The Cleveland Cavaliers know their defense isn't up to par as the NBA Playoffs get closer.
The Cleveland Cavaliers have nine games left to get every player healthy and everyone on the same page before the playoffs begin, which will be the true measure of the season's overall success.
Even with all of that going on, the Cavaliers still have one major problem they must solve before the postseason, with limited time to do so, and that’s Cleveland’s inconsistent defense at best.
The Cavaliers made several moves at the deadline, some of which were aimed at defense. Still, since then, Cleveland has had a defensive rating of 115.6, which ranks 19th in the NBA in that span. The Cavaliers’ opponents are also shooting 46.3 percent from the floor and 35.8 percent from behind the arc in that time.
One area in particular where the Cavaliers are struggling in this timeframe has been allowing second-chance points. Cleveland is giving up 15.8 points per game from second-chance opportunities, which goes back to a rebounding problem the team had at the start of the season.
Feb 27, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson argues with an official during their game against the Detroit Pistons in the first half at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Lon Horwedel-Imagn ImagesThe peculiar piece to this is that the Cavaliers have some objectively good defenders on the roster; Evan Mobley is the Defensive Player of the Year, Jarrett Allen has always been known as a rim protecor, Keon Ellis built his career on his scrappiness, Dean Wade continues to be underrated for his overall defensive ability, and Jaylon Tyson has taken strides on that end othe floor, too.
Why the team is struggling so much on the defense end remains one of the team’s biggest challenges to figure out. On paper, the talent is there.
Kenny Atkinson made it clear on Wednesday that there’s no excuse for the team’s defensive effort as of late, and that, if Cleveland continues “to play defense like this. We're gonna have a short playoff stint. Right now, we have a mentality that we're just gonna outscore people.”
Cleveland’s defensive numbers aren’t where they want to be, but what’s the issue, and how does it get fixed?
According to Cleveland’s coach, “it’s everything,” citing his team's competitive level, IQ level, and communication on that end of the floor.
“You're missing close outs or not understanding personnel, that's the IQ part. Then they're sliding in for offensive rebounds all the time,” explained Atkinson.
The Cavaliers know they don’t have a lot of time to figure out their defensive woes. Will that be enough time to fix what could end up being a difference maker in the postseason?
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