Sixty wins. A milestone solely twice reached earlier than within the historical past of the Cleveland Cavaliers. And whereas their path to victory this season has largely been paved by a high-octane offense, the Cavs’ newest conquer the Los Angeles Clippers wasn’t about dazzling shot-making—it was about grit. It was about rebounding.
For the primary time in weeks, Cleveland didn’t simply survive on the glass; they thrived. Their 45-44 rebounding edge might not seem to be a dramatic enchancment, however context is all the things. The final time these groups met, the Cavs had been embarrassed within the rebounding battle, 49-29, as Ivica Zubac single-handedly managed the paint with 20 boards. That lopsided affair uncovered Cleveland’s Achilles’ heel—a weak point that had haunted them all through a brutal West Coast highway journey.
The Cavs had been one of many league’s worst rebounding groups throughout their current four-game dropping streak. At the same time as they bounced again to win three straight, a evident concern remained: their bigs, Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley, weren’t persistently securing rebounds. Their struggles culminated in a loss to the lowly Detroit Pistons, the place the duo mixed for a mere 10 rebounds.
However rebounding has by no means been nearly Allen and Mobley. The true concern? Cleveland’s lack of ability to scrub the glass when taking part in smaller lineups. Whereas the Cavs are serviceable with each bigs on the ground—rating within the sixty fifth percentile in rebounding price—they plummet to the league’s basement when considered one of them sits.
That’s why this win over the Clippers was so important. For as soon as, Cleveland’s rebounding effort wasn’t solely reliant on their frontcourt. This time, it was an all-hands-on-deck method—led by an unlikely supply.
Donovan Mitchell’s relentless effort units the tone for the Cavs
When your finest participant embraces the soiled work, everybody else follows. Donovan Mitchell did precisely that, ending with a season-high 12 rebounds. But it surely wasn’t simply concerning the numbers—it was about intent. He chased down boards with the urgency of a participant who knew precisely what was at stake.
On a number of possessions, Mitchell actively fought for place, outmuscling larger opponents and refusing to let the Clippers achieve additional possessions. Whether or not it was monitoring his man into the paint, boxing out with precision, or making instinctive reads to chop off crashers, Mitchell performed with the kind of physicality the Cavs have been lacking.
These weren’t empty-calorie rebounds; they had been tone-setting moments. His presence on the glass offered Cleveland with one thing that they had desperately lacked: a guard keen to do the soiled work.
Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley reply to the problem
After all, Mitchell’s efforts alone wouldn’t have been sufficient. Finally, the Cavs’ rebounding battles will all the time hinge on their two massive males. And towards the Clippers, Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley rose to the event.
Allen, particularly, was much more aggressive. His 12 rebounds in 31 minutes helped neutralize Zubac, who managed 13 in 37 minutes. Allen’s mobility turned a weapon, permitting him to maneuver round larger our bodies and make key performs. On one possession, he fought by way of the lane to snag an offensive board and earn two free throws. On one other, he made a vital defensive rebound to stop James Harden from securing an additional possession.
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Mobley, too, confirmed indicators of development. His added power was evident as he battled Zubac for positioning, securing a vital rebound that might have been out of his attain in earlier seasons. Although he completed with simply seven rebounds, his influence went past the field rating—his presence ensured that the Clippers didn’t feast on second-chance alternatives.
The Cavs’ rebounding downside continues to be in want of a everlasting answer
Regardless of their success towards the Clippers, Cleveland’s rebounding woes stay a looming concern. Head coach Kenny Atkinson has brazenly admitted as a lot. After their win over the Spurs final week, he jokingly talked about calling Michigan State’s Tom Izzo for rebounding recommendation. However the reality is, this concern is not any laughing matter.
The numbers are damning. Because the All-Star break, the Cavs have emphasised rebounding, incorporating video periods and inner challenges to enhance. But, they continue to be stagnant. In March alone, Cleveland ranked twenty sixth in defensive rebound proportion (68.2%)—a troubling stat for a crew that prides itself on defensive toughness.
Their lack of ability to complete possessions has price them dearly. Too typically, opponents prolong performs with second and third alternatives, nullifying Cleveland’s preliminary defensive effort. Atkinson has made it clear: regardless of how sturdy the defensive scheme is, it’s all meaningless with out securing the rebound.
With the playoffs looming, the stakes are solely getting larger. The Japanese Convention is stacked with elite rebounders—Giannis Antetokounmpo, Nikola Vucevic, and Karl-Anthony Cities, to call just a few. If Cleveland doesn’t work out a option to persistently management the glass, their championship aspirations may vanish in an avalanche of second-chance factors.
The win over the Clippers was a step in the suitable route. However it could possibly’t be a one-off. If the Cavs wish to make noise within the postseason, they want extra performances like this—extra team-wide dedication, extra hustle, and extra gamers keen to sacrifice for the larger good.
“You lose the possession recreation, that’s been an enormous theme for us,” Donovan Mitchell stated after Friday’s loss in Detroit. “These are among the psychological errors, among the bodily errors, and simply upping our psychological in that regard, and [it] hasn’t been each recreation, nevertheless it’s been some. So I feel that [we] simply gotta be higher.”
The Cavs discovered a solution towards the Clippers. Now, they have to guarantee it wasn’t only a momentary repair.