How much should the Cleveland Cavaliers' recent skid impact their approach at the NBA Trade Deadline?
As we slowly approach the February checkpoint of the season, which is defined by the NBA Trade Deadline and All-Star break, the Cleveland Cavaliers have consistently been the best team in the Eastern Conference. They haven't just been good, they've been overwhelming for the most part. However, over the last couple of weeks, some of that sentiment has begun to change.
In what could be described as their first "skid" of the season, the Cavs are just 3-5 in their last eight games. They are still four games clear of the second seed in the East but you can't help but wonder if some of the team's plans heading into the trade deadline could be impacted by how the team has struggled over the last couple of weeks.
Should the Cleveland Cavaliers make a panic move at the deadline?
To be perfectly honest, before predicting how the Cavs may alter their approach heading into the trade deadline, we must find some context with their recent struggles. Sure, they are currently on a three-game losing streak and have lost five of their last eight games overall. However, it should be noted that four of their five losses in this span are completely understandable.
They've lost to the red-hot Indiana Pacers, the equally dominant Oklahoma City Thunder, and the upstart Houston Rockets (twice). I can't defend the loss to the beaten-up Philadelphia 76ers but let's not act as if all of these losses are terrible. They're not. They're probably not worthy of overreacting over but, at the same time, they are at the very least eye-opening.
If nothing else, they do give the sense that the Cavs are human. They're not this completely dominant team that was going to run through the NBA en route to a title. Despite their strong play to begin the year, I'm not sure anyone truly believed that. Their play over the last couple of weeks has pretty much proven it. The Cavs are a really good team, but also one that could struggle at times.
Should that push the Cavs toward altering their approach heading into the trade deadline into a possible bold or panic move? Who knows. We will find out in the next two weeks before the deadline. One thing is for sure, though, and it's the fact that Cleveland's recent struggles do add another interesting layer to the Eastern Conference heading down the stretch.