When Evan Mobley and Darius Garland went down to injury in December, many Cavaliers fans felt the season was over.
Missing two starters could sink any team, and the outlook for Cleveland was quite negative because Evan and DG are not to be back until late January at the earliest for either player. Still, the Cavaliers persisted. The Wine & Gold has progressed in many ways since the injuries, giving hope to the fanbase for their return.
Four underlying statistics point to how the Cavaliers have improved month-on-month. Rebounding improved defensive rating, second-chance points and three-point shooting has kept the Cavs afloat with their missing stars and into homecourt advantage at the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference.
Improved team rebounding is at the core of Cleveland's win streak
With Evan Mobley getting hurt and having knee surgery, conventional wisdom suggests that the Cavaliers' defense and rebounding would suffer. This has not been the case. In November, the Cavaliers ranked 19th in offensive rebounding percentage (27.7) and 21st in overall rebounding percentage (49.7). For December, there was a marked improvement to ranking sixth in offensive rebounding percentage (32.2) and eighth overall (51.3).
In the small sample size of January (five games), Cleveland ranks third in offensive rebounding percentage (33.2) and second overall (55.2). One quick observation that could be the catalyst for this statistical progress is the increased minutes and effective play of Cleveland veteran Tristan Thompson. Also, the stellar play of Jarrett Allen has been another big reason for the rebounding improvement as JA has had nine double-doubles in the last nine games, a career-high streak.
Although not known for rebounding, Donovan Mitchell has added that element to his game since joining Cleveland. For Spida’s first five seasons in Utah, he had a total of seven double-doubles either assisting or rebounding. Donovan already has nine double-doubles in one-and-a-half years with the Cavaliers. Additionally, Mitchell has four double-doubles this season, with three out of the four being rebounding double-doubles.
This kind of production has been great for Mitchell and makes the Cavs a better rebounding and defensive team. Their rebounding extends beyond just the defensive end, though, elevating Cleveland's offense, as well.
Second-chance points have boosted the Cavaliers' offense
There is a basketball proverb that goes "Boardman gets paid" by the two-time NBA Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard. Controlling the boards defensively and offensively can lead to easy fast break points and 2nd chance points.
The Cavaliers averaged 14 second-chance points (ranked 20th) in November, 17.9 second-chance points (first) in December and 20.3 second-chance points thus far in January (first). On the other side of the ball, the Cavaliers have limited the opponent with second-chance points with their boosted rebounding. In November they allowed 16.5 second-chance points (ranked 26th), 11.8 second-chance points in December (second), and 11 second-chance points in January (third).
The Cavaliers' rebounding has also elevated their offense, getting out on the break and scoring easy transition buckets. In November they averaged 15.5 fast break points (ranked seventh), 11.9 fast break points in December (26th), and 17.4 fast break points in January (sixth). All in all, good rebounding keeps the other team from scoring and can lead to easy buckets on the other end. A simple recipe for success.
The Cavaliers are locked in on defense again
The Cleveland Cavaliers had the top defensive rating for the 2022/23 season. Because the Cavs added some outside shooting in the offseason, plus the difficulty of being consistent each year in the NBA, a regression in defense was expected. After the slow start to the 2023/24 Cavaliers season, the boys have gotten their "Junkyard Dog" mentality back.
In November the Cavs' defensive rating ranked seventh overall with a rating of 111.2. For December, they took a step back with the injuries, sliding to a twelfth overall ranking and a 116.5 defensive rating. Through their five games in January, the Cavaliers are second with a defensive rating of 105.1. Despite injuries, the Cavs returned to form as a league leader on defense.
The combination of better team rebounding and an improving defensive rating allows for easy buckets on the other end of the court.
Cleveland's "Bombs Away" is making the difference
A stylistic change in the Cavaliers' offense since the injuries in December has been the emphasis on three-point shooting, with a November average of 30.1 three-point attempts per game (ranked 27th), a December average of 41.2 three-point attempts (third), and a January average of 39.6 3-point attempts (third). This drastic alteration has not come by accident. Cleveland has trusted in their depth for a spark from deep and has been rewarded for the change.
This offensive shift only works if you are making these attempts at a good clip. Luckily for the Cavaliers, they have been knocking down the three with some regularity. In November they made 35 percent of their three-pointers (ranked 24th), in December 34.9 percent (25th), and in January 38.9 percent (sixth). Over their eleven-game stretch without Mobley and Garland, five Cavs - Mitchell, LeVert, Merrill, Wade and Niang - have shot at least 35 percent from deep, including both Caris LeVert and Sam Merrill eclipsing 40 percent.
Three-point shooting also creates longer rebounds, and even though the Cavaliers are not elite from beyond the arc, their offensive rebounding allows for second-chance points that can keep them competitive going forward. With the return of Garland and Mobley on the horizon, the Cavaliers can hopefully keep these aspects of their game into the final half of the regular season.