Cleveland Cavaliers: 5 keys to series vs. Pacers
4. Defense
Despite all that NBA offenses are capable of in this beautiful era of spaced floors and versatile big men, the team that hoists the Larry O’ Brian trophy is one that can be successful on the other end of the floor.
As one of the older teams in the league, the Cavaliers didn’t feel all that inclined to defend at a high level throughout the season.
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Whether that was due to a conservation of energy for the inevitable playoff push or a general inability to stay in front of its man, Cleveland ranked 29th in defensive rating, ahead of only the lowly, probably tanking Phoenix Suns.
No matter the opponent, a team has to be able to defend. Cleveland can’t just assume they’re going to hit 15+ 3-pointers every single game. Even if they do, it won’t matter if they allow Indiana to do the same.
Cleveland giving up 120+ points means they’re going to have to score that many in order to win, and that’s a tall task no matter how elite an offense is.
Defending at a high level takes more of the pressure off the offensive side, allowing for a more relaxed, free-flowing system, rather than one that lives or dies by the ability to hit shots.
We’ve come to believe that Cleveland can simply flip a switch and give actual effort on defense, which is good because, with the streaky shooters that they have, they’re going to need to rely on something else to win games.