Nothing is working for the Cavs right now.
The Cleveland Cavaliers lost their fourth straight game in another uninspiring performance. It was a near wire-to-wire victory for the Phoenix Suns as they seized control early and never let up.
There haven’t been many games where the Cavs felt like they were out by halftime. While Cleveland made a few daring attempts at a comeback — the deficit never shrunk below seven.
Kevin Durant torched ‘em. It didn’t help that Cleveland’s zone defense continuously lost him on the wing. But Durant fed them a mid-range jumper like it was nothing even when a Cavalier defender was draped all over him.
Finding a rhythm again won’t be easy. The Cavs have officially lost all momentum from their previous 16-game winning streak. Thankfully, this team has shown they can play much better than this. Getting back on track will require more focus. Let’s get to the takeaways.
Donovan Mitchell is in a slump
Let’s be clear, Mitchell is not the only Cavalier who is struggling to find the bottom of the net. But he might be the most significant one.
Mitchell’s inefficient shooting over this stretch has given the Cavs a hurdle to clear. He hasn’t shot above 50% in a game since Feb. 28. He hasn’t been above that mark from the three-point line since even longer (Feb. 23).
I wouldn’t worry about Mitchell’s scoring being gone for long. He’s weathered slumps like this before and always seems to rise to the occasion once the playoffs begin. Still, it would be nice to see him pour it on without any trouble. Or at the very least, read the floor better than he did tonight.
Mitchell’s decision-making was the core reason he went 2-18 from the floor against Phoenix. He opened this game with some heavily contested floaters and continued to take difficult shots over good defense all night.
Some patience and playmaking would help Mitchell overcome this cold shooting spell. For now, he’ll have to keep working through it.
The Cavs aren’t focused on offense or defense
Lack of effort hasn’t been the main reason for Cleveland’s losses. It’s too reductive to say they aren’t playing hard enough. Truth is, you can play hard and still have it amount to nothing. Their lack of focus has ensured that any effort exerted is wasted on poor execution.
That’s not to say the effort has been at 110%. But the Cavs aren’t losing because they aren’t trying. They are losing because they aren’t mentally locked in. A hard close-out on a player who is only open because of a blown rotation is what I’m talking about. Sprinting to contest a shot that should have already been suppressed is an example of good effort being zeroed out by bad focus.
The Cavs turned to a 2-3 zone for stretches in an attempt to throw a wrench in Phoenix’s game plan. The issue is — no one on Cleveland was focused enough for a zone. De’Andre Hunter surrendered consecutive three-point attempts by being out of position. Durant was repeatedly left open on the wing by other defenders.
Offensively, the lack of focus led to errant turnovers. Poor passes created easy opportunities for the Suns to build their lead. The Cavs have taken their eyes off the ball against opponents who are desperate to keep their seasons alive. That has contributed to this awful stretch of losses.
They need an offensive spark
Nothing can the Cavs back on track like an offensive surge from… well, anyone. Aside from Evan Mobley’s second half against the Kings — it feels like ages since someone on the Cavs went on a heater. A red-hot shooting night from Mitchell, Garland or Jerome could reinvigorate the rest of the team.
It can be hard to do all of the little things when nothing is working. Multiple games in a row of cold shooting have made it difficult for the Cavs to establish themselves on either end of the floor. A return-to-form game from Mitchell is the most obvious benefit this team could receive. But even a massive game from Garland could be enough to turn the tides.
That just hasn’t happened during this stretch. Garland led the Cavs with 18 points in 37 minutes tonight. Ty Jerome had 16 points off the bench but it never felt like he was generating easy offense. Sam Merrill went 0-4 from deep when Cleveland desperately needed a burst of perimeter scoring.
Someone on this team needs to punish a defense. Someone has to send their opponent into rotations and get the ball flowing again. Right now, everything is stuck in the mud — and I don’t foresee this team getting back on track until someone delivers an offensive spark.