Fighting through injury after injury, the Cleveland Cavaliers are finally finding their stride in the 2023-24 season.
With a statement 121-109 win at home against the reigning NBA champion Denver Nuggets, the Cavaliers won three of their four games this past week. Cleveland overcame a sluggish 4-6 start in their first 10 games and have now earned a winning record since their opening night victory in Brooklyn. Though they have not resolved every issue yet (namely in the turnover department), the Cavs are displaying dynamic offense while maintaining their defensive prowess.
Through 13 games, the Cavaliers are eighth in the Eastern Conference, slowly clawing their way back into the top ranks of the conference. So far, the Cavs have yet to play a single game with their full rotation available. Isaac Okoro did not appear in any action this past week due to knee soreness, and Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland are seemingly trading games to be available and unavailable.
Evan Mobley and Max Strus have been the only two Cleveland starters to play every game this season, which has led to a speedily developing chemistry between the two. Max Strus has assisted Mobley more than any other Cavalier, dishing out 20 assists to Mobley already. As for Mobley, he has assisted Strus 12 times, the second-most on the team. Although the Cavs still need to recoup their health on a consistent basis, the continued presence of Mobley and Strus is a reliable tool in the early season.
Particularly, Mobley looks to be a step above where he was last year. Last season, Mobley recorded 24 double-doubles in 79 games. In 13 games so far, he has already earned nine games with double digit points and rebounds. His improved rebounding has led to a career-high in total rebounds (10.4) and offensive rebounds (3.2). While Mobley’s scoring is not jaw dropping, his mid-range shooting percentage has gone up from 36.4 percent in 2022-23 to 46.7 percent this year.
The chemistry between Mobley and Strus is not the only improvement to Cleveland’s offense this season. It is only an indicator of the tremendous growth the Cavs have displayed. In the offseason, the Cavaliers prioritized 3-point shooting in free agency. Their biggest acquisition was that of Max Strus, followed quickly by the addition of veteran sharpshooter Georges Niang.
Both players established themselves as long range threats throughout their careers, but the Cavs opened the season with poor shooting and lost a number of games due to their inconsistent 3-point shooting. In the past week, however, the Cavaliers shot the ninth-best in the league from deep with 39.8 percent attempts connecting.
Although Cleveland is not shooting from beyond the arc at a league-high volume, their improved ability to make the ones they take has forced defenses to chase the Cavs on the perimeter, allowing for the extra pass to an open man. By selflessly swinging the ball around the court on offense, the Cavaliers are showing a level of versatility that they sorely missed last season.
Not only have the Cavs scored well from outside, but they have reached nearly 60 percent on their 2-point attempts. The improved shooting has instantly opened up the key even more for a team who was already dominant inside the paint. As the Cavs improve their connectivity going forward, their floor spacing will continually help Cleveland take steps forward in the standings. Over a three-game win streak, the Cavaliers are showing the immense talent they have.
Three Cavs have especially impacted the team in the past week, helping Cleveland push through their injury woes.
Coming into the league as an undrafted rookie, Craig Porter Jr. signed a two-way contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers but is quickly playing his way to a full deal. As the Cavs’ injuries stacked up, head coach J.B. Bickerstaff looked to Porter on the bench to help a depleted Cleveland backcourt.
Through his first few games with the Cavaliers, Porter played well in limited minutes, but he did not make a major difference. His first chance resulted in a -10 plus-minus in a loss to the Indiana Pacers, but Porter was unfazed by the rough result. In his most recent outing against the Nuggets, Porter outplayed his contract on both ends of the court with 21 points, 4 assists, 1 block and 1 steal. He has been an engine for the Cavaliers bench squad, igniting the team with his intelligent playstyle. Even though Porter is a rookie, his five years of college basketball experience shines with his veteran-level basketball IQ.
The Cavaliers need a confident player like Porter. He is making the most of every opportunity with the Cavs ever since he found his rhythm with the squad. If he continues this trajectory, it would be far from surprising to see Porter become a full-time Cavalier rather than a two-way prospect.
Without Porter, it is hard to imagine the Cavaliers staying competitive without so many key players. It was hard to know what potential Porter would show this year, but he is undeniably a secret weapon already. His instant impact on the Cavs is nothing short of proof of the endless talent the NBA has every year. Young talent extends far beyond the lottery or even the first round in the modern Association, and the Cavaliers scouting department has found a gold mine in Porter.
Darius Garland started the 2023-24 campaign off the mark. After a career-high 41 percent from deep last season, Garland has only connected on roughly 30 percent of his 3-point attempts this year. Additionally, Garland is recording his worst assist-to-turnover ratio of his career, averaging 5.7 assists and 4.9 turnovers per game.
His early injury struggles have undoubtedly contributed to his sluggish start, but he is beginning to rediscover his game over the past week. On the road against the Golden State Warriors, Garland’s 19 points and 60 percent 3-point shooting lifted the Cavs to their first regular season series sweep against the Warriors since the 2009-10 season.
Turnovers are still an issue for Garland, but he is finding his rhythm over time. Once the Cavaliers can get healthy, Garland’s efficiency is bound to return to normal. For now, though, Garland’s improvements in the last few games is worth noting. He has led the team to their last two wins without his backcourt partner-in-crime Donovan Mitchell.
Since returning from an ankle bruise that sidelined him throughout the preseason and first few regular season contests, Jarrett Allen has helped the Cleveland Cavaliers battle back from their early losses.
Jarrett Allen is known for his interior defense, but very few players have found a way to stop two-time MVP and 2023 NBA champion Nikola Jokic from doing whatever he wants on the basketball court. In Cleveland, though, Jokic had his worst game of the season. Held to only 18 points and falling into foul trouble, Jokic could not lift his team above a determined Cavaliers squad.
With his tough defense, Allen ended the night with a dazzling +42 plus-minus, even though his box score numbers were far from jaw dropping. Allen accepted the challenge and forced Jokic into more than enough mistakes on the night. Managing to beat the reigning NBA champions without your best player is a tremendous feat on its own, but Allen’s defense and physicality gave the Cavaliers the momentum to reach a season-high 26-point advantage in the fourth quarter.
Additionally, Allen and Evan Mobley were a ferocious tandem on offense. Two of Mobley’s five assists came from tossing Allen a lob pass in the paint. Allen did a little bit of everything this week and capped it off with his best game in recent memory.
Following their two-game homestand, the Cleveland Cavaliers will visit the reigning MVP Joel Embiid and the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday for their third In-Season Tournament Group Stage contest.