After yesterday’s loss in Hot Lanta to a Hawk’s team with an All-Star starter in Trae Young, the Cavaliers scream like a coal furnace towards a play-off run; engaging one another as “Brother’s in Arms,” and thus electrifying the fan base on North Coast shores of a frozen lake. With leading scorer Colin Sexton sidelined on November 7th with a torn meniscus and out for the year, the Cavaliers acquired Ricky Rubio for just this kind of unforeseen circumstance. The bet paid off and Ricky, on November 7th, scored a career high 37pts; while Garland has emerged as a legit PG in the NBA averaging 20 pts and 8 assists. The Trojan, 3rd overall pick at 7ft, Evan Mobley, (nickname in progress) in-addition to long term signed center Jarret Allen has showed the league a different style of play. In conferences both dominated by sexy long balls, the Terminal Towers block out, make others adjust shots, and have “The Paint is Ours”, presence. Kobe Altman, President of Operations, had another read by securing 7ft Lauri Markkanen to hold down the wing; something that Orlando exposed to an older LeBron lead team. Let’s dig into the “Meatloaf Ma”, and examine the first 58.
The second paragraph starts with 6th man of the year contender, 2016 Cleveland Cavalier Champion, Kevin Love. The veteran, with beautiful grey streaks of Clooney, has said “Outside of ’15, ’16, I don’t know if I had more fun in the NBA.” “When you have something special like this you have to bottle it up,” like Screech’s Spaghetti Sauce, Love expressed endearingly; accepting his role as Shaman of the young inexperienced squad. He’s delivered with the 2nd unit, averaging 14pts and 7 rebounds. And this is what makes the Wine and Gold a contender, they’ve bought in an accepted their roles, leveraging the best out of team ball; and it all starts with “Uncle Phil”, head coach, J.B. Bickerstaff.
Details. Toughness. Together. Compete. 1 More; are plastered across the weight room wall at the Cleveland Cavaliers practice facility, something that coach lives by. His conviction is stated, “It’s also characteristic of our city, and about living it, so we’ll earn the respect of our fan base.” Steve Kerr, former Cav, went on to say about his peer earlier this year, “A true measure of how well a coach is doing is how well his team is playing. If a team plays hard, generally it means a coach is making an impact and making a connection with that group.” When you look at coach’s face, stalking the sideline of the Rocket Mortgage Field House, in a fleece, don’t let it fool you, he’s locked in, loaded with the game plan, and he makes them believe in one another. He’s the tough nosed, no BS, I can be one of the guys but also your parent. The captain the team has needed; he represents stability.
With injuries adding up all year and the team winning more ball games than all of last year, the Cavs were buyers at the trade deadline, investing in Caris LeVett, former Indiana Pacer. The guard averages 18pts and 4 assists and comes off the bench, a solid scoring threat and defender. The Cavaliers might have been worried about chemistry but he’s fit right in with former teammate, Jarret Allen, and is excited about a play-off run. Adding veteran Rajon Rondo has added more stewardship to a ship that is heading to unexplored regions for the most part. Other role players such as Jedi Osman and Dean Wade have played with heart, intensity, and grit. Isaac Okoro starts for his defense but has come alive and got more comfortable on the offensive end. Even Goodwin showed his speed and ran the offense in absence of Garland.
Away from Cleveland the team boasts a winning record of 15-11, a sign of a team that shows up to play for each other, their coach, and fan base. The Wine and Gold have held opponents to a number one spot in the NBA, of only 5,720pts through the break; the defense is real, like construction on interstate 90. Nobody wants to face this squad in the play-offs because they have nothing to lose and everything to gain. The Cavs don’t iso-ball; they pass, cut, oop, and find the open man. Makes watching a product that has felt watered down over years, like sweat tea on a humid Carolina day. It reinforces the fact that ingredients, cooked properly, can make your taste buds scream, Amen! The team is growing and that is progress; also, fun as hell. Let’s see where the ride takes us into the spring, thaw, and emergence of a competitor, contender, and threat. “Can’t Wait”, Fear the Sword!
