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Cleveland Cavaliers: Could the play-in be a realistic goal?

By Jack Simone

CLEVELAND, OHIO - OCTOBER 10: Evan Mobley #4 of the Cleveland Cavaliers celebrates with teammates during player introductions prior to the game against the Chicago Bulls at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse on October 10, 2021 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. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)
CLEVELAND, OHIO - OCTOBER 10: Evan Mobley #4 of the Cleveland Cavaliers celebrates with teammates during player introductions prior to the game against the Chicago Bulls at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse on October 10, 2021 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. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) /
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Cleveland Cavaliers
Darius Garland #10 of the Cleveland Cavaliers reacts with Collin Sexton #2 late in the second half against the Atlanta Hawks (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images) /

Going into the season, most people would have placed the Cleveland Cavaliers towards the bottom of their NBA power rankings. They were seen as one of the worst teams in the league.

There was a ton of drama involving the team this offseason, specifically regarding Collin Sexton. Rumors were swirling that the team wanted to trade him and no longer wished for him to be a part of the roster.

Well, while Sexton hasn’t gotten off to the hottest start this season, the Cavaliers aren’t too bad. They currently sit at 4-4, which is good for 11th in the East.

11th doesn’t sound amazing, but for the Cavaliers, being .500 is nothing to scoff at. They actually have something going for them, and it begs the question – could they fight for a play-in spot?

At first glance, the answer to that seems to be no. There are so many talented teams in the Eastern Conference that the chance Cleveland clinches the play-in is slim to none.

The play-in could be more than just a dream for the Cleveland Cavaliers

However, never say never in the NBA. Wild things can happen. That being said, a bunch of things would have to go in favor of the Cleveland Cavaliers for them to make the play-in.

First and foremost, Sexton would have to break out of his current shooting slump. As of now, he is shooting only 24.2 percent from deep, and that number would have to go up.

In fact, the team’s shooting numbers would likely have to go up across the board. Cedi Osman has been on fire from deep (48.4 percent), but outside of that, no one is really shooting the ball well this year.

The real X-factor for the Cleveland Cavaliers, though, will be rookie Evan Mobley. He is a front-runner for Rookie of the Year at the moment and has been playing amazing basketball.

He’s third on the team in scoring, but his impact is being felt even more on the defensive end. The Cavaliers are just outside the top ten when it comes to opponent points per game (105.0) and tenth in defensive rating (105.1).

A lot of that is due to the play of Mobley, who has been a defensive anchor for them. His versatility on that end of the floor has been crucial to their defensive success.

The Cleveland Cavaliers have been an absolute mess since LeBron James joined the Lakers. This year could be the first time they show some progress towards improvement.

They have a nice young core in Cleveland right now. A 4-4 start may not seem all that impressive, but for the Cavaliers, it could be the spark they need to fight for the play-in tournament.

Next. Cleveland Cavaliers need to tweak their starting lineup. dark

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