Prior to the trade deadline, the Cleveland Cavaliers underwent a huge overhaul of the roster with six players being moved out and four added in by way of three different transactions. One of the players that were acquired was veteran point guard George Hill, who has wasted little time in embracing being a part of the change to the Cavs, according to Dave McMenamin of ESPN.
The major shakeup to the roster had become a much-needed move for the front office as Cleveland appeared to be on a downward trajectory over the last few weeks with several discouraging losses along the way. It has gotten off to a strong start with an impressive road 121-99 win over the Boston Celtics on Sunday afternoon.
Hill played well in his first performance for the Cavs with 12 points on 3-of-8 shooting from the field in just 21 minutes of action. Meanwhile, the Cavs’ other trade deadline additions in guards Jordan Clarkson and Rodney Hood combined for 32 points with six 3-pointers in the win. Forward Larry Nance Jr. contributed five points, four rebounds, and three assists in 21 minutes played.
What was also encouraging is that the Cavaliers played well defensively holding the Celtics to 40.4 percent shooting from the field and 26.3 percent from beyond the arc. Their play defensively has been one of the biggest issues this season, ranking among the bottom tier giving up 109.9 points per game.
There will be plenty of adjustments ahead for the Cavs to get their new players more acclimated into the fold over the last couple of months of the regular season. However, it’s clear that the team’s new additions are committed to helping Cleveland steer in the right direction toward reaching a fourth straight NBA Finals appearance for another chance to compete for a championship.
Ultimately, only time will tell if these moves will work out for the betterment of the Cavs over the rest of this season and possibly beyond that.