CAVALIERS COULD BE READY TO GO ON ROLL
There is no apparent joy in Cleveland (this is not news to longtime sports fans), where the Cavaliers have a 16-7 record — which incidentally is the best in the Eastern Conference and third best in the NBA, though you wouldn’t know it from the pall shadowing the Cavs.
Everything has been a slog for the Cavaliers this season. Close wins; tough losses, including three in a row at one point; road problems; injuries added to injuries; and LeBron James’ demanding approach and criticism have made Cleveland’s season seem less impressive than it is.
He called out his team, saying the Golden State Warriors, who have the league’s best record, look hungrier than the Cavaliers.
“I’m not sitting up here saying it’s Armageddon or anything like that, but we need to play better ball,” James said. “Until we own that, we won’t get better.”
It’s a tough-love approach James believes in. He detests complacency and rejects injuries as a rationale for a winning percentage that isn’t better than .696. He prefers the tension even when the wins are coming and keeps pushing and struggling for optimal basketball in every game.
He loves to talk about using each game to improve, and if there’s no improvement, he’s frustrated. And as James’ mood goes, so goes his team’s.
There is this overwhelming feeling that the Cavaliers have been underwhelming.
Even if the premise is faulty, that’s about to change, at least according to people who have been around the team and at practices.
The imminent return of All-Star point guard Kyrie Irving, who hasn’t played since injuring his knee in Game 1 of the NBA Finals last season, has James supercharged. By all accounts, Irving looks fantastic in practice.
Iman Shumpert just returned to the rotation, though he injured his groin. It’s not expected to sideline him for long.
James and interested NBA parties are ready to see what the Cavs can be now that they’re close to having their entire roster available. They were on pace to win 50-plus games without 40% of their starting lineup. They have played the sixth-most games with guys missed to injury among NBA teams this season.
Now the Cavaliers can put their starters on the floor, let coach David Blatt find his lineup rotations, ease James’ responsi- bilities, get Kevin Love and Irving going offensively, play better defense, properly use that depth and open the throttle on this high-priced sports car.
They haven’t had a chance to use this lineup: Irving, James, Love, Shumpert and Tristan Thompson. Or this one: Mo Williams, Irving, James, Love and Thompson. The Cavs have smallball plans, too.
Or go big: Irving, Shumpert, James, Love and Timofey Mozgov. Plug in J.R. Smith, Richard Jefferson, Matthew Dellavedova and Anderson Varejao into those lineups, too.
The Cavaliers were 31-7 during a stretch last season and headed into the playoffs playing outstanding basketball and developed a gritty style as the postseason progressed. They want to combine that grit and toughness with explosive and efficient play and overpower teams.
The Cavs are starting to show that on offense and defense during this three-game winning streak. Cleveland plays the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday and then the Philadelphia 76ers and New York Knicks before that much-anticipated game against Golden State on Christmas.
There’s a sense the Cavs are about to take off and bring some joy into their season.