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Cavaliers: Team can’t afford defensive meltdown two nights in a row

By Chad Porto

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - JANUARY 24: Tacko Fall #99 of the Boston Celtics catches a rebound over JaVale McGee #6 of the Cleveland Cavaliers during the fourth quarter at TD Garden on January 24, 2021 in Boston, Massachusetts. The Celtics defeat the Cavaliers 141-103. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - JANUARY 24: Tacko Fall #99 of the Boston Celtics catches a rebound over JaVale McGee #6 of the Cleveland Cavaliers during the fourth quarter at TD Garden on January 24, 2021 in Boston, Massachusetts. The Celtics defeat the Cavaliers 141-103. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) /
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The Cavaliers lost to the Celtics handily on Sunday, getting trounced 141-103, and if they want to prove their legit, have to avoid a similar situation against the Lakers

The Cavaliers got wholloped by the Celtics. The game quickly spiraled out of control, resulting in a 38 point drubbing. Worst yet, the Celtics best player, Jayson Tatum, was out. Their blossoming rookie, Payton Pritchard was also out. The Cavs got beat by a limited Celtics team. That’s not good.

The Cavs now fall to 8-8 on the season, and maybe a falloff was due after strong showings against Brooklyn. After all, sometimes you get so geeked up for a specific showdown, you can often come in lackadaisical the next game. That was the best way to describe the Celtic’s loss, the Cavs just came in soft.

Isaac Okoro, Darius Garland, and Collin Sexton had the worst nights of anyone. Sexton was turning the ball over every other position in the first quarter, Okoro couldn’t stop a runaway toddler, and Garland has reverted to his 2019 form.

It didn’t help that Larry Nance Jr. got banged up early, or that none of the starters played more than 20 minutes, besides Okoro. This was just a mess.

A mess they can’t repeat against the Lakers, who are 9-0 on the road this year.

The Cavaliers are in the middle of a surprising season, heck the entire Central is. Right now, four of the five teams are playoff contenders. That really wasn’t supposed to happen this year. That said, the Cavs are going to need to come to play against the Lakers.

This is a Cleveland team that can’t win games if they don’t step up defensively. They need to return to form immediately and not let this whisper of a blowout haunt them. The Cavs have beaten great teams this year and can hang with the Lakers. They need to play aggressive, get close, and force turnovers.

That way, they can activate their transition offense, because that’s where they are the most dangerous. They don’t have the three-point shooting to be good enough in no-defense-shootouts. They’ll lose every time. Force turnovers, get in their faces, and play the defense that J.B. Bickerstaff has implemented and this team can beat anyone.

This is the point in the season where teams begin to show who they really are. The Cavs will have a chance to prove to their fanbase that they aren’t just some fly-by-night team that got lucky to start a pandemic-affected season.

This game is that chance.

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