The Cleveland Cavaliers are 5 in 1 this 2015-2016 NBA season thus far, winning five in a row since losing to the Bulls in game one, and beating the 76ers in game 6 this season, 108-102....Game 7 of the regular season for LeBron James and the Cavaliers is Sunday, November 8 at 3:30 pm against the Indiana Pacers....Sharing the ball more this season has made a difference, and the sky is the limit....By Cleveland Urban News.Com Sportswriter Karl Kimbrough (www.clevelandurbannews.com) and (www.kathywraycolemanonlinenewsblog.com)
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| Cleveland Cavaliers power forward LeBron James (The King) |
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| Cleveland Urban News.Com Sportswriter Karl Kimbrough |
By Karl Kimbrough, Cleveland Urban News.Com sportswriter (kimbrough@clevelandurbannews.com). Cleveland Urban News. Com and The Cleveland Urban News.Com Blog, Ohio's Leaders In Black Digital News . Tel: 216-659-0473. Email: editor@clevelandurbannews.com
CLEVELAND URBAN NEWS.COM, CLEVELAND, Ohio-Prior to the Cleveland Cavaliers opening their regular NBA season against the Chicago Bulls on Oct 27, an away game that they lost by two points, it was thought that they would struggle early. They would later win five straight games, the last one on Nov 6, and against the Philadelphia 76ers, who also lost to the Cavaliers earlier this month, Cleveland's fourth regular season game.
The initial apathy is not surprising. After all, key players like LeBron James, who scored 31 points against the 76ers last night, and the talented Kevin Love, had played very little in the preseason this year due to recovering form injuries. And Tristan Thompson, who ended his hold out and signed a new contract on Oct 22, had not played during the preseason and practiced very little with the team before the season opener.
Adding to that misfortune, star guard Kyrie Irving continues to be rehabilitating his broken knee cap, and starting guard Iman Shumpert is also out with a wrist injury. Mo Williams, who has returned to Cleveland after being traded four years ago to the Los Angeles Clippers, is their new starting point guard until Irving returns.
So, the fact that the Cavaliers have a five and one record is somewhat of a surprise.
Not only have the Cavaliers gotten off to a fast start, but it is due, in part, to continuity, which has produced greater sharing of the basketball.
A look at their first six games of this season, the next one, game seven in fact, of which is is Sunday, Nov. 8 at 3:30 pm against the Indiana Pacers, is very revealing.
Not only have the Cavaliers gotten off to a fast start, but it is due, in part, to continuity, which has produced greater sharing of the basketball.
A look at their first six games of this season, the next one, game seven in fact, of which is is Sunday, Nov. 8 at 3:30 pm against the Indiana Pacers, is very revealing.
Coach David Blatt was trying out his new rotation of players coming off the bench for the first time for game one. So it was no surprise that the Cavaliers would lose their first game of the season to a very good Chicago team, and by just two drooling points.
It was somewhat surprising though that the game was not decided until it's last seconds, as the Cavaliers would lose 97-95. Blatt played 11 players against Chicago, which is a bit interesting as well because he was already using bench players to substitute for starting guards Irving and Shumpert. So one might think that the bench would be shorter.
With all of the negatives seemingly having an impact on the Cavaliers making a positive, successful start this season, why are they doing so well?
Well, good shooting is not the sole answer, if an answer at all. In game one of this regular season Chicago held the Cavaliers to only 40 percent from the field. The Cavaliers also only shot 58 percent from the free throw line, and limited Chicago to only 42 percent from the field.
Improving ball movement and player movement , as well as floor spacing, were Blatt's high priorities coming into training camp this year, and it made a difference. In Chicago last month, the Cavaliers were able to push the tempo much of the game, which is also one of Blatt's goals this season. They took 94 shots from the field to Chicago's 87, and had 11 offensive rebounds to their seven, which is also key.
After allowing Chicago to escape with a two point win, the Cavaliers immediately got on a plane and flew to Memphis, Tennessee to take on the Grizzlies the following night in game two, which they would also win.
The Grizzlies play an aggressive physical brand of basketball that defines their name and are considered to be one of the top four or five teams in the strong Western Conference this season. So when the Cavaliers rolled out to a 26 to 10 first quarter lead, they quieted the crowd at the Fed Ex Forum and probably surprised everyone that was watching.
The Grizzlies play an aggressive physical brand of basketball that defines their name and are considered to be one of the top four or five teams in the strong Western Conference this season. So when the Cavaliers rolled out to a 26 to 10 first quarter lead, they quieted the crowd at the Fed Ex Forum and probably surprised everyone that was watching.
The Cavaliers went on to post their largest margin of victory against those Grizzlies in the past two seasons, and won 106-76.
Again, how could a team that was expected to have a lot of rust on their game with their three stars out injured during preseason, dominate one of the best teams in the league so soon? What happened?
As they did in Chicago, the Cavaliers more than matched the Grizzlies defense intensity, holding them to 35 percent field goal shooting for the game. Unlike the night before against the Bulls, the Cavaliers brought their shooting stroke with them making 48 percent from the field and 44 percent from the three point arc.
As they did in Chicago, the Cavaliers more than matched the Grizzlies defense intensity, holding them to 35 percent field goal shooting for the game. Unlike the night before against the Bulls, the Cavaliers brought their shooting stroke with them making 48 percent from the field and 44 percent from the three point arc.
The Grizzlies were not able to keep up with the Cavaliers sharp ball movement that flowed smoothly all game to the tune of 29 assists and 41 made field goals. That consistent flow is evident in the Cleveland point production in each quarter. The Cavaliers had quarters of 26,27, 26 and 27 points respectively, which indicates that there was little drop off due to player substitutions.In contrast, the Grizzlies where not able to get into a rhythm offensively the entire game.
Then came the home opener against the Miami Heat on Oct 30, the third regular season game, and one the Cavilers won, 102-92. their second straight win since losing to Chicago last month..
They registered 25 assists on 39 made field goals against the Heat, and with the exception of the second quarter, the Cavaliers were the ones keeping the heat on, scoring at least 26 points in each quarter. Again, the Cleveland defense kept an opponent under 43 percent in field goal percentage.
Holding teams to under 43 percent shooting is due in part to both defensive and offensive continuity. Offensive continuity contributes to good floor balance which helps to prevent fast breaks and keeps everyone on the same page. Other than Miami All Star Dewayne Wade scoring 25 points, no one else from the Heat tallied over 16 points in the third game of this season. And James scored 29 and Love 24 to lead the Cavaliers for the win.
The two All Stars, James and Love, have been key to the improvement in the Cavaliers ball and body movement. Love no longer looks like a statue standing at the three point line waiting for a pass as he did last season. He is on the move offensively, in and out of the paint, posting up. And he has shown flashes of his unique passing skills for a big man.
James has made it a priority to feed Love the ball at different spots in the half court offense and it is paying off. If the team leaders have a pass first mentality then it will filter down throughout the team. Back up point guard Matthew Dellavedova surprisingly leads the team in assists, averaging six point five per game, and had 10 assists against the Heat.
James has made it a priority to feed Love the ball at different spots in the half court offense and it is paying off. If the team leaders have a pass first mentality then it will filter down throughout the team. Back up point guard Matthew Dellavedova surprisingly leads the team in assists, averaging six point five per game, and had 10 assists against the Heat.
Game four was played on Nov 2 and saw the Cavaliers beat the 76ers, 107-100, their third straight win, and they would again beat them in game six on Nov 6., one that highlighted by LeBron James becoming only the 20th NBA player to score 25,000 points.James scored a team high 22 points and had nine rebounds in that game, along with 11 assists. It is ironic that LeBron's 25,001 point total overshadowed his team high 11 assists because he came into the NBA with the reputation of being more of a passer than a scorer. James' 11 assists were added to his all time NBA leading total of 6,315, for small forwards.
The Cavaliers were at first a bit lethargic against the 76ers in game four. Philadelphia was leading in the first quarter,32-18, and this is before the Cavaliers woke up to turn the tables in the second quarter with a 31-22 lead. Once again, and as in the previous three games, the Cavaliers continued to remake their identity by moving the basketball to the tune of 28 assists, which puts their assists per field goal ratio to over 65 percent for the season. They stand currently third in the league in that category, and after being near the bottom last season.
The 76ers, who are the youngest team in the league, showed a lot of fight and never gave up, coming within seven points to end the game. But effort alone was not enough for the 76ers to win over a Cavaliers team.
Games five and six were no different for the most part than the former two games, at least in terms of the assertiveness and continuity the Cavaliers would bring to the forum. The New York Knicks, on Nov. 4, fell to the Cavaliers, 96-86, which capped a game five win, and the Cavaliers out did the 76ers on Nov 6 108-102 to win game six, the last two wins culminating in an impressive 5-1 regular season record to date.
The Cavaliers are now second in the Eastern Conference. And although it has only been six games thus far with five wins and many more to come, the biggest change in these Cavaliers from last season, notwithstanding unexpected injuries, has been their willingness to share the basketball.
Do not be surprised if a number of players go over the 20 point mark this season if they continue to share the basketball. It is obvious thus far that the Cavaliers players and the coaching staff recognize that the high percentage of isolation, particularly by James and Love, who did not play in the playoffs due to an injury, hurt their overall production offensively.
In last season's NBA Championship Series with the Golden State Warriors, the Cavaliers ball and player movement came almost to grinding halt, which is somewhat understandable because with stars Irving and Love out with injuries James was the only tool in the shed who could cut through an opposing teams defense with any regularity. But all of the Lebron James isolation ball appears to be a thing of the past.
With the Cavaliers surprisingly showing this level of continuity and willingness to share the ball in the first six games of the regular season, the sky is the limit for this team's offense and defense this season. (www.clevelandurbannews.com) / (www.kathywraycolemanonlinenewsblog.com)
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