The Cleveland Cavaliers are nearing a place among the worst teams in NBA history. Only an overtime victory at home against the New York Knicks is saving the wine and gold from a 20 game losing streak.
The Cavs are now 8-28 on the season, have lost nine in a row, and with four games against pretty good to very good teams on the balance of a five game west coast trip (Suns, Lakers, Nuggets, and Jazz), the losing skein will likely extend to 13 straight, and 23 losses in 24 contests.
As many hoped, this team is headed toward getting a lot of ping pong balls in the springs annual draft lottery. However, how many true impact players are available in the 2011 NBA Draft? Right now, it doesn’t look like a lot of franchise turning players.
The answer is to get some other young developing players with a lottery pick in order to start winning again. Can new GM Chris Grant get that done? It remains to be seen. The Cavs are trying to use the trade exemption received when LeBron James left for Miami to get some extra first round picks, as depending on what day it is, they are either involved in a possible Carmelo Anthony deal or not involved at all.
What is clear is that the team must get better on defense. The Cavs are eighth worst in the league in allowing points, fourth worst in opponents’ field goal percentage, and worst in defensive three point field goal percentage. That’s the profile of a bad defensive team.
Outside of Anderson Varajao, who is nursing an ankle sprain, the Cavs do not have one player who can guard their man straight up.
The guards cannot stop penetration, which forces the inside players to help out, thus leaving their men open for dunks and layups. When the ball is entered to the post, the guards have to drop down and help out, leaving wide open perimeter shots, many of them from behind the arc, leading to the horrible performance against the three pointer.
Until Cleveland defenders can handle their own men, or least more than one can, this is going to continue to be a problem.
Another problem with the defense is that the non-post defenders aren’t quick enough to get back and contest the outside shot. Coach Byron Scott seems to be trying to combat this by using more athletic wing players, such as newcomer Alonzo Gee, and rookies Christian Eyenga and Manny Harris in these positions.
There has been plenty of speculation as to what the next moves should be to start the rebuilding process, and they should involve improving the defense. Most nights, the wine and gold score enough points to win games in the NBA, but they can’t stop their opponents.
Mo Williams was a key contributor on teams that had the league’s best regular season record two straight years, but he isn’t a good fit here anymore. The Cavs need a point guard who can stop penetration and take care of the basketball. This basketball team still makes way too many unforced turnovers, which lead to layups and dunks on the other end of the floor.
If the Cavaliers are going to recover from the horrible season, winning the draft lottery isn’t the only cure. Look at Washington. They got the #1 pick in John Wall, and they are still 9-26. The Clippers have sensational Blake Griffin and they are at 11-24.
Other things have to be done, and it starts at the defensive end.
JK
Cleveland Sports Perspective 