Hoops Habit
Fansided

Cleveland Cavaliers: 3 things the team desperately needs going forward

By Tony Pesta

CLEVELAND, OH - JANUARY 30: The teammates of Larry Nance Jr. #22 of the Cleveland Cavaliers help him up during a game against the Toronto Raptors on January 30, 2020 at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2020 NBAE (Photo by David Liam Kyle/NBAE via Getty Images)
CLEVELAND, OH - JANUARY 30: The teammates of Larry Nance Jr. #22 of the Cleveland Cavaliers help him up during a game against the Toronto Raptors on January 30, 2020 at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2020 NBAE (Photo by David Liam Kyle/NBAE via Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
3 of 4
Next
Cleveland Cavaliers
(Photo by David Liam Kyle/NBAE via Getty Images) /

2. Playmakers

Basketball is a team sport. Through recent years, we all witnessed how championship teams such as the San Antonio Spurs and Golden State Warriors dazzled opponents with their superb ball movement and all-around team efforts.

There is no debating the success of passing the ball. That is why it so frustrating to see the Cleveland Cavaliers play such an isolation heavy style of basketball.

Cleveland ranks 27th in the league in terms of assists and points created through assists per game. Furthermore, they qualify for the top 10 in isolation plays with an average of 8.1 a night.

It should be noted that the Cavs are actually efficient in isolation, shooting the fourth-highest percentage in the NBA for this play type. They also pass the ball at a decent rate, ranking 16th for passes per game.

However, it’s obvious that this team is lacking in the playmaking department. There is a huge difference between simply passing the ball and creating a play for someone. This is why the Cavs rank so low in assists despite being in the middle of the pack for passing.

Rookie Darius Garland is leading the squad in assists with an average of 3.7. He has shown potential as of late, making it a point of emphasis in his game to look for teammates. Since January, Garland has increased his assist numbers to 5.2 per game.

https://twitter.com/cavs/status/1223301805825757184

The Cavaliers have also seen glimpses of talent from Kevin Porter Jr. The young guard has a tight handle and is able to keep his head up while driving to the rim. If he becomes more adept at kicking out of his drive, Porter can become a reliable playmaker.

Unfortunately, two decent playmakers aren’t going to cut it in today’s NBA. The importance of versatility is taking the league by storm. If you want to be a competitive team, you need multiple players that are capable of creating shots for themselves and others.

One draft target for the Cavaliers to consider is LaMelo Ball. He has proven to be a gifted passer with unlimited creativity and could be a game-changer for the Cavaliers.

Home/Cleveland Cavaliers