Cleveland Cavaliers: Analyzing the team’s questionable defense
By Tony Pesta
The Cleveland Cavaliers were a poor defensive team last season and things might not get better this year.
The 2018-19 NBA season was not a strong defensive one for the Cleveland Cavaliers. They struggled to slow down their opponent and gave up a ton of points each night. As a result, the franchise fell to an ugly 19-63 record.
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Cleveland ranked towards the bottom of almost every defensive statistic imaginable. Falling in the bottom three for both blocks and steals per game, the Cavaliers posted a defensive rating of 116.8. This is the worst rating of any team to play during this century.
It’s clear there is a serious issue here. Moving forward, the franchise will need to address their defensive woes if they wish to return to the top of the mountain ever again.
As of now, the team has not made any significant improvements to their defense. In fact, many fans would argue they have gotten even worse.
Let’s take some time to break down what the Cavaliers perimeter and interior defense will look like this season and attempt to find any potential solutions to their problems.