Cavs, in midst of so-so run, are a 'work in progress' with lofty goals for May, June
CLEVELAND — Just like seemingly every inch of road in the Akron-Canton area, the Cavaliers remain a work in progress. And although much of the heavy construction of the roster has already taken place, they're still far from a finished product.
After a 23-point trouncing of the Los Angeles Clippers Sunday night, the Cavs are 31-21 — the fifth-best record in the Eastern Conference. Although that would already signify a sizable step forward for the franchise, the Cavs know their recent stretch hasn't exactly been seamless, either.
Since opening the season on an 8-1 tear, the Cavs are 23-20. In their last 10 games, they're 5-5. And although 21-5 at home, they're just 10-16 away from Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse.
The Cavs have put together a solid showing thus far, but they are not without their weak spots. And for a team with lofty aspirations, they know it.
"There are games we’ve had on the table [where] I thought we could have closed out and finished, but this isn’t a league where you skip steps," said Cavs coach J.B. Bickerstaff. "I think we’re in a really good spot. We need to take care of business, but there’s a learning process. You look at where we started in building this thing to where we are now, and we’re far along. But you don’t skip steps in the process. There are so many opportunities and experiences to learn."
With a nucleus centered around Donovan Mitchell (26), Darius Garland (just turned 23 last week), Evan Mobley (21) and Jarrett Allen (24), the Cavs are younger, by average age, of three of the four teams ahead of them in the East (Milwaukee Bucks, Brooklyn Nets, Boston Celtics) and are just above the Philadelphia 76ers. The Cavs' average age is also skewed considering the four 30-somethings on the roster — Kevin Love, Ricky Rubio, Raul Neto and Robin Lopez — all come off the bench.
"You look at the … top teams with the most wins in the league, and how many of them have 21- and 22- and 23-year-olds who are their primary targets for the most part?" Bickerstaff said. "There are experiences those guys have to learn. We’re in a great spot. Obviously, we left a little food on our plate in some circumstances, but we’re above or beyond where we expected to be."
Regardless of record or any other factors, the Cavs know they'll face a difficult challenge if they do earn one of the automatic spots (top six) in the East. The Cavs have shown they can hang with the best in the conference on a given night, but a seven-game playoff series is another animal, and it's something many players on the roster haven't experienced to a significant degree.
Cavs working toward a fully healthy roster for the first time in 2022-23
They also haven't logged a high number of minutes with the same rotation. Mitchell and Garland have dealt with various absences, the No. 3 spot in the starting lineup has featured several players, Ricky Rubio only recently returned from a torn ACL to make his season debut, and so on. Bickerstaff has acknowledged the rotational shuffling was going to lead to some frustration, as they haven't wanted to simply divvy up minutes evenly but instead have wanted to give different rotational sets extra time to see how everything gels.
The idea is to keep the big picture in mind. The Cavs have to win enough to secure their spot in the playoffs. But at the same time, they have to prepare for their first run through the playoffs together.
"We try to have those conversations regularly," Bickerstaff said, noting the most recent discussion happened only a few days ago. "We’re in a good spot. When you start integrating bodies back into the lineup and figuring out your rotations, guys who haven’t played in a while, it’s going to take them a minute. This is a team sport and each individual has an impact on the next. We have guys who were playing and helping but now are having to take a step back because they need their teammate to get those reps and minutes. It is the ups and downs.
"All of us get caught up in the moment, especially in-game, you get frustrated because you see what is available. But when you sit back and look at it, no team has ever not gone through these situations before. Every team in this league has had a three-, four-, five-game losing streak. It’s part of the deal. You play 82 games for a reason. You're working your way toward an end goal and you’re hopeful you’re at your best when that end goal comes."
Ryan Lewis can be reached at rlewis@thebeaconjournal.com. Follow him on Twitter at @ByRyanLewis.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Cavs a 'work in progress' with bigger picture of NBA playoffs in view
