The Land Before Time: Cavs Pre-Game Thoughts
March 30, 2025 vs LA Clippers
Remember that tragic scene towards the end of “Like Mike” where Lil Bow Wow’s (Calvin) shoes rip and he thinks he’s lost all his magic? Calvin believes it was the shoes that allowed him to play basketball so well, and now that’s gone. Thankfully, Tracy Reynolds provides him some perspective and tells him that it was inside him all along. Calvin gets back out on the court, pump fakes Vince Carter, makes the game winning pass, and the magic returns!
Right now, the Cavs need some positive outside perspective. Someone to tell them that in the midst of a bumpy stretch, they are still the same team that has two different winning streaks of 15+ games. Someone to provide them a mental reset before the playoffs.
Who will provide that reset, and when will it come? I think there are plenty of qualified candidates in the Cavs’ building. Kenny Atkinson seems to be thoughtful and capable of providing a reset. Donovan Mitchell also appears to be a great leader and consistently says the right things in his post-game pressers. Perhaps Evan Mobley has found a new, more forceful voice during his transformation this season?
Whoever it is, I hope it happens soon. Regular season games are dwindling, and it would be nice to see a reset before the playoffs begin. That would alleviate a lot of the stress from players and fans alike.
To see a transformation today, the Cavs will need to play precise and physical basketball. Passing, cutting, and shooting will need to be precise. Turnovers will need to be limited, and the sloppy play the Cavs have been prone to lately must be banished. On the defensive end, the thrashing that Ivica Zubac gave the Cavs in Los Angeles a couple of weeks ago is still fresh. He is the prototype for the player that haunts this Cavs team. To shut him down while winning the rebound battle would be massive.
The Cavs made hay at the start of this season with beautiful, flowy basketball. The highlight reels were must-watch for the ball movement and cutting. It opened up the floor and spaced out the defense, allowing the Cavs plethora of shooters to do their thing.
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