On January 13, 2023, the Cleveland Cavaliers had a 27-16 record. Through 43 games this season, this version of the Cavaliers is also 27-16.
Coincidentally, the Cavaliers again sit fourth in the Eastern Conference, and Cleveland's recent playoff rival New York Knicks sit in fifth place. The Cavs have regained their momentum following devastating long-term injuries to Darius Garland and Evan Mobley announced on the same day. That day seemed like a doomsday for Cleveland's season as trade buzz around Donovan Mitchell and Jarrett Allen instantly seized hold of NBA fanbases. Now with both players nearing return, the Cavaliers currently hold homecourt advantage for the postseason and are on a roll.
Solely based on the record alone, it could be justified to think that the Wine and Gold are in the midst of identical back-to-back seasons. Given the roster turnover in the summer and the offensive changes, this could not be farther from the truth. This version of the Cavaliers is likely better than last season for both the regular season and the playoffs. Regardless of the final regular season record, this iteration of Cavs basketball is better than the last.
Fire power from the reserves
There has always been a narrative that Cavs head coach J.B. Bickerstaff is fiercely loyal to his guys, especially the "core four" of Mobley, Mitchell, Allen and Garland. Last year’s stats back that up. The core group all played at least 68 games and averaged at least 33 minutes per game. This stat would not seem outlandish in past eras of NBA basketball in which players were more often appearing in all 82 contests. In the modern NBA load management often reigns supreme, but these four Cavs starters were logging heavy minutes nonetheless.
The main starters last year were burnt out by the time the playoffs came around because they had to carry the offensive load. In the 2022/23 regular season, Cavaliers averaged 112.3 points per game. Out of those 112 points, the starters averaged 96.2 of those points, accounting for 85 percent of the total offense. Last season, the bench averaged 16.1 points per game, which was ranked 28th out of the Association's 30 teams. In short, that is horrendous.
In today’s game, teams need at least a competent and efficient bench to allow their stars reasonable rest. This is especially important in the playoffs, where opposing teams game plan to take away your starters' strengths. This season, the Cavaliers are averaging 36.3 points per game off the bench, which is the 12th best in the league. Simply, the bench guys have raised their game.
One player that has raised his game off the bench is Caris LeVert. Caris last season was a big part of the rotation, playing in 74 games and starting in 30 of them. Verty can get hot off the bench and help carry the offensive load from time to time, making him the perfect sixth man for the Cavaliers. In 2022/23, he averaged 30.2 minutes and 12.1 points per game.
This season he has fully embraced being the first guy off the bench and has even closed out some games with some big shots down the stretch (Knicks game at the Garden comes to mind). He has also made the most of his role, averaging 28.7 minutes per game, while also bringing his scoring average up to 15.6 points per game.
Across the board, shooting efficiency has been a marked improvement for these Cavaliers.
Confident shooting is making a difference for the Cavaliers
Speaking of guys that have made marked improvement in their shooting efficiency, Sam Merrill is quietly having a fantastic season. After losing to the Knicks last playoffs, the Cavaliers made it an emphasis to bring in more outside shooting. Little did they know, they had a guy on the roster already that was ready to break out. Last season, Merrill averaged 11.8 minutes per game and 5.5 points per game while shooting 27.8 percent from three-point range in only five games played. This season already he has played 28 games with 8.8 points per game while shooting 42.8 percent from deep. There is even a campaign out there trying to get Merrill into the NBA All-Star Three-Point Contest.
Merrill and his deep shooting has been one of the reasons that the Cavaliers have been winning games while missing DG and Evan Mobley. He has not been the only one contributing with better distant shooting, as Georges Niang’s shooting and leadership have been a welcome addition to the squad as well. The veteran forward has averaged 22 minutes off the bench and 9.5 points per game.
Along with Merrill, Niang's distance shooting has greatly improved Cleveland’s bench contributions. Last season, the Cavs’ bench averaged 34.1 percent on three-point attempts (ranked 19th), and this season they are averaging 37 percent from beyond the arc (ranked seventh). Niang’s consistency has not been there all season, but his 33-point outburst on January 17 against the Bucks has fans thinking that the newly-dubbed "G-Wagon" could win a playoff game or playoff series with that kind of contribution off the bench.
Versatile offense gives Cleveland an edge
The adversity of losing two starters in December forced the Cavaliers to shake it up.
With Darius Garland at the point guard position, the pick-and-roll offense had some good games early in the season such as their November win over the Philadelphia 76ers. In November, the Cavaliers were getting into the paint effectively averaging 55.3 points per game (ranked fourth). Having this type of playing style is a nice thing to have in their bag; however, the more elite playoff teams have better rim protection and better ability to defend the switch. Thus, having some flexibility in your offensive sets will be key for April and beyond.
Since Garland’s injury, the offense has taken a more "bombs away" approach, emphasizing the outside shooting game and less straightforward pick-and-roll action. The percentage of points coming from the deep in November 2023 for the Cavaliers was 28 percent, good for 27th in the league. In January, 39.2 percent of their offense is coming from three-pointers, placing them fourth in the NBA. By comparison, only 31 percent of the last year's Cavs' offense came from the same range (ranked 18th). If anything, having this offensive approach might make life easier for Garland.
The 2023/24 Cleveland Cavaliers have faced more than their fair share of adversity through the first half of the season. Rather than hanging their heads in defeat, this has allowed the Cavs to discover a different playing style, given the green light to outside shooters and allowed unexpected players to step their games up when it mattered. And for all those aspects, it has made the Cavaliers a better and more dangerous team for the playoffs.