Cavaliers have a defensive silver lining quietly changing their outlook

The Cleveland Cavaliers have been a team that prides itself on the defensive end of the floor for the last few seasons now. From 2022 to 2025, they had finished inside the top 10 in defensive rating in each of those years. 

That streak is in jeopardy of being snapped this season, as the Cavs have struggled to find consistency on that end of the floor. They are 13th in defensive rating on the season, but since the end of February, Cleveland is just 17th in that category.

Granted, the team has had to integrate new pieces in James Harden, Keon Ellis, and Dennis Schroder, while also having Jarrett Allen miss an extended period of time due to a knee injury. However, once Allen returns, the Cavs should have a more complete defense than they have in years past.

Cleveland now has difference makers at all levels on the defensive end

While offense has been the talk of the Cavs’ postseason struggles, their defense has also caused issues for them. Against the New York Knicks in 2023, they couldn’t clean the defensive glass. In 2024 against the Boston Celtics and in 2025 against the Indiana Pacers, there were a lot of perimeter breakdowns.

Cleveland has struggled to contain the perimeter over the last few games, but most of those issues seem to stem from a communication problem, rather than a lack of bodies. 

They have a deep wing rotation that can all shoot and defend in Ellis, Dean Wade, Sam Merrill, Max Strus, and Jaylon Tyson. Tyson has his own defensive lapses from time to time, but he plays with a level of physicality and tenacity that makes him a solid defender.

Merrill and Strus are great at chasing people off screens and are almost always in the right spots. They are also both not afraid to mix it up in the paint and do the dirty work or in Merrill’s case, take charges.

Ellis meanwhile is great at creating deflections and getting steals, creating the live-ball turnovers that creates easy offense for the Cavs, something they have been missing in the playoffs.

Wade, Mobley, and Allen are all 6-feet-10-inches or above and can all guard the perimeter, protect the rim, and rebound. That trio has a +17.3 net rating and a stifling 101.5 defensive rating. When Cleveland has those three on the floor, the stops come in bunches. 

Once the Cavs get healthy, they have the pieces to compete defensively. Allen’s return will help immensely, as he is considered the quarterback of Cleveland’s defense. The Cavs do need to turn it up on that end, but they have the personnel to do it.