After RJ Barrett's miraculous three-pointer willed the Toronto Raptors to a game seven, the Cleveland Cavaliers are in a do-or-die scenario just to exit the first round of the Playoffs victorious.
The Cavs fell short in Toronto, losing game six in a 112-110 overtime defeat. Clutch plays almost gave the Cavaliers the series win, but a few too many momentary lapses gave Toronto just enough room to steal the game and bring it to a final showdown in Rocket Arena.
No single Cavalier has had a great series or an unfathomably horrible one. Despite a hard fall to start game six, Jarrett Allen powered through, playing 34 minutes, scoring 14 points and blocking two shots. Cleveland started the game aggressively attacking the paint, feeding Allen and Evan Mobley on quick roll actions. Toronto held up to keep it a close contest, but it gave the Cavaliers a solid opening frame.
To Cleveland's dismay, though, once the Raptors suffocated the interior, the Cavs rarely returned to their assertive attack. Mobley and Allen only record two field goals in the first quarter, and in the second quarter they combined for three attempts. Both shots from Mobley in the second period were three-pointers.
Early in the game, the Cavs had seemingly found the recipe to attack Toronto's defense. Feeding the paint opened up the perimeter, but once the Raptors closed the arc, the Cavaliers were slow to return to an interior onslaught. It wasn't until the fourth quarter that Cleveland finally leaned back into Mobley as an offensive force. His late three-pointer and layup vauled the Cavs to overtime.
While Mobley was imperfect in the game with unfortunate turnovers and bad ball security, the Cavaliers are still learning the same lesson that has cost them every year in the postseason. Mobley is not the first option, but when he is able to have a good night offensively, the Cavs are nearly impossible to stop.
Cleveland needs to get aggressive before it kills the season
The same reason has been given time and time again for the Cavaliers' early postseason exits. Mental toughness and physicality are Cleveland's Achilles heels. Every summer, there are lengthy testimonies during media availability about how the team is pushing and challenging one another to be aggressive and to take physicality to the next level.
To Cleveland's credit, Allen's toughness to play eight minutes in the first quarter after a concerning fall in the opening play gives credit to that improved toughness. Still, the team's collective aggression is inconsistent and untrusted. The Cavaliers will push Mobley to take over a game and give Allen easy opportunities at the basket, but once pressure comes, Cleveland does not return to that strategy.
If an opposing team knows that the Cavs will only attack the paint so long as it's easy to do so, the defense can adjust quickly and cut Cleveland off from making the most of their towering duo in the frontcourt. The Raptors showed exactly that in game six. Until the Cavaliers trusted Mobley to score inside again, Cleveland's offense was limited in execution and relied on last-second threes and mid-range jumpers.
Cleveland's offense does not flow smoothly when Mobley and Allen are ignored. Attacking the paint was a successful strategy. The Raptors did not have answers enough, but the Cavs still avoided those sets.
If the Cavaliers can survive game seven at home and extend their Playoff run, they cannot shy away from centering the offense around attacking the rim. Players like Sam Merrill and Max Strus thrive off defenses gravitating towards the paint, opening more easy chances for off-ball movement to lead to an open three.
It's obvious that neither of the Cavs' starting bigs are perfect post players. Mobley's ball handling either leads to a crafty layup or a stomach-churning turnover as he loses control of the ball for no apparent reason other than poor timing on his back downs. Allen has a limited assortment of post moves and can be overwhelmed when swarmed by defenders.
None of those flaws are enough reason for the Cavaliers' offense to boil down to a few bouts of big-man actions in the paint and then ignoring their presence for two-thirds of the game. The Cavs are stuck in a tightly-contested series and lost a game with Toronto's leading scorer, Brandon Ingram, on the sideline.
The second round will punish the Cleveland Cavaliers if they are still averse to interior scoring consistently. Whether it be the Detroit Pistons or Orlando Magic, the Cavs will not get away with timid offensive structures. Donovan Mitchell and James Harden can do miraculous things on the court at times, but the Cavaliers will face a swift defeat if Mobley and Allen continue to be afterthoughts. Physicality is a part of the Playoffs. It cannot be an occasional side quest or parlor trick.
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