There has been plenty of discussion around the Cleveland Cavaliers and whether or not they are real contenders for the NBA Finals.
For good reason, many have been skeptical. Despite good runs, the core four could not find the solution to working together. The offense was repetitive and clunky, the pace was uncomfortably slow for a young team and they were far too passive from three-point range. Outside of elite defense, the Cavaliers were not meeting the qualifications to be a contender.
Now, under coach Kenny Atkinson, everything is different in Cleveland. Darius Garland is proving doubters wrong who thought he could never be a great player again. Donovan Mitchell is the perfect leader for the Cavs, Evan Mobley is breaking out and Jarrett Allen is an unselfish anchor for everything they do. Beyond the core, players like Caris LeVert and Ty Jerome are making a major impact every night.
How, though, can the Cavaliers prove themselves real contenders after just 12 games? While Cleveland might be undefeated this season with some impressive wins over tough opponents, the regular season is not the playoffs. Starting the season hot can simmer down by the postseason, but advanced stats the Cavs are the best legitimate threat to the Boston Celtics' reigning dominance on the Eastern Conference.
Cleveland's two-way dominance
Defense wins championships, but scoring helps, too. Thankfully, this Cavs squad has both. Filtering out garbage time, Cleaning the Glass ranks the Cavaliers as the second-best offense with 123.6 points per 100 possessions while allowing the sixth-fewest points per possession on defense at 109.8. The Cavaliers also rank in the top 10 for turnover rate on both offense and defense, taking care of the ball and forcing errors on the other end.
Last season, the Cavs' offense was middling in almost every offensive stat. They had the 18th-best points per 100 possessions, the 14th-highest effective field goal percentage and third-worst turnover rate. This stark turnaround is not by accident. The Cavaliers are running an entirely new offense that does not rely on any single player to succeed. Bench players are facilitating for the stars, stars are facilitating for role players and there is rarely a moment of isolation basketball.
Atkinson has replicated the free-flowing offensive system he learned under Steve Kerr and the Golden State Warriors. With two star guards and defensive juggernauts in the core, Atkinson has unlocked the potential for this team to take not just one step, but a major leap, forward quickly.
Speedy Cavaliers
As aforementioned, the past years of Cavaliers basketball have included a slow, predictable offense. Often near the bottom of the league in pace in those years, this Cleveland squad is completely different. With a pace of 100.71, the Cavs rank ninth in the NBA and are getting into their offensive sets much faster.
Rather than waiting above the break until more than half the shot clock had already dissipated before running a pick-and-roll again and again, the Cavaliers are running up past halfcourt and immediately moving. Even though certain players are prioritized more in scoring, everybody is getting their opportunities. This offense is instilling confidence in every player to take an open shot. If they miss, they still take the next.
While the Cavs are not without mistakes on offense, playing fast gives them a chance to correct that mistake quicker than before. When the shot clock is almost gone before any real offensive development takes place, the opportunity to make up for a forced shot is less effective. Now, even if the defense rebounds the miss, the Cavaliers did not spend half a minute to make no progress.
Pace is far from the most important factor in a good offense. In fact, the best offenses can play at a slow pace while still moving fast and running multiple actions at once. A fast pace may cause more mistakes because there is not enough emphasis on precision. For the Cavaliers, though, this faster style is a necessary departure from a method that was not utilizing the present talent enough to compete with the best the NBA has to offer.
Elite transition play
The Cavaliers are not only more poised on offense and maintaining defensive talent. They are getting out on the break and getting easy buckets. Cleveland averaged 3.2 points per possessions in transition off of steals, leading the NBA. In all transition plays, the Cavs' offense has the second-most points per possession at 5.7 points.
Per 100 transition plays off a steal, the Cavaliers average 158.7 points. These Cavs have the second-most total steals of any team this season, collecting 118 steals thus far. Four Cavaliers (Mitchell, Jerome, LeVert and Garland) are averaging at least 1.2 steals per game.
Cleveland is paying attention to everybody and everything on defense. Off-ball, players are staying aware of the passing lanes and jumping for opportunities when the opponent is forced into a bad pass or last-second mistake. Jerome especially has become a fan-favorite menace, picking pockets of unsuspecting guards and creating his own fast breaks.
None of these statistics alone make the Cavaliers a title contender. Together, though, they are a telling sign that this squad is special. Atkinson is not just maintaining the status quo. He is raising the standard and uplifting his players to match that level. Often, and for good reason, a struggling core or roster seems to need a trade to fix those flaws. But, in this case, building a new climate and culture was the missing ingredient.
With a faster, selfless offense, the Cleveland Cavaliers are engaged and making the right plays every night. Eventually, they will hit a low point this season. Whether that is a three-game slide or much worse, this Cavs squad has shown they have the chemistry needed and all the talent necessary to maintain this historic season into the playoffs.