The Cleveland Cavaliers have been one of the league’s better defensive teams in recent years. They have finished inside the top 10 in the last four seasons, but last year in the playoffs was their first sign of slippage.
Cleveland had a 116.7 defensive rating against the Indiana Pacers in the second round. The Pacers scored at least 120 points in three of their four wins, running the Cavs out of the gym.
Cleveland’s defensive scheme has been built around their two seven-footers in Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen. Everything is funneled to them, and the Cavs barely give up anything at the rim thanks to those two.
However, the one problem was that they weren’t creating enough turnovers, and their perimeter defense was not aggressive enough. Indiana was far too comfortable getting into their actions and it cost Cleveland.
Head coach Kenny Atkinson has talked about getting back to their defensive identity this year, and so far, the Wine and Gold have answered. They are ninth in defensive rating so far this season, but how they are defending has changed quite a bit this season.
Cavaliers are creating much more chaos defensively
One thing Cleveland has done this year is up their ball-pressure. They are playing a lot higher on the perimeter, and some guys are even picking up players fullcourt (Jaylon Tyson is a prime example).
This has led to the Cavs creating more turnovers, as they lead the league in deflections per game (25.3), and are fourth in the league in steals per game (10.0). Cleveland has nine guys averaging at least two deflections per game, including four guys averaging at least three (Jarrett Allen, Evan Mobley, Donovan Mitchell, and De’Andre Hunter).
The Cavs are also second in the league in turnover percentage, with 17.8 percent of their possessions ending in a turnover. Only the Portland Trail Blazers are higher at 20.8 percent. In their last three games, Cleveland is 2-1, thanks to forcing 60 turnovers.
The Cavs are also capitalizing off those turnovers. They are fourth in the NBA in points off turnovers are 22.1 per game.
The NBA Playoffs are where the game slows down, and scoring is at a premium. Having a good defense helps alleviate that pressure, especially one that creates turnovers, and allows you to play in transition. The Cavs know that, and they made the switch this season.
It is still early, but it is encouraging to see that Cleveland’s adjustment has yielded good results so far. Creating more turnovers is going to make them a more complimentary team, and a lot more dangerous come playoff time.