Now Is Not The Time For The Cavs To Panic

Despite losing five of their last seven games, now is not the time for the Cleveland Cavaliers to panic

For the Cleveland Cavaliers, 2017 hasn’t gone quite well for the defending champions.

With J.R Smith still expected to miss the next few months because of a thumb injury, to Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love rotating in and out of the lineup with nagging injuries along with Cleveland’s lack of depth forcing LeBron to play more minutes, frustration has started to build as the first half of the season came to a close.

However, even with all that said, Cleveland is still the favorites to come out of the Eastern Conference, but general manager David Griffin has more work to do if they wish to repeat again.

Make no mistake, Griffin has done a fantastic job constructing a championship roster since LeBron’s return to Cleveland back in 2014. Just two weeks ago, Griffin acquired sharpshooter Kyle Korver from the Hawks to evalate Cleveland’s three-point threat and to solidify the team’s wing depth.

Yet, Cleveland still has holes to fill especially at the point guard position. LeBron’s tweet from Tuesday actually said it best.

I not mad or upset at management cause Griff and staff have done a great job, I just feel we still need to improve in order to repeat...
— LeBron James (@KingJames) January 24, 2017

On the defensive end, Cleveland ranks 13th with a Defensive Rating of 104.9 which isn’t too bad. However, sometimes Cleveland has a tendency to “cruise” during parts of the game allowing the deficits to grow, which forces them to play catch up the rest of the way.

Just like the other night, the Cavs gave up 70 points to the New Orleans Pelicans in the first half. Cleveland’s comeback attempt in the second half fell just short.

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The Cleveland Cavaliers have lost five of their last seven games, and have given up at least 100 points in all seven of those games. In fact, they ended up yielding 124 points in that Pelicans game. Mind you, that was without Anthony Davis.

Cleveland must get more consistent on that end of the floor. That whooping Golden State put on them last week (126-91) serves as another little reminder.

Besides the defense, Cleveland must trade for a playmaker and fill that backup position behind Kyrie. It was understandable opting not to match Matthew Dellavedova’s four year, $38 million offer sheet, but Cleveland never filled the void left and it’s starting to catch up with them.

LeBron James (8.4) and Kyrie Irving (5.6) are the only two players on the Cavs roster averaging at least two assists per game. To put that into perspective, five players on the Warriors average at least two assists per game.

Because Cleveland lacks another ball handler, Coach Lue has no choice but to keep LeBron on the floor if Kyrie is out and if LeBron is out, then Kyrie has to be on the floor. J.R smith is more of a shooter than ball handler, Iman Shumpert isn’t a pure ball handler at all. Guards Kay Fielder and DeAndre Liggins don’t have enough experience for that kind of pressure just yet.

Kyrie is averaging 35 minutes per game this season, four more than last season despite him being limited with an injury. Like how Gregg Popovich plays Kawhi Leonard 40+ minutes one night and then rest him the next night, Lue can’t do that with LeBron or Kyrie because of their limited options with ball handlers. That and the Cleveland Cavaliers are only 4-18 in the past three seasons when LeBron doesn’t play.

LeBron is averaging 37.5 minutes per game, good enough for the most in the NBA. That’s the most minutes LeBron has played since his 37.7 minutes during the 2013-14 season in Miami. Now it makes sense why LeBron took days off for rest during the season. LeBron wants to save his energy for the playoffs, not playing big minutes every night at the end of January. Its causing frustration on LeBron’s half and he expressed that frustration expressed after their loss the other night.

"[via USA Today]“We need a player…I’ll be 33 In the Winter. And I Ain’t got no time to waste”."

LeBron is right and management better listen. Because LeBron has been to the NBA finals six straight times…He knows what’s required and knows how teams retool their roster going into a next year coming off a championship year.

LeBron knows exactly what he’s doing here. Cleveland’s front office should be wise enough to understand LeBron knows best with his Finals experience. And don’t forget, LeBron leaving Cleveland in 2010 taught the Cavs a lesson too. If LeBron talks, you listen.

Despite Cleveland’s high payroll of 127.6 million, along $27 million in owed luxury tax, the front office still give LeBron what he wants. They need to maximize these last few years of LeBron’s prime.

Expect the Cavs to be busy in the weeks leading up to the NBA Trade Deadline.

The fans in Cleveland shouldn’t worry. Championship contending teams go through small funks a lot especially when you have back-to-back games with little to no practice time. In fact, around this time last season, Cleveland fired David Blatt and ended up capturing its first NBA Championship just a few months later.

Must Read: Which Teams Should Buy Or Sell At The NBA Trade Deadline?

At the end of the day, the Cleveland Cavaliers have the best player on the planet. They also have one of the best general managers in the game. There should be no panic at all in Cleveland.