One Small-Market NBA Team Quietly Making Noise
Cleveland Cavaliers
Never in a million years would I’ve imagined the Cleveland Cavaliers to be in playoff contention come the 2021–22 NBA season.
Ever since the departure of LeBron James in 2018, it seemed as if Cleveland would annually be locked in for a lottery pick.
However, the organization has silenced their doubters. A young core has been formed that has a record of 17–12 and currently sits fourth in the Eastern Conference.
After Cavs guard Collin Sexton had his season shut down due to a torn meniscus in his left knee, did anybody expect the Cleveland roster to be THIS explosive?
Most teams in this day and age favor a small ball style of play, but the Cavaliers have a starting lineup consisting of three big men: Jarrett Allen, Lauri Markkanen and Evan Mobley.
Allen was acquired by the Cavs in the beginning of 2021 as part of the three-team trade involving James Harden. This season, Allen is averaging 17.3 PPG and 11.1 RPG, emerging as a strong presence in the frontcourt. Since the Cavaliers signed Allen to a multi-year contract, opposing teams will continue to “Fear the ‘Fro” for years to come in Cleveland.
In a separate three-team trade the Cavaliers received Lauri Markkanen, and also signed him to a multi-year deal. At first glance, this move didn’t seem to be quite necessary for the roster; Cleveland had their center in Jarrett Allen and drafted another big man, Evan Mobley, with the 3rd overall pick in the 2021 NBA draft. However, Markkanen has slid into the small forward position and has been a perfect fit despite his height.
Mobley has flashed tremendous signs of potential in his rookie season. In his 25 games played, Mobley has averaged 13.8 PPG, 8.3 RPG and 1.8 BPG. Undoubtedly, he has been been a difference maker for this team and has contributed on both sides of the ball. By exceeding all expectations, his name is clearly in conversation for NBA Rookie of the Year.
From now on, most teams will have to take a different approach when they play the Cleveland Cavaliers. With three talented big men in their starting roster the Cavs are able to create tons of space on the offensive side of the ball. They are able to take advantage of undersized units and form more opportunities for their young guards, Darius Garland and Isaac Okoro.
Once it was announced that Sexton would be done for the season a lot of pressure was placed on Darius Garland. With the one-two combo of Sexton/Garland being sidelined for this season, an underrated duo of Garland/Okoro emerged.
Garland has been the leader of this Cavaliers team averaging 18.9 PPG and 7.5 APG. As the anchor of this starting lineup, Garland continues to flourish as the season continues and has been a massive part of the Cavs success. His new counterpart, Isaac Okoro, has stepped up in a massive way. Although his offensive skills are nowhere near Collin Sexton’s, he has been the key of Cleveland’s success on defense. If Okoro can work on his shooting mechanics and raise his shooting percentages, this Cleveland starting roster will sneakily be one of the best teams in the league on both sides of the ball.
Last but not least, the most crucial part of a winning team: veteran players. At the start of the season, point guard Ricky Rubio was traded to the Cavaliers meaning he would be reunited with former Minnesota Timberwolves teammate, Kevin Love.
Love has been dealing with injuries these past few seasons, but he has accepted his bench role and continues to produce when called upon. More importantly, he has been a great mentor for the young big men on Cleveland’s roster and can add more elements to their game.
On the other hand, Rubio has been a spark off the bench for the Cleveland ball handlers. Coming off the bench for Cleveland, Rubio averages 12.8 PPG and 6.3 APG. With Rubio’s experience and knowledge of the game, he can help develop the young Cleveland guards as he has done for multiple players in the NBA before.
Considering Cleveland has not finished rebuilding, the future appears to be brighter than ever. As the season progresses, the Cavaliers may continue to shock the world by winning and making adjustments to the roster. The possibility of Cleveland acquiring a superstar for their young players is not off the table, but if it happens, it can definitely be the start of a decline of a team who never revealed their full potential.
