Regular-season record: 64-18
OffRtg: 121.0 (1) DefRtg: 111.8 (8) NetRtg: +9.2 (3) Pace: 100.3 (10)
First-round series: Up 1-0 vs. Miami
The Cavs shortened their rotation a bit on Sunday, but Kia Sixth Man of the Year finalist Ty Jerome still had a big role, scoring 28 points on 10-for-15 shooting. The league’s No. 1 offense scored 121 on 88 possessions (137.5 per 100), the most efficient performance for any team over the weekend and for any team against the Heat this season.
The case for the Cavs: When they were winning their first 15 games of the season, the offense looked unsustainable. But it never really slowed down. The Cavs ranked second in both field goal percentage in the paint (60.7%) and 3-point percentage (38.3%), with a league-high eight players who shot the league average (36%) or better on at least 200 3-point attempts. They also finished fourth in turnover rate, having seen the fourth biggest drop from last season, despite playing faster and moving the ball more.
The defense wasn’t as good as it was last season (or the season prior), but it allowed just 113.9 points per 100 possessions (sixth best) in 26 games against other teams in the top 10 offensively. Protecting the rim remains the most important thing defensively, and the Cavs have two guys who can do that at a high level. They were one of two teams (the Thunder were the other) that ranked in the top five in both opponent field goal percentage in the restricted area and the (lowest) percentage of their opponents’ shots that came there.
The case against the Cavs: With the league taking more 3-pointers than ever, every team is susceptible to hot shooting from their opponent. The biggest difference between the Cavs’ wins and losses is how well their opponents’ shot from beyond the arc (34.3% vs. 41.5%), and they will allow the best 3s you can get, with 28% of their opponents’ 3-point attempts (the league’s fourth highest rate) having come from the corners.
Rebounding is the concern they have more control over. Despite their two athletic bigs, the Cavs have had rebounding issues in each of the last two postseasons, and they ranked 22nd in defensive rebounding percentage in the regular season, having seen the league’s fifth biggest drop from last season.
Something to watch in Game 2: Switching onto Tyler Herro. The Heat had a bottom-10 offense in the regular season, but Herro isn’t a bad opening-round test regarding opposing ball-handlers. Max Strus was his primary defender in Game 1, but the Cavs switched ball-screens pretty liberally. The Heat could target Darius Garland a little more going forward, and if the Cavs switch their bigs onto guards, that can compromise their rim protection and rebounding.
Next game: Wed. vs. MIA, 7:30 p.m. ET, NBA TV
