Yes, the Cavaliers’ loss Friday night to the Boston Celtics was disappointing. The wine and gold didn’t play well, and the young Boston inside trio of Kendrick Perkins, Glen Davis, and Leon Powe had their way with the Cavs in the paint. Getting beat up inside is becoming a disturbing trend for Cleveland, as it occurred against the Lakers twice earlier this season.
Sure, Ben Wallace didn’t play on Friday, but he was on the court against Los Angeles in those two earlier meetings.
The Celtics put a greater emphasis on the game because a loss would have put them three out in the loss column, and virtually would have sewed up home court advantage for the Cavs. Notice too that Boston lost yesterday at home, while Cleveland won its next game.
Still, there is no reason to panic for one reason. Mike Brown has shown the ability to make defensive adjustments in the playoffs. I’m sure Brown doesn’t want to tip his hand in the regular season on how to combat the inside play of the Celtics. That, and I don’t think Powe is going to shoot 10 for 11 in a playoff game. However, there is something to be concerned about with the wine and gold…the bench.
Right now, Mike Brown is not getting much production off the pine, particularly on the road. Wallace being out puts Anderson Varajao into the starting lineup, and actually that doesn’t affect the team too much. Joe Smith will pick up the slack on offensive once he settles in, but where Wallace’s broken leg does hurt (no pun intended) is on the defensive end, where Smith doesn’t provide the muscle of Big Ben.
Offensively, the Cavs are starting to rely on LeBron James, Mo Williams, and Delonte West more and more because guys like Daniel Gibson, Wally Szczerbiak, and Sasha Pavlovic aren’t getting it done right now. Gibson’s shot has been inconsistent all year long, and his ball handling continues to be suspect. Szczerbiak was playing better when West was out, but doesn’t seem to have the same shooting touch since West returned. Pavlovic needs to come back strong from his sprained ankle.
Friday night, the bench basically gave the Cavaliers nothing, forcing extra minutes for the starters. These guys simply have to make open shots. The Celtics double and triple teamed James, meaning there were some open looks, but these guys have to make them. Don’t think Brown isn’t losing confidence in his backup perimeter players, either. Check out the minutes played for these guys each night, they are declining.
Most NBA teams have difficulty winning away from home, because the lesser players develop a comfort level at their own arena. The bench bunch generally doesn’t do as well on the road, and the wine and gold have to be careful not to develop that sort of situation.
These guys need to step up because when the playoffs start, teams are going to put more emphasis on stopping James and Williams. Early in the season, the bench was very productive. Maybe all the injuries have taken a toll on these guys, and they will be more productive with fewer minutes. When the bench comes to play, the Cavaliers can beat elite teams on the road, but when they struggle, so does the entire team.
JK
Cleveland Sports Perspective 