CLEVELAND, Ohio – Before taking a closer look at the Cavs, I’m going to channel my inner Lenny Wilkens.
Wilkens would view the Cavs’ previous three games as significant progress in this rocky season. The offense came around and Darius Garland began to look healthy in their victories over Charlotte (139-132) and New Orleans (141-118).
Yes, the loss to New York (126-124) was frustrating because the Cavs blew an early fourth-quarter lead of 17 points. More about that later.
When a team such as these Cavs has been dealing with a tidal wave of injuries, Wilkens would know that players coming back would not automatically be close to 100% physically. He’d also stress the team would need time to find its chemistry.
Cavs coach Kenny Atkinson seemed to use the same approach after the loss to the Knicks.
He opened his postgame press conference with one word – rebounding.
He called it “the eternal question,” something the Cavs must solve.
But he then said he was “super encouraged.” He talked about players returning to the lineup.
“You feel a little bit more stable,” said Atkinson. “We’re still not there, but I feel like pieces are starting to move into their right slots.”
Evan Mobley & Darius Garland
Garland played four games in a seven-day span ending on Christmas in New York. Look at his numbers in that span:
23 points per game.
8.8 assists per game.
51% shooting.
50% on 3-pointers.
A week ago, I wrote a column about why it would be both hard and not wise for the Cavs to trade Garland. He’s coming off major turf toe surgery. At the time of that story last Sunday, he was shooting 38% (32% on 3-pointers).
A lot has changed as he’s getting stronger and just as important – more confident in his surgically repaired foot.
Garland is symbolic of the Cavs this season. For some very legitimate reasons, he hasn’t been his usual self until recently. The same with the team.
Evan Mobley returned to the court on Christmas after missing two weeks due to a calf muscle injury. That is a very quick recovery. He is on a minutes restriction. I’m guessing it’s 25, since that’s what he played vs. the Knicks. He came off the bench, scoring 14 points and grabbing nine rebounds.
Putting a healthy Garland and Mobley together for the first time this season will make the Cavs a better team. When they were on the court earlier in the year, Garland was a post-surgery mess. As he progressed, Mobley got hurt. It has been that kind of year for the Cavs.
Coming out of ‘clunky’
As the season opened, Atkinson talked about the offense looking “clunky.” He was right.
They didn’t have Max Strus (foot surgery) and Garland. Jarrett Allen played 14 games, then missed nine games with a hand injury. That was three of last season’s starters out for significant time. Strus is still recovering from surgery.
Here are the games missed by key players: Sam Merrill (17), Garland (16), Larry Nance Jr. (16), Jarrett Allen (11) and Evan Mobley (6).
Every team has injuries. But the Cavs have been slammed harder than most teams this season. Through that, they’ve given a lot of minutes to Jaylon Tyson. The second-year pro is averaging 13.1 points and shooting 53% (45% on 3-pointers) with 5.4 rebounds.
One of Atkinson’s mistakes in the New York loss was limiting Tyson to only 20 minutes. He was very productive, scoring 16 points with six rebounds in that short span.
Other than Strus, all the key “pieces,” as Atkinson called them, are coming together.
There are problems
The loss to the Knicks was aggravating. They had a 15-point lead at the end of the first quarter. They were in front by 17 points with 10:26 left in the game.
The Cavs actually outrebounded New York, 45-43. But in the fourth quarter, the Knicks grabbed the rebounds that mattered.
Atkinson mentioned how New York’s obsessive rebounder Mitchell Robinson had four offensive rebounds in the fourth. Those turned into eight points.
I watched the tape of the quarter twice. Jarrett Allen had a miserable performance. There were times when he was lazy blocking out Robinson.
Twice, he thought he had blocked out Robinson, but he was set up too close to the rim. Yes, Allen had the inside position, but he was about 6 inches from the backboard. That made it easy for Robinson to grab rebounds over Allen’s back.
Mobley lost track of Karl-Anthony Towns late in the game. The big man slipped behind Mobley and easily grabbed an offensive rebound and scored. Mobley just stood there.
A rebounding theory
Atkinson talked about the problem.
“Everyone says it’s physicality,” said the coach. “I believe it’s about a mentality … a focus … we gave up some mindless ones … are you seeing your man, things like that.”
I agree.
One of the amazing stats from the Cavs’ playoff loss to Indiana is they outrebounded the Pacers 229-208 in the five-game series. On the offensive boards, the Cavs had a decisive 70-35 advantage.
Yet Cavs fans will remember Indiana coming up with offensive rebounds on missed free throws in important parts of the game.
Simply a lack of focus.
The Cavs also don’t have a player who is fully dedicated to rebounding. That would have helped in that game. They need to develop one.
The one candidate is rookie Nae’Qwan Tomlin, who never left the bench in the loss to New York. The springy, 6-foot-8, 210-pound rookie can find an identity in the NBA if he becomes consumed with rebounding and coming up with loose balls. He already shows signs of being able to do that.
Until the Cavs change the rebounding mindset in key parts of the game, they will struggle against teams such as the Knicks. It’s up to Atkinson to find the right guys to do it.
The big picture
Some other things went wrong in the New York game.
The offense lost its flow and became all about Donovan Mitchell in the fourth quarter. He shot 4 for 11 from the field. Garland shot 1 for 5. The guards dominated the ball and the offense stalled.
Overall, Mitchell was sensational with 34 points, seven rebounds and six assists. He tried to will the Cavs to the win, as he has in other games this season.
But the Knicks have a 21-9 record, second best in the East. They are 15-2 in Madison Square Garden. Former Cavs coach Mike Brown has them play with energy and physicality.
The Cavs did some ridiculous things such as foul Jalen Brunson three times after he made 3-point shots. Atkinson mentioned that the scouting reports on Brunson warned how the Knicks guard comes forward after shooting a 3-pointer. Don’t try to block his shot by leaning into him. You’ll be whistled for a foul.
The Knicks were a test for the Cavs. In a sense, they failed because they lost and collapsed in the fourth quarter.
If this had happened in March when the Cavs had most of their starters playing together for a while, it would be more alarming.
Coaching during an 82-game season is a challenge. There are times when it’s hard for a coach to know if he should go positive or negative after a loss like this. When in the “no-man’s land” of uncertainty early in the season, it’s usually best to go positive.
“Disappointing,” said Atkinson. “Disappointed in how we lost, but I’ve got a ton of confidence in this group … I saw so many good things tonight. We’re just starting to get our mojo back.”
