“ Ugly. » Several of the Cavaliers used this adjective to describe their victory on the floor of the Pistons, who plunged for a 17th defeat in a row. Lousy like the 16/42 on shots combined by the two stars of the team, Donovan Mitchell (20 points at 7/19) and Darius Garland (22 points at 9/23).
“ In the end, I could miss 25 in a row, but when it's time, I know what I have to do », Testified the first, author of decisive shots in the final moments. “ As long as we keep winning, it's fine. It doesn't matter if it's ugly, naughty, cute, pretty. A win is a win, any way », the second was content to explain.
This victory came after an arguably even “uglier” match on their part three days earlier: a home defeat against the very modest Blazers. Just ten days before, they had nevertheless scored two prestigious successes against the reigning champions, then on the floor of the Sixers.
This can demonstrate a level of inconsistency among the Cavaliers, 8th in the East, embodied by their barely balanced record at 11 victories and 9 defeats. Despite everything, the team remains on seven victories in their last ten outings. Such a ratio over ten matches? Darius Garland, who was not aware of it, goes “ take. It's December, some guys are starting to get tired, but we have to keep going because 7-3 sounds much better than 3-7! »
Adjustments to make on offense
But the leader considers that he and his teammates are still in the learning phase, on each other's habits, linked to the arrival of new players (Max Strus, Georges Niang, etc.). On opposing defensive “switches”, he calls for example to “ do not isolate constantly, try to play on our big ones against smaller ones, circulate much more quickly “.
The Cavaliers' offense, only 23rd in the league (110.7 points per 100 possessions), would undoubtedly gain in efficiency, while their defense remains in the Top 10 in the league (8th with 111.3 points). With the Lakers and the Kings, Ohio players are the only ones to present a negative “Net Rating” while displaying a positive general balance sheet.
“ We try to have a balance between everything we do on offense and defense. Stops give us the opportunity to play with momentum, which makes us better. We learn to trust our defense to launch our offense. Both sides must feed off each other “, demands JB Bickerstaffmore satisfied with the defensive level of his team than the offensive one.
The coach would particularly like Darius Garland to try his luck at 3-points more. Last year, he took six per game; this season, just under five. Why less? “ This comes from how we move the ball more. I think he turned down some to create shots for others. It's just a matter of finding the rhythm, 'When I have to take my shot, and when I have to circulate'. »
Awkwardness for the two stars
The leader may have the “ absolute green light » to send, he also lacks skill in the matter (33%), like his friend at the back Donovan Mitchell (34%). “ I think they're getting the shots they want and they're used to going in. It doesn't fit at the moment but we know who they are, and the work they do. I expect them to go back to what they are because that's the type of shooter they are », displays the coach.
The latter identified another area of progress among his players, in particular with Darius Garland: lost balls. He has lost more than four per match so far, a career unheard of for him, who is only second in the league to Cade Cunningham in this area.
“ Obviously it doesn't suit us that he loses the ball so much, he has to be better and he knows it. It's a question of knowing what kind of lost balloons we're talking about. If you take an offensive foul because you attack the rim being aggressive, if you lose it trying to create for a teammate, those are things that happen with guys who have the ball a lot. But there are numbers that we can bring down and I expect that to be the case as the season progresses. », continues the coach.
His team has the opportunity to turn a corner in the next two weeks. “ Upcoming games, Orlando, Miami and Boston, who are some of the best teams in the East right now, beating them would be huge for us », Make no mistake, Isaac Okoro, whose team will end its “road trip” with a double trip to the Celtics floor, after having faced the two Florida teams mentioned above.
Darius Garland speaks of a “ great test ”, when Isaac Okoro adds: “ We have to show people that we are one of the candidates in the East or in the league. »
| Shots | Rebounds | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Players | MJ | Min | Shots | 3pts | L.F. | Off | Def | Early | Pd | Bp | Int | Ct | Party | Pts |
| Donovan Mitchell | 15 | 35.5 | 44.8 | 34.4 | 90.1 | 1.1 | 4.3 | 5.3 | 5.2 | 2.5 | 2.1 | 0.5 | 1.9 | 27.1 |
| Darius Garland | 15 | 33.4 | 46.3 | 33.3 | 82.1 | 0.5 | 2.1 | 2.7 | 5.9 | 4.3 | 1.5 | 0.3 | 1.5 | 19.3 |
| Evan Mobley | 20 | 33.4 | 56.8 | 20.0 | 76.9 | 2.8 | 8.0 | 10.8 | 3.0 | 2.2 | 0.8 | 1.7 | 2.8 | 16.0 |
| Caris Levert | 16 | 30.4 | 40.8 | 31.0 | 74.0 | 0.4 | 3.3 | 3.7 | 3.6 | 1.4 | 1.0 | 0.4 | 1.8 | 14.9 |
| Max Strus | 20 | 35.3 | 43.9 | 37.9 | 82.6 | 0.7 | 4.8 | 5.5 | 4.0 | 1.6 | 1.0 | 0.7 | 2.7 | 14.4 |
| Jarrett Allen | 15 | 29.4 | 69.2 | 0.0 | 74.5 | 3.2 | 4.9 | 8.1 | 2.3 | 1.7 | 0.5 | 1.1 | 2.7 | 13.8 |
| Georges Niang | 20 | 22.3 | 41.3 | 34.8 | 92.3 | 0.3 | 3.7 | 4.0 | 1.2 | 0.6 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 2.3 | 8.4 |
| Isaac Okoro | 11 | 24.4 | 50.0 | 38.1 | 66.7 | 1.3 | 2.4 | 3.6 | 1.7 | 0.8 | 1.1 | 0.5 | 2.5 | 7.5 |
| Craig Porter, Jr. | 13 | 13.7 | 56.1 | 42.9 | 72.7 | 0.2 | 1.5 | 1.8 | 2.3 | 1.1 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 1.2 | 7.2 |
| Dean Wade | 13 | 20.3 | 32.5 | 31.6 | 50.0 | 0.9 | 3.2 | 4.1 | 0.8 | 0.4 | 0.8 | 0.2 | 2.2 | 3.1 |
| Sam Merrill | 10 | 7.5 | 32.0 | 36.4 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 0.4 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.6 | 2.4 |
| Tristan Thompson | 15 | 8.8 | 68.2 | 0.0 | 38.5 | 1.1 | 1.3 | 2.5 | 0.7 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 0.3 | 0.9 | 2.3 |
| Ty Jerome | 2 | 7.4 | 50.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 1.5 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 2.0 |
| Emoni Bates | 7 | 7.5 | 26.7 | 25.0 | 50.0 | 0.1 | 1.1 | 1.3 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.3 | 1.7 |
| Isaiah Mobley | 2 | 5.0 | 33.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.5 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 |
| Damian Jones | 10 | 5.1 | 50.0 | 0.0 | 50.0 | 0.4 | 0.6 | 1.0 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 0.3 | 0.9 |
