NFL
By: Jordan Hom
The Cleveland Cavaliers have defied all expectations of them this season. Most power ranking lists had the Cavaliers as a lottery team entering the 2021-22 NBA season but the Cavs have proven themselves to be a legitimate playoff team so far.
After parting ways with former All-Star Andre Drummond and fan-favorite Larry Nance last season, the Cavs revamped their roster in the 2021 draft with the selection of USC forward Evan Mobley, as well as with the acquisitions of veteran Ricky Rubio and rising star Lauri Markkanen. These new pieces for the Cavaliers along with the improved development of the young stars such as Darius Garland, Issac Okoro, and Jarrett Allen have pushed the Cavaliers to new heights that they were unable to achieve last season.
Much of their early-season success can be attributed to the defensive side of the basketball. Last year, the Cavs had a defensive rating DRtg of 114.4, which ranked 25th in the league but this season, the story is much different. The transformation to a top-five defensive team this season with a DRtg of 104.7 is largely due to the shot-blocking duo of Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley. Although Mobley is still figuring out his game and his body, he has managed to swat 1.8 blocks per game so far this season, which is good for a top-10 slot among the likes of DPOY Rudy Gobert and Giannis Antetokounmpo. Likewise, his teammate Jarrett Allen has been a force defensively as well with 1.3 bpg, which slots him in the top-20.
While the duo of Allen and Mobley is anchoring the middle, the perimeter is being fortified by Issac Okoro and Ricky Rubio. Overall, as a team, the Cavaliers have built their defensive scheme to contest as many shots as possible without sending the other team to the free-throw line. Opponents are only able to score 101.9 points per game, giving the team a stifling defensive strategy.[pickup_prop id=”7445″]
On the offensive side of the basketball, the Cavaliers are thriving as well. Last season was an abysmal output as the Cavaliers struggled to score from beyond the arc. With veteran Kevin Love back and healthy alongside Lauri Markkanen, the Cavs have two solid stretch bigs to give the other players adequate spacing on the court. Cedi Osman has also had a mini resurgence with his three-point shooting percentage with a jump of around 30% to 40%. Their offense is much more fluid with Rubio able to take the burdens of the ball-handling duties off Garland (and Colin Sexton) and the team having formidable shooters as well as high-flying rim runners. As a team, the Cavaliers are getting offensive contributions as a collective unit, with eight players currently averaging double figures.
However, the team will be without Colin Sexton for the remainder of this season as he will be sidelined with a torn meniscus. His absence is a substantial loss on the offensive side but his teammates have managed to pick up the slack in his absence.
The Cavaliers have surprised most critics this season with their strong play so far. With their continued momentum on both the offensive and defensive side of the basketball, along with the improvements of their young players and solid veteran leadership, the Cleveland Cavaliers just might find themselves with a spot in the Eastern Conference playoff bracket this time around.
