Can Guardians Get Back To October Baseball? We Just Don’t See It

The regular season starts today for most Major League Baseball teams, including the Cleveland Guardians. What will the season hold for Steven Vogt’s crew this season? Here are our thoughts:

Why they can win. Much has been discussed about the so-called “Cleveland pitching factory” and frankly it is merited. Since 2020, the Guardians have finished in the top half of the American League in ERA in all but one year (2021), and have been in the top three thrice, including the last two seasons.

The 20-7 stretch to end the season last year was in part possible because the Guardians held their opponents to under three runs per contest. They can pitch.

Gavin Williams takes the next step towards being an ace. Slade Cecconi allowed less hits than innings pitched and showed some old school traits, like pitching to weak contact. And Tanner Bibee rebounds from a bit of a tough year and pitches more like he did in his first two seasons.

The bullpen continues to be the backbone of the staff, led by fireballer Cade Smith, and bolstered by new acquisition Shawn Armstrong, while one of the new relievers, Peyton Pallette, Colin Holderman, or Connor Brogdon steps up and becomes another guy Vogt can rely on.

Offensively, Chase DeLauter is what we hoped he’d be, another solid bat in the middle of the lineup. Steven Kwan rebounds from an off year for him. Bo Naylor hits like he did in September when he hit .290 with an OPS of 872.

And of course, Jose Ramirez has another MVP type season.

And two of these players, Gabriel Arias, Brayan Rocchio and Angel Martinez continue to progress like the front offce thinks they will.

The result is a third consecutive AL Central Division title.

Why they won’t. In the wild card era, you have to score runs to make the post-season. While there are exceptions, teams that score the most runs get to play in October. Since 2000, here is where Cleveland has ranked in runs scored in the AL: 13th, 9th, 6th, 12th, 7th, and last year 15th (last).

This year, their luck runs out. Essentially adding two hitters (DeLauter and Rhys Hoskins) to the worst run scoring team in the league doesn’t make a big difference. The team still ranks in the bottom half of the league in scoring

Vogt continues to get subpar offense out of his keystone combination, leading to rushing Travis Bazzana and Naylor is the hitter he has been throughout his career, an OPS of 670.

The starting rotation springs a leak or two due to minor injuries and the rotation depth in Columbus isn’t ready to pick up the slack. And the new additions to the bullpen show why they were available for the Guardians this winter.

What do we think will happen? Unfortunately, we believe the lack of offense finally catches up to the Guardians in 2026 and they will hover around the .500 mark and finish third in the Central Division behind the Tigers and Royals.

Continuing to depend on hitters like Arias, Schneemann, and younger hitters who don’t have a great minor league resume is an issue. We do think DeLauter will be an effective hitter and signing Hoskins helps too, but a good offense needs seven solid bats, and the Guards aren’t there.

We also are concerned about the starting pitching depth. We wish they would have signed an extra arm like Zack Littell or Lucas Giolito to start the year and soak up some innings. Not sure having to have Doug Nikhazy make around ten starts in the big leagues is something to look forward to.

We are sure the influencers won’t be happy, and we would love to be completely wrong and be celebrating October baseball later this year. But we see too many holes right now.

Guardians Seem To Be Basing A Lot On Last September

The Cleveland Guardians had a magical September in 2025. They went 20-7 to erase a 10-1/2 game deficit in the American League Central Division and overtake the Detroit Tigers to win the division.

They also scored 124 runs in those games, which did make up 1/6th of the season, an average of 4.6 runs per contest, compared to the average for the entire year, which was 3.97/game.

During the off-season, the front office talked about giving their young hitters a runway to success, giving that as a reason not to go out and get an experienced bat, save for the Rhys Hoskins signing at the beginning of spring training.

GM Mike Chernoff said over the weekend that one of the reasons for the great September by Steven Vogt’s club was the team got younger, apparently referring to moving on from Carlos Santana and not having Lane Thomas available to the team, creating opportunities for rookies like George Valera and C.J. Kayfus.

We understand Chernoff’s thinking, but he is overlooking a couple of things. First, like the movie Moneyball the pitching was overlooked. The Guardians’ staff allowed four runs per game over the entire season. In last season’s final month, they gave up just 75 runs in the 27 games, an average of just 2.8 per contest.

If you do that, you will win a lot of games, no matter what your offense does. For example, during the Guardians 22 game winning streak in 2017, they allowed just 37 runs in that span.

Secondly, Cleveland didn’t exactly play a bunch of juggernauts down the stretch. Yes, they have the six great games against the Tigers during the last two weeks of play, winning five of six, but they also played 14 games (a little over half) against teams playing out the string.

Now, as usual, it would have been disappointing to lose to those teams, but we are just saying they weren’t dominating the best teams in the AL.

There is an old saying in baseball that you should ignore what happens in April and September because teams are either trying to figure things out (April) or playing out the string (September). Teams out of contention are looking ahead to the following season and looking at some younger players.

Putting all of your proverbial eggs in the basket of what happened in September doesn’t seem like a great strategy when trying to win. And the front office can say what they said about the young hitters, but right now, it looks like the only young hitter who will break camp is Chase DeLauter.

He and Hoskins are the only additions and remember, last year, the Guardians ranked at the bottom of the league in runs scored, even with their September resurgence. We repeat, part of the reason for the great last month was the pitching staff, and that was fueled by two young hurlers with less than 100 big league innings under their belt in Joey Cantillo and Parker Messick.

They also didn’t add to the rotation either, so there is very little big league ready depth to start the year in Columbus.

There’s a reason people don’t predict future events on small sample sizes. We guess the Guardians’ front office will see how it works out for them.

A Frustrating Time For NBA Teams. Cavs Are No Exception

What is frustrating about the Cleveland Cavaliers these days is as one NBA play-by-play man would say, they seem to be “playing with their food”.

Like the other night in Chicago, when Kenny Atkinson’s squad were leading by 29 points in the third quarter and the Bulls trimmed that advantage all the way to one before the Cavs won. In a postgame interview, James Harden, who led Cleveland with 36 points, wasn’t really happy that his team went away from the basketball that got them the big lead.

On the other hand, look at the record over the last ten games for the rest of what would be the top four seeds in the East:

Detroit 6-4
Boston 7-3
New York 7-3
Cleveland 6-4

It’s a malaise that sinks in at this point of the year. The finish line is in plain sight and teams without a doubt do seem to lose focus knowing that the games which really count are about three weeks away.

However, that doesn’t make it less frustrating to watch.

When Koby Altman made the moves at the trade deadline, particularly the big swing for Harden, it was done with a lot of anticipation of getting beyond the conference semifinals and getting the opportunity to play for a spot in the NBA Finals.

Frankly, we can see the Cavaliers getting to the Finals, and we can also see them getting bounced in the first round. Right now, they are that kind of team.

To be fair, Cleveland can’t seem to get their best players on the floor for any long stretch of games. Currently, Jarrett Allen is out with knee tendonitis, and regular readers know how we complain about the lack of big men on the Cavs’ roster. With Allen out, that shows up on a night basis, the lack of size up front.

Since Harden arrived in town, Sam Merrill, Allen, Evan Mobley, Jaylon Tyson, Dean Wade, and even Donovan Mitchell have missed games. Max Strus just played in his first game last Sunday.

It’s tough to develop continuity with players constantly shuffling in and out of the lineup. Meaning consistent play also suffers.

On the other hand, the old saying is that defense should show up every night, and in the last five games, the Cavs have allowed 128 points to Orlando, a possible first round matchup, and 130 to Dallas, a tanking team, and one the wine and gold obliterated two nights prior.

Frustration.

We seem to see Atkinson using a lot of groups including four guards, playing Harden, Mitchell, Keon Ellis, and either Merrill or Dennis Schroder together. Hopefully that’s an experiment because playing against a team with several 6’6″/6’7″ players will be a problem.

And this is where we advocate for Jaylon Tyson (again). Tyson should be the starter at the #3 because he brings a toughness to the starting unit and he is an offensive threat. If you ranked the Cleveland players, we believe he’s their 5th best player behind Mitchell, Harden, Mobley, and Allen.

For a team that has been accused of being soft at times, having Tyson out there to start a game puts some grit out there immediately. Then you can bring Schroder and Ellis off the bench to put even more irritants on the court.

A big week is coming up. Three games at home against playoff teams in Orlando and Miami. One solid week of games would help alleviate the frustration.

Browns Being Stubborn On Certain Players

Over our years in following sports, there are things that we admire from winning organizations. One of those traits is the discussion of stubbornness vs. patience. Good organizations aren’t beholden to poor decisions. Meaning, they make a move, it doesn’t work out the way it was intended, and they move on.

A great example occurred at the NBA trading deadline last month. Cavs’ GM Koby Altman traded Isaac Okoro for Lonzo Ball, a deal we liked at the time. However, Ball’s shooting fell off a cliff, he didn’t seem to fit what the Cavaliers were doing, and Altman moved him at the trade deadline.

He did the same with De’Andre Hunter, who contributed to Cleveland’s 64 regular season wins a year ago, but was struggling with his shot this season despite coach Kenny Atkinson trying him in different roles. He was also moved at the deadline.

Now, consider the Cleveland Browns.

In the last week, people in the media have said Shedeur Sanders was a winner the first week of free agency because the Browns’ did not sign a veteran QB to compete with him. There is plenty of time before the draft and the mini camps start, but it looks like the team is going with a quarterback room of Sanders, Deshaun Watson, and Dillon Gabriel.

Yeah, good luck with that.

We would like to see more of Sanders for sure. We believe he should be better with more experience (most people are) and a better offensive line in front of him. But don’t you have to have a better option behind him if he doesn’t show progress?

And thinking it could be Watson is a ridiculous stretch of any imagination. This is where the stubbornness comes in. Whoever made the call, it was a horrible trade by the organization. Now, it looks like they are trying to get a little justification for the bad deal instead of just moving on.

We are well aware of the salary cap hit involved, but that don’t mean you have to put him on the field. The cap hit is what it is. Putting a player out there who hasn’t played well for six years because of it is just a reach.

And the fans don’t want him playing either.

Another case in our opinion is Jerry Jeudy. The Browns traded a 5th round pick to Denver for him after the organization coveted him for a couple of years. His best year in Denver was his third after being a first round pick, catching 67 passes for 972 yards.

He caught 90 passes in his first year as a Brown, and the organization patted itself on the back quite a bit.

Of those receptions, 44 were when Jameis Winston was a QB, and last season, he fell to 50 receptions, more in line with his production with the Broncos.

Now, the Browns are selling him as a possible #2 receiver, pairing him with whomever Cleveland takes early in the draft.

Our question is this: Do people think Jeudy is going to be happy in that role? Because we do not. But someone in the Browns’ front office thinks highly of him, so they are giving him another chance. Stubbornness.

The Browns haven’t earned any benefit of any doubt. When you have been largely irrelevant in your sport for pretty much 25 years, that’s the way it is.

Just more joys of being a fan of The Browns.

Guardians Looking Pretty Set To Start The Season

It is hard to believe the Cleveland Guardians will open the 2026 baseball season a week from Thursday in Seattle. And there doesn’t seem to be much drama about who will make up the roster when they hook up with the Mariners next week.

We know that Daniel Schneemann has a sprained ankle and George Valera has a calf issue (is this the NBA?), but if both players are ready to play next week, the everyday players appear to be set for skipper Steven Vogt.

The catchers will be Bo Naylor, fresh off his bomb against the US in the World Baseball Classic (WBC), David Fry and Austin Hedges. We do wonder how much Vogt will use Fry behind the plate when the regular season starts.

Fry has struggled with a bat in his hand, but he’s always been able to hit lefties, and he has drawn five walks this spring. He’s always had a pretty good eye at the plate.

The infielders will be Jose Ramirez, Kyle Manzardo, Brayan Rocchio, Gabriel Arias, Schneemann, and Rhys Hoskins, and if Schneeman isn’t ready to go, we would guess rookie Juan Brito gets the nod.

And the outfield make up will be Steven Kwan, Chase DeLauter, Valera, and Angel Martirez. Valera’s injury could put Petey Halpin in the mix, and although we hate to say it, DeLauter’s health is always a question mark.

That said, DeLauter has looked good in camp, going 10 for 25 with three doubles and a home run, and just two strikeouts. It would be a shock if he’s healthy and didn’t break camp with the big club, especially since they played him in a playoff game.

The bullpen seems to be set up well. Figuring that Hunter Gaddis’ elbow will keep him off the roster to start, the relief corps figures to be heading by Cade Smith, with Shawn Armstrong and Erik Sabrowski as the set-up men, with Tim Herrin, Connor Brogdon, Colin Holderman, Matt Festa, and rule 5 draftee Peyton Pallette completing the group.

We are sure Kolby Allard could replace one of this group if the Guardians decide to make a small trade to ease roster issues.

To us, the last real battle is in the rotation where Vogt has to choose between Parker Messick, who was outstanding in September last year, or Logan Allen. Allen was 8-11 with a 4.25 ERA last season, but he’s very inconsistent and has struggled in spring training and in his one start for Panama in the WBC. He’s allowed 11 hits and six walks in his 7-2/3 innings of work in Arizona.

Our guess is Allen will make the team and Messick will go to AAA, but the former will be on a short leash. The division figures to be close this season and Vogt and the Guardians can’t afford to start a pitcher who is going to struggle to throw strikes and give up lots of hits.

So, it appears we all have a pretty good idea of who will be on the Opening Night roster in Seattle. For all of the talk about giving young hitters opportunities, it looks like just DeLauter and Valera will get looks.

We wonder how much better the offense can be with just those changes.

Atkinson Still Experimenting As The Season Winds Down.

Even though the NBA playoffs are about a month away from beginning, we still think the Cleveland Cavaliers’ coach Kenny Atkinson is still trying to figure out things.

And it will probably continue because it appears Max Strus will be back today for the Cavs as they complete their home and home set against the Dallas Mavericks, so playing time will have to be adjusted once again.

Why do we think Atkinson is still taking different looks at different players? In Wednesday’s loss to Orlando on the road, the Cavs’ defense was terrible all night.

The Magic shot 52% from the floor and Desmond Bane, a burly 6’6″ guard bullied Cleveland for 35 points, while forwards Paolo Banchero and Tristan DeSilva scored 25 and 23 points each. Moreover, Orlando looked like they could get any shot they wanted when they wanted it.

In his post-game press conference, Atkinson bemoaned the defensive effort by his team. The coach rarely sugarcoats a lot in these talks, a refreshing alternative to other coaches/managers in Cleveland. However, in looking at the box score, particularly the minutes played column, reveals our theory.

We believe Cleveland’s best perimeter defender is second year player Jaylon Tyson. At his size (6’6″) and physicality, he would have done a solid job holding Bane in check. He did a very good job on Detroit’s Cade Cunningham, a league MVP candidate when the two teams met twice a few weeks ago. He played only 18 minutes in Orlando.

Dean Wade, probably the Cavs’ best wing defender over 6’7″, and someone who could have made things more difficult for either Banchero or DeSilva, also played just 20 minutes. Although we have issues with Wade and his hesitancy on the offensive end, he is a solid defensive player.

Right now, we think Atkinson and the coaching staff are seeing what they have in Keon Ellis, who struggled handling Jaylen Brown in the loss to Boston last week. It seemed Ellis was told to look for his shot more following that contest and since has scored 52 points in the last three games, making 12 of 20 three-point shots.

He’s a 41% shooter from distance in his career.

Ellis is a disruptive force on the defensive end; he gets his hands on more passes that we can remember with the Cavs in recent memory, and no doubt, we will get time in the playoffs.

When Jarrett Allen is healthy, Atkinson has been using Wade at the #3 to start with Donovan Mitchell, James Harden, Evan Mobley and Allen. We understand why, but we would make a change.

We would start Tyson, because we would like to see his physicality on the floor right from the beginning. The Cavs have a reputation as being a finesse team, and having Tyson out there would provide a bit more force from the beginning of the game.

We believe he’s that important to this team.

Plus, with the shortage of size beyond Allen and Mobley, bringing Wade off the bench would allow the second unit to have a little more height. Right now, there are a lot of Thomas Bryant and basically four guards playing together. Having Wade and Bryant out there together should give the Cavs better rebounding.

And now, the coaching staff will have to integrate Strus, another player who brings toughness to the mix. This is the time to see what works and what doesn’t and seeing if it works against teams like Dallas or Chicago, or New Orleans isn’t optimal.

We doubt Atkinson will jeopardize home court advantage in the first round, but he wants his team ready when the playoffs come around. No problem with that.

Browns Address The Offensive Line. No Brainer.

Doing something that so obviously needs to be done isn’t something that deserves credit. For example, if the garbage is piling up in our house and we take it out, we don’t expect our wife to be effusive in praise.

Ignoring it looks real bad.

It’s akin to having the Brooklyn Nets calling the Cavs with a proposition that the Cavaliers give them a second-round pick for Jarrett Allen to facilitate the James Harden (ironic) deal. Even the worst GM says yes to that.

That’s the way we look at the Cleveland Browns’ opening salvo in the early stages of the off-season. They closed the season with no starting offensive linemen under contract for 2026, and GM Andrew Berry’s first moves where to get some linemen who should compete for starting jobs come training camp.

First, he traded for G/T Tytus Howard from the Houston Texans and signed him to a three-year contract. Then as free agency started, the Browns inked G Zion Johnson, formerly of the Los Angeles Chargers and C Elgton Jenkins from Green Bay, who was released.

Jenkins was a starter last season until his broke his leg, while Johnson started in 16 of the 17 games last year for the Chargers.

So now the Browns have three experienced starters on the offensive line, and still have Luke Wypler, who started five games at center for Cleveland after Ethan Pocic was injured.

Right now, you can project Wypler at center, Johnson and Jenkins at guard, and Howard at RT, leaving left tackle still up in the air.

We don’t know the ins and outs of offensive line play in football, but we do like what we hear about Georgia tackle Monroe Freeling, who is a left tackle, and is 6’7″, 315 pounds and is reported to be very athletic, and with long arms. Left tackle is a skill position in the NFL, and we would rather take a chance on athleticism.

Based on recent history, the Browns still need depth in this area, and they still have Dawand Jones, who has shown potential on the field, but has battled injuries in each of his three seasons in the pros, and they also resigned Teven Jenkins in the mix. Still, in addition to drafting a LT, we would also be looking for more depth on the line in the draft.

Cleveland also replaced LB Devin Bush, who signed with the Bears by signing Quincy Williams from the Jets. Williams played for new defensive coordinator Mike Rutenberg when he was in New York and Jacksonville.

We aren’t upset about the Bush departure. He signed with the Browns after being a first round pick for the Steelers, and he had some injury issues there. He blossomed last year, but he’s really had one very good season out of seven in the pros, and to pay him based on that one year? He might have been a product of Jim Schwartz’ defense and playing next to Carson Schwesinger.

We understand the Browns don’t think this way, but they still need a QB to compete or back up Shedeur Sanders. Thinking that guy is Deshaun Watson, six years removed from being a good NFL quarterback is kind of insane.

Good for the Browns’ front office. They did the logical thing. They shouldn’t be criticized for addressing the offensive line, but really, they shouldn’t be praised either.

Not Every Cavs’ Loss Means They Aren’t A Good Team

We are getting to the point in the season where every loss for the Cleveland Cavaliers is viewed as a referendum on Kenny Atkinson’s squad. So, we expected to hear criticism after Sunday’s 109-98 loss to Boston at Rocket Arena.

The Cavs were pretty healthy, missing only starting center Jarrett Allen, and yes, we know Boston is ahead of Cleveland in the standings, currently the #2 seed in the East, and the wine and gold is now four games behind the Celtics, meaning it will be tough to pass them.

They do remain just a half game behind the #3 seed New York Knicks.

We hate to fall on the “it’s a make or miss league” argument, but the Cavaliers shot 40.7% from the field and just 29% from long distance, compared to Boston’s 39.5% accuracy from three. But we would say it is doubtful the Cavs will shoot that poorly the next time the two teams meet.

Some folks jumped on Atkinson’s comments after the game that the Celtics are a bad matchup for his team. That doesn’t mean he doesn’t think the Cavs can beat Bostom in a seven-game series, it simply means he and his staff will have to play a different way than they are accustomed in order to win.

Remember, in the regular season, teams do what they do best. Because they are playing another team in a day or two, you do your best to take away a strength or take advantage of a weakness, but it’s not something that’s practiced. When they meet in a playoff series, there is more of an emphasis on taking away what the opponent tries to do.

However, one thing that concerns us about a Cleveland/Boston matchup is the size of the Celts’ two best players, Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum. The former is 6’7″ and the latter is 6’8″, and the wine and gold don’t have a lot of wing defenders with size.

This is nothing new, we have brought this up many times.

Keon Ellis is a good defensive player. He’s also 6’4″. We watched Brown, guarded by Ellis, get to the elbow repeatedly in the third quarter and make 15-to-18-foot jump shots over Ellis, because he has a three inch height advantage.

In the playoffs, Atkinson can put Dean Wade, a 6’9″ wing defender on Brown, but does that force Evan Mobley on Tatum? We have no doubt Mobley, last year’s Defensive Player of the Year, can handle Tatum, but that matchup takes Mobley away from the rim. Note: He blocked three shots on Sunday.

That’s the challenge for Atkinson and his coaches.

Maybe the alternative is to use Jaylon Tyson (6’6″) on Brown and put Wade on Tatum come playoff time, which would mean Ellis guards Derrick White, which might be a better matchup.

The Cavs got very little from players who have done well since the All-Star break. Sam Merrill was 1 of 7 from three and had five points. Ellis took just one shot. Dennis Schroder made just one of his four shots and scored just two points and had two assists.

Meanwhile, Boston’s role players had big games. Payton Pritchard had 18 points, Sam Hauser made five threes, Baylor Scheierman had 16 points and made 4 of 6 threes. They won despite White making only 2 of 9 from the floor, although he did have seven boards and five assists.

We will remind you what we said before this season starts and we still stand beside the comment–the only thing that matters to the Cavs is what happens in the playoffs. The big evaluation on this group will come after the post-season.

Browns’ Offense Needs A Total Overhaul

We think everyone would agree the Cleveland Browns have a terrible offense, and the statistics back that up. They were third from the bottom in total yards, ahead of only Tennessee and Las Vegas, 27th in rushing offense, and ahead of only the Jets in terms of passing yards.

How a team builds a great defense but has really, a pathetic offense is a question that should be directed at the front office, but of course in the times we live, they will not give you a straight answer.

Looking at the offensive side of the football, the only player who really should have a starting position locked up is TE Harold Fannin, who caught 72 passes a year ago for 731 yards and six touchdowns. If Joel Bitonio decides to come back for one more season, he can be locked in at left guard too.

That would still leave nine spots up for grabs, including quarterback. It appears GM Andrew Berry has his work cut out for him this off season.

The good news is the free agency period in the NFL starts this week and the Browns have nine picks in this year’s draft to fill all of the holes. Signing free agents is important because obviously you can’t start all rookies.

And yes, there are players who should have a leg on on starting positions. RB Quinshon Judkins was solid running behind perhaps the worst pair of tackles in the NFL. He gained 827 yards. but averaged only 3.6 yards per carry. Cleveland could use another runner to pair with Judkins, and we liked what we saw out of Raheim Sanders, a 230-pound back who was inactive (for some reason) for much of the 2025 season.

Berry did swing a trade last week, bringing in offensive lineman Tytus Howard from Houston. Howard is regarded as a very good pass blocker, but not as good in the running game playing right tackle for the Texans. Browns’ QBs were sacked the 7th most times in the league last year, so keeping the passer upright was definitely a priority.

So, if Bitonio comes back and Luke Wypler can hold down the center position, that’s three starting offensive linemen, and we would guess high picks will be used to fill the other two spots. Plus, you need depth, if there is anything we have learned from the Browns, it’s that injuries will happen.

We hear many people talk about Dawand Jones, and we think the tackle out of Ohio State has ability, but in three years, he can’t stay on the field. Todd Monken and the brass simply cannot rely on him. They have to plan that he will miss time, so perhaps being the sixth lineman would be a good spot.

So, the offensive line needs to be rebuilt, but don’t distract you from realizing the wide receiver position is also terrible. Don’t know the salary cap ramifications, but we’d move on from Jerry Jeudy. Isaiah Bond has big play potential. Cedric Tillman seems injury prone.

We’d like to see what Malachi Corley can do in the passing game, but that’s another spot to be addressed in both the draft and free agency, and maybe the trade market. There should be a lot of openings there.

Note, we haven’t even mentioned quarterback, but we’ve touched on that spot before. We’d get a veteran, like maybe Geno Smith and have him and Shedeur Sanders compete for the job. Maybe draft another QB on day three.

And we are intentional about not talking about anyone else.

It is doubtful a juggernaut can be built this spring, but the AFC North is in flux and as former Steelers’ coach Mike Tomlin said last year, the Browns’ defense is probably the best unit in the division.

With the right moves, they can compete. Don’t let them tell you about kicking the can down the road again. It’s a loser’s lament.

Getting Irritating Players Was Good Move By Altman

Since the Cleveland Cavaliers returned to prominence and returned to the playoffs, there has been a label attached to them. They were viewed as needing toughness.

Every time Jarrett Allen has a poor game against a good NBA team, his quote after a first-round playoff loss in five games to the New York Knicks is brought up again. He referred to the lights being too bright for him and his teammates.

Certainly, the James Harden deal at the deadline gets a lot of attention and rightly so. Cleveland is 8-1 in games Harden has played since the deal, averaging 19.1 points and 7.9 assists per contest. We said at the time that if the Cavs were going to have a ball dominant guard who isn’t strong defensively, it’s better to have one who is 6’5″ than one that is 6’1″.

However, the deal with Sacramento that sent De’Andre Hunter to the Kings for Dennis Schroder and Keon Ellis brought something else Kenny Atkinson’s team needed more of, and that is toughness.

We say more toughness because Jaylon Tyson was already on the roster. Tyson is having a breakout second season, averaging 13.6 points and 5.3 rebounds per game, and is the player who draws the assignment of guarding the opponents’ best player on a nightly basis.

We watched last Friday’s loss to Detroit and had to smile even though the Cavs did not win. Why? Because Tyson bothered the Pistons’ star Cade Cunningham. He picked up Cunningham full court, was physical, and we saw the Detroit MVP candidate bumping and shoving Tyson to get away from him. He was an irritant.

The same is true for the players who came over from the Kings. We always thought Schroder was a pain in the butt when he played against the Cavs in the playoffs during Cleveland’s run to The Finals from 2015-18, and he hasn’t lost that edge with age. He’s not fun to play against.

As for Ellis, his hands are just amazing. We have no idea if he is fouling when he gets his hands on the ball defensively, but if the referees aren’t calling it, advantage Cavaliers. He’s averaging 1.7 steals and 1.4 blocks since his arrival and is doing it getting just 23 minutes per game.

And even Harden helps because he is a better defender if posted up than Garland simply because of size. He’s also been around a long time, so he knows all of the veteran “tricks” defensively.

We don’t remember the last time the Cavs had a player who played with an “edge” since guys like Matthew Dellavedova and Tristan Thompson on those Eastern Conference title teams. But they are needed, especially against the better teams in the league and in the playoffs as well.

The best thing about Tyson and Schroder are they contribute offensively too. Tyson is among the best three-point shooters in the league and Schroder is scoring 10.9 points per game and is very creative in getting to the basket.

They won’t get played off the floor in the post-season. That’s the difference between these players and guys like Isaac Okoro and to a lesser extent, Dean Wade, who has another chance to prove otherwise. If you can’t be a threat on offense, opponents ignore you and that makes it tough on guys like Donovan Mitchell, Harden, and the other scorers.

We love having irritating players on the Cavaliers. And although we would like more size on the Cavs, they could use some 6’7″ or 6’8″ wings to guard players like Jaylen Brown or Jayson Tatum with the Celtics. But getting players like these should pay dividends come this spring.