Following Tuesday morning’s practice session at Cleveland Clinic Courts, Cavs head coach Tyronn Lue spoke to members of the media in regards to his team’s 0-3 start to the season. During the interview, Lue warned that he is willing to bench players who aren’t communicating on defense.
The Cavs had fairly competitive showings in their first two games, though they were defeated in both. In their most recent loss, however, Cleveland gave up 35 points and 11 assists to Atlanta Hawks rookie Trae Young. It was the best line by a first-year player since Stephen Curry in 2010. Simply put, Young was hot, and the Cavs had no answer.
“We didn’t expect to be 0-3,” Cavs All-Star Kevin Love told ESPN after Sunday’s loss. “On opening night at home, we expect to play better in front of our own fans. I don’t know if alarming is the right word, but it sure seems right, right now. Our effort level just wasn’t there. It’s just going to be a growth year for us. We’ve got to get better.”
Currently, the Cavs are ranked 29th in overall defensive rating (121.4), 27th in steals (4.7), 30th in blocks (1.3), and 23rd in points allowed in the paint (54.7), per NBA.com.
Clearly, the Cavs have a lot of room for improvement on the defensive end of the floor. Luckily, the season is still young.
The Cavs will be back in action on Wednesday night, when they’ll welcome the Brooklyn Nets to Quicken Loans Arena. Tip-off is set for 7:00 p.m. ET with FOX Sports Ohio having live broadcast coverage. Let’s see if Cleveland can correct some of its defensive issues.
