against the Pacers, including their All-Star backcourt in Mitchell and Garland, who combined for almost 50 points per game last season. Combine that with the absence of Allen on the defensive side, and the steady hand of Jerome and Rubio for the bench, and the Cavs were unbelievably thin in their rotation.
Even for the Oklahoma City Thunder game the night before, they were missing Garland, Allen, and Rubio. Then for their big rematch with the New York Knicks on Tuesday night, the Cavs got Mitchell back, but Caris LeVert was added due to a hamstring injury. As a result, Craig Porter Jr. and Emoni Bates received big minutes. These are two guys that will headline the Cavs’ G-League team this season.
It has been hard to judge this Cavs team due to them not having their full complement of weapons. Fortunately, there is no need to panic, as there are 78 games left in the regular season. This is a marathon, not a sprint, and the Cavs know that. With that said, there have been things that have stood out from what the Cavs have done on the court in the first week. Here are my three takeaways.
When Max Strus signed a four-year, $62.3 million deal with the Cavs, many questioned if he was overpaid, and that he was only good because of Heat Culture. It is still very early in the season, but Strus has done his part to put those doubters to rest.
In the first game against the Brooklyn Nets, Strus set the Cavs record for most three-pointers made in a debut, as he was a blistering seven-of-13 from long range. He also added 12 rebounds. He had a rough game against the Thunder, as he only scored eight points, and was held to two-of-11 from three-point range. However, he then bounced back against the Pacers with 21 points on four-of-nine from three, and he also added 11 rebounds and six assists.
Strus struggled against the Knicks, but the entire Cavs roster did. His impact on the Cavs goes beyond the stat sheet though. His constant movement has opened up the offensive end of the floor for the Cavs and has allowed guys like Mitchell, Isaac Okoro, and Evan Mobley to thrive with more spacing.
Strus has also showcased strong rebounding, and defending for the Cavs in the early going as well, and that has been huge with Allen being out. If Strus can keep this level of play up when everyone is back to full health, then the Cavs can reach their potential.
Tristan Thompson, Cleveland Cavaliers. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)
A focal point of the Cavs’ offseason was to add depth to their frontcourt outside of Mobley, and Allen. They signed Damian Jones and Tristan Thompson to fix this issue. Through the first week of the season, it has become clear the Cavs need to lean on Thompson more than Jones.
Jones has been largely ineffective in his little minutes on the court this season. In three games, he has a total of six rebounds. He has also been ineffective on the defensive side, as he has looked a step slow to challenge shots, and has had trouble being in the right spot.
As for Thompson, he has played in two games so far, but he has been much better than Jones. In eight minutes against the Pacers, Thompson had four points, and five rebounds. Against the Knicks, he had four points, two rebounds, and two blocks in 19 minutes. He was in the right spot constantly and did a great job of dealing with the Knicks’ physicality. He has clearly shown that he can still play, and can provide a lot of value for the Cavs on the boards.
Thompson is showing that he will be much more than a veteran voice. They need his tenaciousness off the bench when Mobley or Allen sits, so the Cavs don’t miss a beat in the paint.
After being out for the past three games, I have reached the point where I am willing to send Darius Garland a massage gun for his ailing left hamstring. The Cavs sorely miss him, and his dynamic playmaking. Garland brings so much to the table as a ball handler, and playmaker, that makes the Cavs offense so dangerous.
He is one of the best pick-and-roll guards in the league, and he is always setting up Mobley for easy looks. His court vision is the best on the roster, and his shooting is deadly. His ability to shift his defender, and get the defense moving has been missed these last three games. He eases the playmaking burden on Mitchell, and Garland allows for Mitchell to be focused on getting buckets.
Whenever Garland is out, there is a lot more on Mitchell’s plate, as he has to look for his own shot, and create for others. As I have said before, Garland reaching his full potential makes the Cavs a dark horse in the East. He has to get healthy, so the Cavs can start having success in the first month of the season.
It is only the first week of the NBA season, so there is no need to fret over the Cavs 1-3 start. Things will get better as guys reach full health. Don’t worry Cavs fans. The team will start to “Let ‘Em Know” soon.