How to watch the Cavs: See how to watch the Cavs games with this handy game-by-game TV schedule.
Takeaways:
The Cavs started sluggishly but improved in the second half.
Defensive intensity is key for the Cavs’ success.
Jarrett Allen’s performance is crucial for playoff readiness.
Kenny Atkinson’s relationship with players enhances team dynamics.
Isaac Okoro’s energy and defense are game changers.
Creative lineups can lead to effective offensive plays.
Darius Garland and Donovan Mitchell complement each other well.
The Cavs are not the same team as in previous years.
Role players stepping up is essential for playoff success. Darius Garland maintains a positive mindset despite challenges.
The Cavs bench has set a record for three-pointers this season.
Concerns remain about the Cavs’ physicality in playoff series.
Kenny Atkinson’s coaching style has positively impacted the team.
The Cavs have faced clutch situations, but the stakes of playoff games cannot be replicated in regular season.
Rebounding remains a potential weakness for the Cavs.
Player development is key to the Cavs’ success this season.
The chemistry between players and coaches is vital.
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Read the automated transcript of today’s podcast below. Because it’s a computer-generated transcript, it may contain errors and misspellings.
Ethan Sands
What up Cavs Nation? I’m your host, Ethan Sands, and I’m back with another episode of the Wine and Gold Talk Podcast. And we’re coming to you guys after the Cavs’ latest win, 124-105 over the New York Knicks. And this one was a little bit interesting from the beginning. In the first half, after having two days off for the first time in what feels like forever,
The Cleveland Cavaliers came out sluggish again, as they have looked over the last few weeks. And it took another conversation with Kenny Atkinson in the locker room and also just with themselves at halftime. There were no water bottles thrown, but it was just the understanding that this is the New York Knicks. They’re going to come out physical, but you have to match that physicality. And I understood what Kenny Atkinson said just a couple of days ago, that he didn’t really necessarily like
the word physicality. He liked competitiveness, compete. He wanted to see his guys bring out the competitive fire and also knowing that the New York Knicks were coming off another game yesterday. So this was the second game of a back to back. They were supposed to run this team into the ground. And Jimmy, it felt like they did that in the second half. It looked like OGN and Nobby, McHale Bridges, Carl Anthony Towns were a little bit, let’s say, gassed.
because it felt like the Cavs were running the ball down their throat. They were able to get into the transition of offense, especially using what Carl Anthony Towns was doing, which was turning the ball over at length and trying to get his offensive game going. Wasn’t working too great for him. He did have a decent game, but seven turnovers is a lot. What did you key in on in that second half that allowed you to believe that this Cavs team was going to pull it out and then ultimately doing so?
Jimmy Watkins (02:00.843)
Well, I do think it’s always nice that the Cavs can remind us every now and again that when they flip up the defensive intensity, are still the elite defense that we’ve seen over the last couple of years. As Kukuro said it best in the post-game locker room, physicality, engagement, you could just see it’s like when a dog’s tail goes up. You just know they see something or something like that.
There’s a different look about them when they’re really want to, they really want to guard you. You’re going to be there’s also two things can be true. The Cavs up the defensive intensity. The Knicks also went from shooting like 50 % from three in the first half to one of 15 in the second half. Some of them on, pretty good looks, but like that’ll happen when you’re on the second game of back to back. That’ll happen when you’re working a little harder on offense because the Cavs are really getting into you.
Probably a little bit of truth to both of those things. On the cat point though, man, we were talking, we were talking about MVP stuff the other day. And I know that he has a little bit of momentum on that front. Just like appear on the ballot, not actually win the award. It’s just crazy to me that 10 years into his career, he’s still committing these jaw dropping turnovers. Like, what are you thinking? And then he was actually doing pretty well with the foul thing.
for most of this game, for like the beginning part of this game. And then you snap your fingers, he’s got 3000, like five minutes. Okay, we’re still doing this. We’re still doing this. There’s just like, we’re waiting for the light to come on with a decade in and I’m just, I’m just not sure we’re gonna get all the way there.
Ethan Sands (03:51.724)
and give credit to where credit is due, right? The Cavs, big men were able to rack up a majority of those turnovers simply by walling up and being able to guard up on Carl Anthony Towns, who is a renowned big in the NBA. And as Jimmy mentioned, he is in the MVP conversation to be in the top five of that ranking. But there was one.
Jimmy Watkins (04:10.869)
Fringe, fringe, fringe MVP conversation. Fringe.
Ethan Sands (04:16.014)
100%. Again, not in the top two, not in the top three, in the top five, maybe in the top 10, be on the ballot at least. going into what those big men were able to do, Ashley, I know we talked about this a little bit. Jared Allen was a big factor on both ends of the floor, defensively, just being able to show his toughness, get blocks, get steals, and be at every point of attack when it comes to guarding up against Carl at Lady Towns. And then,
Also going on the offensive end and showing what he’s able to do on that end of the floor. What did you see that stood out to you when it comes to his performance? And then also just going into the playoffs, how important he’s gonna be in those coming series.
Ashley (05:01.459)
Well, the first thing is the 10 of 11 from the field today, which is crazy. Like he said, two games. Chris has the exact stat. I do not have it in front of me. Something like shot 90 % from the field in each of the last two games, which is bananas and also crazy when you consider that in the first quarter, the Cavs were 6 of 12 at the rim. They were looking absolutely atrocious there. And he helped turn things around. Now,
I thought him and Evan today both had plays that sort of reminded me about these guys, their reputation around the league in the playoffs the last couple of years has been, well, you don’t have to worry about the Cavs because you can just out physical them. And then sometimes those two will make plays like Evan grabbed this insane rebound today where he like threaded through two Knicks. He got smacked in the face.
got the foul call and he came from like the foul line to get the rebound. And that to me is like one of my favorite Evan Mobley plays that or types of plays I will say that he can make. And then Jarrett that moment obviously came in the fourth quarter when he gets the one-handed block on Carl Anthony Towns. It was his only block in the game, but it was one of those where like you just have to have an appreciation for the difficulty of a play because it was one-on-one.
He had no help and he was only able to get, like was very clear from the moment the play started, he was only gonna be able to get one hand up there. So it was just straight up one-on-one and he was able to stop the shot attempt, stuff it, the Cavs get the ball back, they both fall to the floor. And my favorite part of the play was Donovan Mitchell, who was on the bench at that point, ran over to Jarrett and like pushed him up back into the play and was kind of cheering him on.
I think for me, for both of those guys, and we talked a lot about the big actions that they’ve been working, that they work today, it’s like those moments to me, yes, they matter in the scope of this game, but really, to your bigger point, Ethan, they’re like a reminder of, these are not the same old cabs of the last two years in that way, and it’s a reminder of what those kind of plays can do in terms of momentum shifting.
Ashley (07:26.117)
And obviously, playoff games are just going to be closer. Like, that’s the nature of them. So that, for me, is the look ahead of all of those things.
Ethan Sands (07:35.022)
100 % and being able to utilize the big on big actions. then we also saw Jared Allen take one for himself and create offense for himself, which is unlikely of him. Obviously he had to get a friendly role for that bastard to go in. But I do want to touch on the exact stats that you were talking about Ashley. Jared Allen is the first CAS player in the ninth NBA player in league history to have back to back games with 10 or more field goals made and shoot 90 % or better from
the floor. In the last three home games, Jared Allen is 10 of 11 from the field with 21 points and eight rebounds that came today against the New York Knicks. The last game against the Clippers, he was 11 of 12 from the field, 25 points, 12 rebounds. That was against the Los Angeles Clippers. And then the third last game was against the San Antonio Spurs. He was 10 of 11 from the field, 29 points and 15 rebounds. We’ve talked about this guy a lot this season, but getting ready and
Jimmy, we’ve talked about this a good amount as well. Being able to play your best basketball heading into the playoffs is super important. And Jared is just playing to a different level as of late. And I think it’s important to note, this is also coming off of their worst stretch of the season, four game losing skid, and a part of the year where there were some questions. And Kenny Atkinson, Donovan Mitchell, and some other players have mentioned Isaac Okoro as well, that when Kenny Atkinson gives a challenge to the team,
The first player to be able to take his level to the next is Jared Allen. He takes it very, very personally and as part of the relationship that he’s held with Kenny Atkinson since he was a rookie and the respect that he holds for him. And when he says something, he wants to be able to go and bring that to fruition, whether it’s rebounding, whether it’s forcing turnovers, protecting the basketball, just bringing the energy and intensity that we’ve seen. And Jimmy, this is where I want to go with this one because we know that
Earlier in the season, even just a few weeks ago, Jared Allen was not playing in fourth quarters in crucial fourth quarters. Now Kenny Atkinson has the resolve to be able to have decisions to go to Jared or not, depending on matchup. And there’s no need for him to worry about how Jared is going to feel because Jared has the utmost trust and confidence in Kenny Atkinson. Have you seen that before in anything that you’ve covered when it comes to basketball with teams like that?
Ethan Sands (10:03.31)
Or is this something that is just so unique and special?
Jimmy Watkins (10:09.635)
I think Jarrett and Kenny very clearly have a special player coach connection, which helps with this dynamic. Jarrett’s disposition helps with this dynamic. I wrote a column back when Jarrett was sitting fourth quarter, just about this guy’s got a face on a billboard outside the arena. He’s not closing games and he’s not saying a peep about it by all accounts. That is...
And he’s, you know, it’s a $30 million a year guy that is not in the NBA is such a statusy, maybe a locker room, such a statusy place that is not your norm. Allen is not your norm though. We know that. And to your point about how he’s, he’s played recently, I do think, I think people poop, people can poo poo Jared’s field goal percentage stuff sometimes because it’s okay. He shoots a lot around the rim. A lot of it is just energy stuff.
Some of it’s tipping, some of it’s running the floor, some of it’s playing pick and roll. But it’s like, okay. First of all, as I’ve said before, I think Isaac said this tonight too, dude’s touch around the rim is so underrated at this point. He doesn’t miss any of these little flip shots. You take it for granted to the point where when he doesn’t, it’s like, yeah, that does happen from time to time. You see other big men do it and it’s like Jared Allen is, he is just on point with that stuff.
The other thing to the energy plays to the running the floor to the tip and all that stuff. This is dude. He’s playing more. He’s playing more games than everybody else. Right. He’s what is he 76 for 76 now and that’s for him to still be able to to outrun guys and out energy guys and out fight guys who are bigger than him. Like I think the diff the level of difficulty on that stuff is getting harder by the day given
the era of basketball that we’re in where everyone gets a night off because they are gearing up for the playoffs and Jared Allen is making a point not to do that. I just, there’s not a lot new to say about Jared Allen. He’s the guy that he’s still one of the most selfless teammates, one of the most malleable players in the NBA, such a high efficiency finisher.
Jimmy Watkins (12:35.541)
but it bears repeating every time he does it because that’s what makes it impressive is that he does it all the time.
Ethan Sands (12:43.724)
And I think it’s so important because I tweeted this out or I don’t even know how you say it. I X’d it out. I don’t know how you use that platform anymore. But I literally...
Jimmy Watkins (12:53.205)
I don’t know why people are so concerned. Why can’t we just say Twitter? Because that’s what we’re all thinking when we do it. Who cares? Who cares what Elon wants us to call it? Maybe this ends up giving the state of things. Maybe if I don’t call it X, I’ll be sent to a faraway prison. But I think we could just call it Twitter. fine.
Ethan Sands (12:59.406)
I’ve never gone away.
Ethan Sands (13:15.114)
I just trying to be journalistically correct, gotta say ex formally Twitter and that we can go on our tie-rats, right? But when I sent out a tweet earlier today and I was like, this game is really close. It feels like the role players are going to have to step up and it’s basically going to be a shootout. Cause at one point in the first half, the Knicks were shooting 77 % from deep. Like it did not make sense. And it looked like what the Cavs had been doing to opposing teams earlier into the year. But I literally was like, it feels like it could be a shootout.
or whoever’s role players step up first, that’s who’s gonna win the game. And today that was Isaac Okoro. And we’ve talked about him a little bit over the last couple of games because he’s had stints where he’s shown how good he can be, how impactful he can be. And without Jalen Brunson on the floor, you got to see Isaac Okoro go up against OGN and OBI, Josh Hart, Mikhail Bridges. You got to see so many different options for Kenny Atkinson to put him on and understand that...
It didn’t really matter. Isaac is going to be a dog hound and do what he does and guard 94 feet and all these things. But for him to also have the offensive productivity, I don’t know about you guys, but I watched him growing up with Mickey Cher and with when he was on the same team as Sharif Cooper in high school and he was a slasher. He wasn’t really a shooter. He was able to get to the rim. All these things. It felt like he was able to do those things in transition. And that’s why he has his patented Euro step in transition. All these things.
feels like he looks so comfortable in those roles. And that also helps with the half role that he’s been used in this season as well. I mean, he was just 106 from deep tonight, but, and we want to see those numbers improve, especially into the playoffs as we look to have his numbers where he’s going to play in his minutes wise. But I think it’s important to note that he was the, like he was the game of the game today. He was the reason that they were able to help.
and pull back this victory because he was placed in so many different lineups that Kenny Atkinson can utilize and put him on different offensive players. Ashley, when it comes to a guy like Isaac who’s such an energy player, who’s such a guy that brings intensity on every aspect of the game, when you see him have a game like this, does it make you think back to all the times where he has been doubted? Like, guy’s not guarding him necessarily on the offensive end and you think, well, if he’s gonna do this defensively,
Ethan Sands (15:37.644)
We can take some risk.
Ashley (15:40.487)
Yeah, I mean, when he has a game like today, even the one little like Eurostep sort of up and under movie had, can’t remember now if it was in the second or third quarter, but I was sitting next to Nate Ulrich today from The Beacon Journal and I said, sometimes he does stuff like that. I’m like, that’s so uncharacteristic. Like that was such a good move. But then I’m like, no, it actually is characteristic of those sorts of things that we know he can do. He just at this stage of his career.
with this roster the way it is. He doesn’t always get that chance to, but I mean, I think the third quarter to me sort of proved, hey, this is how Isaac Okoro in theory would keep his rotation spot in the playoffs to our conversation from yesterday, right? Because he scores six points in that third quarter. Meanwhile, OG and Inobi for the Knicks only has two after having 19 in the first half. So when you see him do that,
an impact to game. It’s like, yes, six points. Some people say six points, like whatever, six points. Other guys had six points in the third quarter too, and they did. Darius, Jarrett, I think. But without what Isaac does on both ends of the floor there, and when he can get out in transition, for me, it just causes chaos for an opposing defense, and it speeds up the game, makes them play faster than they want to. And that’s why the Cavs were able to outscore the Knicks 38-25 in that third and get back in the game. So
Thinking Big Picture, it just reminds me of, yes, he has been a liability at times in the postseason earlier in his career when he’s been younger, but for me, this is how he’s going to change that discussion potentially and what he needs to do to keep a postseason rotation spot, quite honestly.
Jimmy Watkins (17:30.015)
think it, I like the way that the Cavs are trying to get creative with how Isaac can be useful on offense, right? Cause one for six tonight, you tell me, most times you tell me that Isaac Acura went one for six in a game against the playoff team. I wouldn’t be guessing that he played almost 24 minutes in that game, right? But to me, something like the
The offense that he creates by being a chaos agent on defense, that’s part of it. But the offense to me, there was a play where the Knicks, this is the important playoffs. That’s the short roll stuff, which he’s getting, which he’s getting really good at down inside the screen index. is second in screen index this year. I think that’s important because teams are wired to ignore Isaac, right? And so when he, when the Cavs involve him in a play, does two things.
One, makes them, you can’t just sag off of him now because he can attack the rim from that spot. Two, you have to account for him because now he’s part of the play, right? It’s not just him standing in the corner anymore. So I like that. The second thing is, he’s getting savvy with these backdoor cuts. There was one tonight where the Knicks kind of ignored him and I want to say it was Evan.
was coming down the lane and Isaac just snuck back door and got either a layup or a dunk out of that. Those kind of small things will go a long way toward him keeping his rotation minutes as well. It’s not just, obviously, you know me, I’m Mr. make your shots or you’re getting benched. But that’s number one, of course, we would love Isaac Corra to make more corner threes if we’re the Cavs, right? But if you’re not gonna do that,
these other things that he’s doing, becoming a playmaker out of the short roll and back cutting these dudes who are ignoring him, that those are other avenues for him to be a useful offensive player.
Ethan Sands (19:38.636)
And I think it’s also important, the players that he’s getting to play around. Obviously we’re talking about Kenny Atkinson, who’s gotten to toy a lot with the rotations and the lineups, especially at the end of the season to figure out what works in the playoffs. And there was a particular lineup that not necessarily has been used a whole lot this season, but I liked, and it was used tonight. It entailed Donovan Mitchell, Deandre Hunter, Isaac Okoro, Sam Merrill, and Evan Mobley. It’s been used.
for 18 minutes this season in just five games, but it has a net rating of 7.8 per 100 possessions with a defensive rate of 111.1 and an offensive rating of 118.9. Tonight, it was used in the third quarter and then again to start the fourth quarter. And it was just one that you got to see such free flowing offense with the ball movement that looked too pretty to be real. And then the defense with everybody attacking at the point of attack. Darius, or excuse me.
Donovan Mitchell was hounding whoever he was guarding at the point of attack. Then you have Sam Merrill, who we know has been great defensively per defensive metrics. Jimmy mentioned that in our latest podcast talking about how he’s played a lot of minutes alongside Evan Mobley and that helps his defensive rating and defensive metrics as well. But he’s also just held up on the defensive end in his own right. Then you have Isaac Okoro and Deandre Hunter, both really good defensive players.
So a defensive lineup that also has scoring options and then you get the cutting and the passing and the shooting all of that together. It just looked really, really good. But when you talk about a lineup that we wanted to see today, we did get to see it a little bit more, which was the lineup, including Deandre Hunter and the core four. And I’m trying to pull this stat up right now as we continue this podcast, but I think there was a stat from tonight’s game.
that showcased how important this lineup could be. the 5 minutes that was used of this lineup, it was a plus 9, it had a net rating of 83.3, the offensive rating was 150, and the defensive rating was 66.7. Excuse me? 80? Net rating? I know there’s been small sample sizes, and it’s probably coming up on
Ethan Sands (22:00.846)
40 minutes altogether as they played the season. But why would you not use this lineup more? Why would you not try and get this lineup prepared for the playoffs when it has clearly been so?
Jimmy Watkins (22:12.779)
Okay, no, we’re not, I think I have the complete opposite view of this. So there’s be many internet basketball geniuses who take these numbers as Ethan just did. And I understand why you’re doing this. did look very good together out there. And say, see, see, should have done this sooner. I would say counterpoints, look how well they played.
without the reps that apparently they desperately need playing together, even though they all play together, just not all together, right? DeAndre has played with Evan and Donovan and Darius and Jared separately, just not all on the same court. I look at that and say, what the heck were we worried about? Clearly they work together. Clearly they work together. And again, I continue to say that I think I understand why they do want to get some reps with it. I think some things you do want to keep up your sleeve.
for the playoffs. And this could be one of those things down the road where I think, like, I don’t want to say I’ve already seen enough, but clearly this works and you don’t want to show all your pitches before we get to the big at bats. That’s what I will say. I think there’s two ways to look at it.
Ethan Sands (23:31.734)
And I’m not 100%. And I agree with you. I don’t want to burn him out with that lineup. And I’m not even saying you need to start him. But I’m saying when there is available opportunities, because there haven’t been and there won’t be for the remainder of the season, because we know they’re going to rest, guys, whether it’s Donovan, Darius, Evan, just give it five minutes. Give it 10 minutes on the floor together to see how it looks, to see how it works. And also to get Deandre acclimated with ATOs, with plays, with sets.
that we know that Kenny Atkinson has also admitted that he hasn’t particularly put together yet for De’Andre. And sure, this could be a tactic to keep in his back pocket for the playoffs, and I get that, Jimmy, but I think you also have to see it to believe it and to know it works. And obviously De’Andre Hunter is a great player. He can create for himself. That’s part of the reason why this offense looks so good. There was a possession where this lineup was being used and all of the core four members went to a corner.
or went to a spot and spread out and De’Audrey Hunter just went and got a bucket himself. That wasn’t happening last year. But I do want to get to this point to ask Ashley this and to continue because Darius and Donovan together this year have also been very good. They are the first pair of teammates in Cavs history to each have 200 or more three point field goals in the same season.
I actually, know you’ve seen this team a lot and there have been a lot of questions, especially after last season about whether or not Darius and Donovan can work on the floor together. And obviously they still split minutes, but when they played together this season, it feels like they feed off of each other. It’s no longer, we have to wait for Donovan to go to the bench for Darius to sign. We don’t have to wait for Darius to go to the bench for Donovan to get his, right? Have you felt that change since being able to watch this team?
And how important do you think that is, not only for the evolution of this group, but also for the growth of Darius Scarlet?
Ashley (25:29.951)
Well, I have felt it, first of all. And second of all, what I will say is like I was one of those people that spent the last like two or three years questioning if the Cavs could or should keep both of them. I mean, I’ve had this as a discussion in the Browns media room amongst my friends, amongst my family. I’ve thrown out all different kinds before this season, all different kinds of possibilities. Like, well, if you can’t get Donovan, then get rid of him now and.
work with Darius as your main guy. Or if you extend Donovan, maybe consider trading Darius and see what you can get for him. But I’m obviously glad now the cabs didn’t listen to that, that those just kind of became water cooler sort of conversations that I was having with multiple people and my friends and things like that. Because it is working. And I mean, to your point, Ethan, like I don’t think that...
For one guy to thrive, the other guy has to be off the floor. But I do think a big part of it is Donovan’s role sort of changing. And he talked a lot about that tonight. And I think Darius benefiting is a big part of it. like, his role has changed. And people might hear that and be like, well, how has it changed? And it’s almost like it’s so minor, but it’s still major, right? Like he’s playing, he’s averaging the fewest minutes played of his career.
Only 31.4 right now. He had never played fewer than 33.4 minutes per game prior to this. think it’s the second, yeah, second least shot attempts per game. The only season that he had fewer shot attempts per game was his rookie season back in 2017-18. So those sort of things to me, they’re minor, right? Like the, you’re not seeing a huge difference in the stats, but it...
is a difference and combined, I think it definitely matters. So I think Donovan talked about this today, like everyone says they’re willing to sacrifice, but when the time comes, are you going to be willing to do it? And I think that sacrifice not only looks like Donovan sitting a couple extra minutes here or there, it’s, I see it in how he’s distributing the ball a lot of ways. And I think that for me has allowed particularly the younger guys to
Ashley (27:51.731)
then find themselves a little bit more and take the next step in their development that when I would watch them last year, I’d kind of be banging my head against the wall. Like, why is Darius Garland the same player he was two seasons ago? Like, why is Evan Mobley the same player he was two seasons ago? It was driving me crazy, and I don’t feel that way about those guys anymore. But I think Donovan, it’s not taking a back seat. It’s just changing, and it’s been good for the greater good.
Jimmy Watkins (28:18.699)
Am I, am I still allowed to still be a little concerned about Darius? Like physically, physically, like the playoff, prove it to me in the playoffs is it’s separate conversation. We’re going on like tonight was the Detroit game was encouraging where he made some threes. Tonight I liked how he looked. Like you look at the box score, it’s eight for 15, 17 points. One of four from three.
Ethan Sands (28:25.321)
You sure are. You sure are.
Jimmy Watkins (28:47.723)
He’s shooting, this is like a month and a half now, going back to after he sat out two games with the hip contusion, shooting under 40 % from the field. That’s very concerning to me. He’s, let’s see, what other numbers do we have? He had 32 20 point games in his first 56 or 53, I believe it is, in the Cavs first 56, his first 53.
In the 17 games since then, he has five. I would just love to see, I want to see Darius go for 35. One time. One time over the last couple of 10 days we have here of the regular season. That would make me feel a lot better because I felt before he took that fall against New York the first time, this was as good as he has ever looked. And still, if you look at his numbers as a whole, he’s having the best efficiency season.
of his career. I’ve just been a little uneasy about some of the shooting numbers as of recent, and we know how important he is to this offense going forward. I agree with, conceptually, I agree with everything that we’re saying. Donovan taking a step back has been huge for Darius and I’ve loved the way Darius has played. And one of the other really encouraging things, even about this stretch, is that last year, it wasn’t just that he wasn’t scoring, the turnovers were
egregious at times. taken still taking pretty good care of the ball. He’s still manipulating defenses. He’s still still creating really good looks for others. Kenny said Kenny was asked about it, but Kenny said tonight, I think he’s getting some of his mojo back for the calf’s sake. I hope so for the calf’s sake. I hope so. But the longer I look at these recent game logs, the more nervous I get.
Ethan Sands (30:38.028)
I think that’s a fair takeaway, Jimmy, but I also think it’s important to note that Darius isn’t in the same place as he was last year, right? When we talk about emotionally, right? Last year, you could see the frustration. You could see how upset it would make him to have some of these games. And obviously, emotions and mentality only go so far when it comes to how the product is produced. But the fact of the matter is,
Darius still looks like he’s having the best time of his life. He’s healthy. He’s able to go out and play the game that he loves. And I think that among everything else is important because if he’s able to still have that same mindset that, I can go for 35 if I really need to, and then does it, I think, sure, you want to see it done, but I think you also have to have that mindset. It doesn’t feel like he’s waned. His confidence hasn’t changed. He’s been able to have that same mentality.
throughout, even when he has had a rough stretch. And we know March was a rough month for him and Donovan, but we want to see both of them come back. And I also think you talk about the bench and how important they have been to the rise of this. And we talked about this on our last podcast about how the bench is going to shrink, how the rotations are going to shrink when the playoffs come, right? The Cavs bench made four threes in the opening half of this last game.
And now they had a total of more than 503 triples this season. That is the most threes made by a bench in a single season in NBA history. And they’re still going, right? They still got six games left. The next closest is the Oklahoma City Thunder from last year, the 2023, 2024 season, who had 501. Right? So I just think it’s a mixture of everybody. And I think that’s what this team has been.
the depth of everybody needing to take it to the next level in the playoffs and be playing your best basketball as we continuously said. But Ashley, I think when we round out this conversation, it feels like this Cavs team is starting to get back into the groove that we’ve seen for a majority of this season. Do you feel that? you get a sense that they needed Kenny Atkinson to throw a water bottle, to have a little bit more spark, a little bit more intensity? Or do you just think that
Ethan Sands (33:02.99)
1. They understand it’s game time. And it also helps that the Boston Celtics lost today, so the magic number is down to 2.
Ashley (33:11.509)
Yeah, I think like all of the above is fair which might sound like a cop-out but like I’ll explain what I mean like to Jimmy’s point about Still having concerns like I think it’s so valid to still have concerns about What is Darius gonna do after last year and to what I was talking about earlier? It’s like are the cabs going to?
be able to just get out physical in a seven game series. Like I still question those things. I question those things when we hear Kenny and I know what Kenny Atkinson meant when he said this like about how he’s not like a rebounding coach, right? Like he’s about effort and like those sort of things. Like I get it, but like when someone says that my instinct is like, no, that’s not what I want to be hearing in April. Like it’s just not. So I think it’s fair.
to question these things because my point from yesterday still stands is that we have not seen this group make a significantly long playoff run. We don’t know how anybody is going to handle that. That being said, I do think they feel to me like they’re in a better spot than they were like a week, two weeks ago. I think, I know I probably sounded like crazy when I was thinking this or wondering this or talking about this when they were on the second, you know, 16 game winning streak or the...
Second 15 game winning streak 16 was it 16 games or 17 games? I can’t even remember anymore 16, right 16. Okay. I can’t even remember because they’ve been on so many winning streaks in the middle of that I’m like I’m a little Concerned that things have been too easy for them and they haven’t had to problem solve like problem solving in this game is So important and it’s so important when you’re in a seven game series and you’re seeing the same opponent that much so
Ethan Sands (34:33.902)
16, 16, 16.
Ashley (34:57.245)
I think why I feel better about them today than I did a couple weeks ago is because they did have the four game losing streak and it’s not so much about like, yes, like I’m happy Kenny threw water bottle the other night. Like I think they needed that. I think it’s a good story for us. Obviously, reporters love that kind of stuff and love it when it works, quite honestly, because then we get to write about a win too. And it’s just more fun to write about something like that after a win, I think. But.
I think all of these things can be true in that way. Like, they haven’t done anything in the postseason yet, and they are playing really well right now. And we can’t take that away from them just because they haven’t done anything in the postseason yet, but it’s fair to still have concerns about all these things we’ve been talking about.
Ethan Sands (35:41.122)
My only counterpoint to that, and because I agree with the majority of what you’re saying, I do think in part because I feel like they did it on purpose, but they’ve put themselves in a good amount of clutch situations this year. They’ve put themselves in a good amount of situations where they’ve been forced to go through late game execution, even if it was against worse teams than them. And so they understood that they had the firepower to come back into those games, but they are.
24 and 9 in 33 games. That’s the best win percentage in these clutch games for this Cleveland Cavaliers team They have the second most wins in clutch situations. The Houston Rockets have been in 44 Games of clutch situations this year, which is tied with the Minnesota Timberloles for the most Clutch performances clutch games, but they also have 18 losses in those as well. The Cavs have the second most wins. They have 24
which is tied for the Golden State Warriors who also have played in 42 clutch game scenarios. So I just wanted to point that out when we talk about these executions and we talk about having to fight through adversity and all these things, they’ve also come back from multiple deficits as we’ve seen tonight.
Jimmy Watkins (36:54.667)
Yeah, okay. You can’t, you can’t mimic the stakes. You can’t mimic the stakes. There is no, I mean, like that Denver, Minnesota game that went into double overtime last night was awesome and had a bunch of crazy moments and all the big shots that were in that game were big shots and valid and all that. That’s not a playoff game. There’s not, there’s no feeling that there’s no sense that if I lose this game, we’re one step closer to going home. You can’t replicate that.
So I hear all that and this is why we wipe the slate clean when we start the playoffs. still, I have said this, I said it, I think I said it last night. I believe that what the Cavs are showing us is more real than not. But I still, when we’re talking about the big picture, like beating Boston essentially, or even like if Indiana gives them a long series, these are the kinds of questions. We’re talking pretty much game.
after game five of round two. We just all assume that you’re going to get to that point. But what happens after that point? That’s what we’re talking about here. To the point about Kenny, and I wrote his coach, I think he should be coach of the year column this morning. And I just think his feel for this team is really impressive. Like he threw the water bottle right before the Clippers game. They got absolutely house night of Clippers on the boards, you know, 12 days earlier, and then they out rebound the Clippers.
on Sunday, all coming off of their third game of four nights. Now the Clippers are on a long road trip, I get it. And there’s no Kawhi, so there’s less pressure on the rim. Fair enough, all that. But that’s still a really impressive response. And then two days later, the epilogue there is they’re going through their first practice in forever and all the coaches are trying to do stuff. And Darius just starts clapping it up and is like, nah, I think we’re done here. We’re not going to do this last drill. And Kenny’s like, yeah, think I should listen to them.
That’s two very different ends of the spectrum there for a coach to be, to be tapped in with his team. And I don’t know that a lot of coaches would appease their team in that situation, especially given how few practices they’ve had. I also to the rebounding, I just want to read some stats I looked up that may appear in a column. I write ahead of the playoffs, they would not come. So since 10, since 2000, we’ve had what 24 NBA champions. Is that how math works? 13 of them.
Jimmy Watkins (39:24.671)
have ranked top 10 or better in defensive rebound rate. 13. Five of them have ranked 15th or better top half. The Cavs are 22nd in defensive rebounding right now. This century, defensive rebound rate, just want to make that as clear as possible because Kenny referenced them as like a borderline top 10 rebounding team the other day and I think that’s...
either total rebound percentage or rebounds per game, I don’t know. I’m focused on defensive rebounding rate, securing your own possession, securing your own defensive possessions. Only three teams this century have won a championship with a defensive rebounding rate worse than 22nd. Two of them are the Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors who were not fair. The other one are the LeBron Wade Bosch Heat. So basically the only three teams who have
been as bad as the rebounds, as bad or worse at rebounding than the Cavs. To win a championship, I’d stack teams. I think that the Cavs have a lot of different ways to manufacture possessions besides rebounding. I think Evan Mobley and Jared Allen can go up a notch rebounding. I think Donovan Mitchell and company can go up a notch rebounding. I’m just saying that is a potential red flag.
to keep on the horizon. It’s been a thing, obviously. We all remember the Knicks series for a long time. And I don’t know that that problem is going to... I’m trying to find a team that would exploit that, properly exploit that in the path. That’s another good argument against it. I don’t know who that team is. would be the full strength Knicks. I don’t know that they’re going to see the full strength Knicks in the playoffs. I just want to put that on people’s radar.
Ethan Sands (00:01.816)
Thank you for that, Jimmy. And I think that is a great point and exactly where we want to end today’s podcast.
So with that being said, that’ll wrap up today’s episode of the Wine and Gold Talk podcast. But remember to become a Cavs Insider and interact with Chris, me and Jimmy by subscribing to Subtext. This is where you can send in your thoughts on where the Cavs are heading into the playoffs and what you think about how each individual
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Chris, Jimmy, and Ashley. This isn’t just our podcast, it’s your podcast. And the only way to have your voice heard is through subtext. Y’all be safe. We out.