The Cleveland Cavaliers have been off since last Friday night’s win in New York, and hopefully they are getting some good practice time. They will need it because this is a big week for the wine and gold after starting the season 4-3.
They are on the road tonight and tomorrow against two quality opponents, taking on the Eastern Conference champs, the Orlando Magic tonight and going against Dewayne Wade and the Heat tomorrow. Both games are on the road. Then, on Saturday, Utah visits “The Q” for their only appearance in Cleveland. Three games against three tough foes in a five-day span. The Cavs need to be ready.
Right now, coach Mike Brown is trying to get a feel for what combinations work and who shouldn’t play together. However, if the Cavs lose the two games on the road, they likely will be just 5-5 after their first ten games. Nobody expected that slow of a start.
It’s time for this team to kick it up a notch. With the athletes this team picked up in the off-season, there should be more of a commitment to run the floor as much as possible. Last season, the wine and gold made an improvement in getting as many transition hoops as possible. This year, it seems like they are satisfied with a half court game.
Shaquille O’Neal is a formidable presence up front, but he is not a particularly good outlet passer to start the fast break. The coaching staff needs to stress the importance of getting the ball off the glass and get down the floor, especially when LeBron James, Mo Williams, Delonte West, and Jamario Moon are on the floor. Now that J.J. Hickson is in the starting lineup, he’s a big man who can run the floor as well.
It’s up to Williams and James to set the pace. The coaches have to be preaching to the players to push the ball at all opportunities. It’s really a mindset. Even teams without great athletes can be fast break teams if it’s established early on. The Cavaliers need to buy into that mindset.
The “Showtime” Lakers ran up and down the floor with Magic Johnson and James Worthy, but when they had to play a half-court game, they waited for Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to get down the floor and settle into the low post. The Cavaliers could do the same thing with Shaq. Push the ball as much as possible, and if it not there, dump it in to O’Neal.
No one expected the Cavs to be in mid-season form while breaking in several key players in the rotation. However, they have looked very disjointed thus far, and there hasn’t been steady improvement from game to game. With three games coming up against likely playoff teams, it’s time to start getting it together.
JK
Cleveland Sports Perspective 