The Cleveland Cavaliers dropped yet another game on Sunday, falling to the 30-win Los Angeles Lakers in a decisive 127-113 defeat at Staples Center. With the loss comes a myriad of injury woes which has haunted this team on the glass for the last few games.
“I think the rebounding hurts us,” head coach Tyronn Lue said, according to Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com. “I think the physicality on the block. Not having as many bigs, having to double team the post a lot and scramble around. But that’s what we have to do right now, so, no excuses.”
Forward Kyle Korver admitted his teams was lacking the presence of many key assets of this team, which has turned the mood rather sour, as Cleveland has only won four of the last 10 games with 15 games left in the season.
“It’s hard to gauge because we have just so many guys out,” Korver said post-game. “We’re so low on big men right now that some of our smaller guys have to switch over and there’s not a lot of movement out there for us and that’s what makes basketball fun.”
“I think we’re just missing some smiles out there on the court right now. It feels very serious and we’re just kind of slugging it out.”
The Cavs have been overtaken by the Indiana Pacers for third place and now sit 7.5 games behind the second-place Boston Celtics, who have seen injury issues of their own with Kyrie Irving’s nagging knee soreness.
Cleveland is only half a game away from the fifth-place Washington Wizards, making the return of Kevin Love and Tristan Thompson that much more vital to their ultimate success.
