The NBA playoffs have reached the second round, and there is a percentage of fans of the Cleveland Cavaliers pointing out that the two teams they lost to in the play-in tournament went 1-8, validating their opinion the Cavs are better off with the lottery pick.
Our point continues to be a seven game series would have shown them the type of ball being played in the playoffs, and they would have grown as a team by it.
We didn’t think going in the wine and gold could have beaten either Miami or Boston, but the experience would have done them a whole lot of good.
We felt too many times during the regular season that the Cavs wilted against more physical teams. In the NBA, sometimes this happens with young teams. Instead of matching the physicality of the opponent, they wilt, they change the style of play that helps them win.
That’s not a recipe for success.
Sometime this month, the annual draft lottery will be held, and unless the Cavaliers are extremely lucky, they will have the 14th pick. Still, this pick is a trade asset and that’s probably the best use of it, since the team is already one of the youngest in the NBA. We don’t see how adding another inexperienced player helps next season.
Cleveland needs players who can make shots on the perimeter, particularly from beyond the three point line. They had a respectable percentage from long range, ranking 15th in the league, but their attempts ranked 22nd in the Association.
The players who took the most threes, Kevin Love, Darius Garland, and Lauri Markkanen, all made them at a better rate than the league average of 35.2%. But the latter was just barely over that mark.
So, the only real three point threats were Love and Garland. They get Collin Sexton back, and he can score, but he really isn’t a long range marksman. Perhaps they will get some improvement from him in that area next season.
Beyond those three, the next most threes were taken by Cedi Osman (35.7%) and Ricky Rubio (33.9%). A couple of players who supposed are on the roster for their shooting, Dean Wade and Dylan Windler, seem hesitant to take the shot. That doesn’t help the floor spacing.
So GM Koby Altman needs to find a consistently good outside threat, and one who has the confidence to shoot when he is open.
They also need toughness, as we alluded before. You would have to think this comes from a veteran player, someone who isn’t going to let his younger teammates get pushed around.
While the Cavaliers have height, they don’t have much bulk. They need some of that, not only inside, but on the perimeter. Some of that will come from the younger players getting older, their bodies maturing.
Coach J.B. Bickerstaff talks a lot about “grit” and “fight”, and early in the season, the Cavs had that, but there is something to be said about physical play as well, and many nights, particularly late in the year, Cleveland seemed to fall short.
Again, the draft pick is nice, but it would be a surprise if Altman found someone in the middle of the draft who can make an impact on this team next season.
That leaves the trade market, but would the Cavs give up the assets that other teams want?
Cleveland Sports Perspective 