CLEVELAND, Ohio — When the Cavs hoisted a staggering 57 3-pointers in their recent victory over the Atlanta Hawks, they raised serious questions about the team’s fundamental offensive identity.
Head coach Kenny Atkinson didn’t mince words when asked if there’s a limit to how many threes his team should attempt. His response was telling: “We might have passed it tonight. I do think there is a number.”
For a team that historically built its offensive attack around drives to the basket and creating paint pressure into an escape valve with shooters getting open looks, this perimeter-heavy approach represents a jarring philosophical shift. The most damning evidence? The Cavaliers currently rank 27th in the NBA in drives to the basket.
“For a Cavs team to be 27th in the NBA in drives, it’s just not who they are. It’s just not how they want to function offensively,” said Chris Fedor on the latest Wine and Gold Talk podcast, highlighting the concerning departure from Cleveland’s intended offensive principles.
What makes this even more perplexing is that the Cavaliers are missing three of their most reliable 3-point shooters in Darius Garland, Max Strus, and Sam Merrill. Logic would suggest that in their absence, Cleveland would rely more on interior scoring, not less.
As Fedor explained: “I think it has become easier in the path of least resistance for the Cavs to just lean on the three point shot and just keep the ball out on the perimeter.”
Perhaps most concerning is how this approach affects Donovan Mitchell’s game. Known throughout his career as an elite paint attacker, Mitchell attempted only six shots inside the arc against Atlanta while launching 15 3-pointers.
“So much of what the Cavs do on the offensive end is supposed to be about break the paint first, drive first and then kick,” Fedor emphasized. “And you’re just not seeing as many signs of that, especially from Donovan.”
The Wine and Gold’s offensive crisis is further complicated by injuries to key creators. Without Garland’s orchestration and the spacing provided by Strus and Merrill, the current roster struggles to generate quality looks.
“The Cavs have one of the worst offenses in the NBA, and I just don’t know how that’s going to get better until they get more of these guys back in the lineup,” Fedor admitted.
For now, Cleveland finds itself caught between philosophies – clinging to an offensive approach that doesn’t match their available personnel while drifting further from the principles that should define their identity.
As Atkinson continues searching for solutions, one thing remains clear: ranking near the bottom of the league in drives isn’t sustainable. The Cavaliers must rediscover who they are offensively – or risk becoming something they never intended to be.
Here’s the podcast for this week:
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