Cavaliers Weekly Review: Week 3 of Season 11/15/23

Cavs Enter Week With Record 4-6 11th in East

1 – Where’s the defense?

It feels like the Cavaliers are trying to figure out who they are as a team, which is strange for a team that was fairly new last season. 

The Cavaliers were known as a defensive-minded team first in 2022- 23, but that “junkyard dog” mentality is not present this season.

The Cavs ranked 17th in points allowed per game heading into Wednesday’s game with Portland and were in the bottom third when it came to defensive three-point shots.  

Also, the middle of the lane, which has been a defensive staple with Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen in previous seasons, has been shredded in multiple games regarding defending the paint.

Cleveland needs to find their defensive identity.

2 – Hot and cold

The Cavs’ past seven games have alternated between wins and losses. In this seven-game stretch, Cleveland swept the Golden State Warriors, but it has given up 120 plus to the Pacers and Thunder and 132 to the Kings.  

Head Coach JB Bickerstaff needs to start finding more consistency as the Cavs are still dealing with injuries to Isaac Okoro, Ty Jerome, and Darius Garland, who is out for the game against Portland.

3 – LeVert

If there is one positive on this road trip, it has been Caris LeVert, who is currently on a three-game streak of twenty-plus point performances.