Cleveland Cavaliers: 5 takeaways from 2017-18 Media Day

3. Maintaining focus another key

The biggest issue with the Cavaliers last season was their ability to maintain their energy and focus. For example, they would face the Brooklyn Nets, and almost lose, but play the Houston Rockets or Spurs into overtime.

They must bring the same focus and energy into every game, even if they rest players. I understand that no team is going to be motivated and excited to play all 82 games; it’s not realistic. But at least defeat the teams you’re supposed to beat talent-wise.

Cleveland Cavaliers

It was much worse when James sat out. Since he came back to the Cavs in 2014, they’re 4-23 when he doesn’t play. You didn’t read that wrong.

That record could change with the newly acquired personnel, but that’s still an abysmal record to accumulate over a two-year period.

The loss against the New Orleans Pelicans is where I truly noticed the team struggling last season. Terrance Jones, who had just joined the team that day, put up 36 points against the club. This was without Anthony Davis playing!

It was a game that I dusted off and saw as a faux pas, but it continued against other below-average teams, and became a recurring issue. This is a talented team that has proven it can turn it on whenever it wants to, but preferably, they bring that same intensity every night.

They won’t have a lot of tough competition in the East except for a few teams, so they shouldn’t have any issues in defeating them and showing they’re the superior team in the conference. The West…that’s a different story.

It’s not clear if Lue will sit players as he did last season, but he must make sure that the Cavs maintain their psyche throughout the year, and carry it all the way to another championship.