Shortly after another aggravating Cleveland Cavaliers loss to the Boston Celtics 115-117 on Sunday. Jaylon Tyson came out guns blazing and was not hiding his true emotions.
Tyson’s post-game comments hit the nail on the head. Early and often in the Cavaliers’ first 21 games, the team has looked sluggish and frankly lackadaisical.
There were awkward struggles at the very start of the season. The Cavs would string together good offensive and defensive segments that you could justify. They made a clear effort to change the formula from last year’s historic regular-season team after a disappointing second-round dismantling by the Indiana Pacers. But that isn’t what’s happening at this point. If the issues were purely scheme-related and the growing pains that accompany those changes, that would be an easier truth to accept.
This Cavaliers team as Tyson excellently surmised has an effort problem.
“Everyone has to bring energy, everyone has to pour into this thing.”
The Cavaliers look like a team fresh off a championship, looking to coast through the regular season. The only issue is that this team hasn’t won anything that matters. They fell flat in 2025, ‘24, and ‘23. Why exactly are the Cavaliers under the impression that they are so talented that they can sleepwalk their way through the regular season?
I have no issue with Tyson’s comments. They are spot on, I agree with everything he said. Look no further than the loss against the Celtics. The Cavaliers were zombies early on in the game.
The Celtics starting five consisted of one player who was a starter for them last season in Jaylen Brown. The Cavaliers had Darius Garland, Donovan Mitchell, and Evan Mobley. That should mean a good start to the game, right? Um. No. With 6:33 left in the first quarter the Cavaliers were already down 17-8.
Then in comes the newest cast of the Cavaliers’ Avengers with Craig Porter Jr and Nae’Qwan Tomlin. That duo, along with Tyson, are the undisputed Cavaliers’ heart and hustle players. Just like that, the game flipped in the Cavaliers’ favor. Not because of anything flashy or just overwhelming them with talent and schemes. No, it was just because those three cared.
It’s honestly embarrassing for the starters (Donovan Mitchell excluded) how night-and-day the effort difference is between the starters and the bench. The fact that the trio of CPJ, Tomlin, and Tyson cause so much havoc on opposing teams should show the starters on film that they could be A LOT better if they actually tried.
I mean no disrespect to Jaylon Tyson for saying what he said. However, the message should have been said by a more prominent figure on the team. Instead of being force-fed classic slop from the higher-ups like Mitchell and head coach Kenny Atkinson. How many times have we seen how these games are “good tests” and “bumps in the road”?
If these first 21 games are bumps in the road, then this is going to be the worst drive I have taken in a long time. Let’s just pave the road by throwing in the towel and commencing the fire sale. This team is way too talented to be held back because the starters don’t want to break a sweat and put their best foot forward.
The lack of effort is evident in their shot selection. The Cavaliers are currently 24th in drives per game. They were sixth last year. Putting your head down and taking the ball to the basket is pretty reflective of effort. In contrast, the Cavaliers rank first in three-point attempts.
If you shrug at this, let me ask you: have you ever played pickup with your buds?
What happens after you play for 20 minutes or so?
Does the game devolve into people looking sluggish and hucking up threes?
CAUSE IT’S EASIER TO FIRE AWAY FROM THE PERIMETER THAN PUTTING THE BALL ON THE FLOOR AND DRIVING.
Hopefully Tyson’s words, while from the wrong source, resonate with this team. But then again, that’s not his fault. He can’t make his teammates say the right thing or even care. Hats off to him for doing his part.
This team is too talented to be sitting as a near .500 21 games into the season. Something has to change.