There is not much time left for the Cleveland Cavaliers to improve before the playoffs begin. The season is winding down, with just a little over a week left, and Cleveland is playing the worst basketball of the year. They had a miserable month of March, recording seven wins and ten losses, which is troubling considering they are the defending champions. Before the playoffs begin on April 15, the Cavaliers must improve these three areas or else their chances of winning back to back titles will, unfortunately, vanish sooner than expected.
Rebounding
Although Cleveland is in the middle of the pack when it comes to rebounding, they still need some improvement if they want to repeat. Apparently being considered an elite team, Cleveland must match Golden State, and as of right now, the Warriors are seventh in rebounding. Perhaps a healthy Kevin Love could help the Cavs in rebounding to close the season.
Free-throw shooting
The Cavaliers are an awful free-throw shooting team. Their best player, LeBron James, is shooting 66.9 percent from the stripe, and he takes the majority of the team’s Free Throws. Tristan Thompson’s inability to knock down free throws will also hurt the team in the long run. When the playoffs approach, James and company must be more efficient with these free points.
Free throws are a crucial part of the game, especially during the playoffs when every point is going to matter.
Defense
Cavaliers’ defense has been the most disappointing aspect this season. Ranked 24th in defensive efficiency, they have been utterly soft on that end of the floor. There is way too much miscommunication and not enough effort.
For a championship caliber team, the defensive woes are extremely troubling. Considering the San Antonio Spurs and Warriors are first and second in defensive efficiency, respectively, it’s ridiculous that Cleveland is in the bottom of the rankings in this category. There is no way they can win a championship being as lackadaisical as they’ve been on defense.
