CLEVELAND, Ohio — The Cavs entered Thursday night’s matchup against the Toronto Raptors with expectations rooted in their defensive identity.
They have the reigning Defensive Player of the Year in Evan Mobley. They have one of the league’s premier rim-protecting duos in Mobley and Jarrett Allen. And yet, in a 126-113 loss that left fans shaking their heads, Cleveland surrendered 60 points in the paint and 28 fast-break points, looking anything but elite.
This defensive collapse was the focal point of the latest Wine and Gold Talk podcast, where host Ethan Sands and cleveland.com columnist Jimmy Watkins broke down head coach Kenny Atkinson’s blunt postgame assessment:
“We didn’t have it. They were great,” Atkinson said. “I think they kind of flew by us, [were] quicker to every loose ball, they were racing by us in transition, beat us to every rebound. I mean, I’m exaggerating of course, but it was like their energy level was here and we were down here and my only — I wish we were a little mentally stronger. Sometimes you got to fight through the schedule fatigue, all that."
Atkinson’s words described a team whose identity has evaporated.
Through 13 games, the Cavs rank 15th in defensive rating, a far cry from the interior fortress they were expected to be and the expectations they had for themselves coming into the season.
And the failures went beyond the paint. Cleveland’s transition defense was nonexistent.
As Sands pointed out:
“The Cavs allowed 28 points in the fast break tonight. You know how many the Cavs had? Six. ... they simply were running it down their throats. And even when the Toronto Raptors got into the half court, they were picking apart whatever defense the Cavs were in.”
This wasn’t a simple fatigue issue. Yes, the Cavs have played a condensed schedule, but 13 games into the season, a championship-caliber team should be able to push through and execute defensively. The regression points to deeper problems — effort, focus, and mental toughness.
Perhaps the most alarming aspect is that this defensive lapse comes after an offseason spent emphasizing mental toughness. The Cavs’ playoff collapse against Indiana was supposed to serve as a lesson; Thursday night suggested those lessons haven’t fully stuck.
“They did not play tough enough mentally and physically against the Indiana Pacers,” Sands stated. “You know who plays that kind of style? The Chicago Bulls. You know who plays that kind of style? The Toronto Raptors. You know who plays that kind of style? The Miami Heat. Teams that you are likely to see, potential suitors for a playoff series and you’re still having mental lapses.”
The Wine and Gold Talk podcast raises the uncomfortable question: Does this Cavs team have the mental fortitude to compete at the highest level? Is this defensive collapse an early-season anomaly — or a harbinger of a team whose supposed strength is now a glaring weakness?
For a Cleveland squad with championship aspirations, the answers could define their season.
Thursday’s game must serve as a wake-up call, and the full podcast episode offers an unfiltered, compelling look at a team whose defensive identity — and perhaps its championship dreams — hangs in the balance.
Here’s the podcast for this week:
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