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Riding high after knocking off the Boston Celtics at home, the still injury-riddled Darius Garland Cleveland Cavaliers hope to maintain momentum when they host Bilal Coulibaly and the Washington Wizards. As mentioned before, last time out, the Cavs defeated the Celtics 115-111. The Wizards, meanwhile, are on a fourteen-game losing streak, with Washington's last win coming against the Atlanta Hawks over a month ago.
This will be the second of three meetings between the Cavs and Wizards this year. Both sides first met in Washington, with the Cavs winning 135-116. Cleveland was led by Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland, who both went bombs away from the perimeter against Washington.
This matchup between the Cavs and Wizards will carry the most weight. It is either side's final Group Stage game during the NBA Cup action. While Cleveland and Washington have been eliminated from reaching Las Vegas for the tournament portion of the NBA Cup, standings and point differentials still need to be finalized.
If the Cavs lose to the Wizards, it could dramatically shake up the NBA Cup standings. Moreover, Washington is on a significant losing skid, and Cleveland doesn't want to be the victim of it coming to an end. Here's what the Cavs must do to dispel the Wizards at home.
Can the Cavs recreate their Cleveland magic against the Wizards?
Last season, the Cavs had a knack for carving up the Wizards within the friendly confines of Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. In one of Cleveland's more dominant offensive performances, the Cavs defeated the Wizards 140-101. Led by Donovan Mitchell, Cleveland played with pace and space while locking down Washington with their defense.
With that in mind, what's stopping the Cavs from recasting some Cleveland-based magic against the Wizards? The pace and space the Cavs used last season were only temporary due to injury. However, playing with pace and space has become Cleveland's status quo on offense under head coach Kenny Atkinson. So, with how lackluster the Wizards are on defense, what's stopping the Cavs from going on a run early and never looking back?
If Cleveland can accomplish that, they can put Washington away early and find rare rest opportunities for their key rotation players. The Cavs are on a nine-game winning streak against the Wizards. They can easily extend it to double-digits if they come out playing with pace and space.
Cleveland's mission to re-find their defensive identity
The Cavs have reached this stage with a defensive-first identity, but this year is shifting. They are scoring more but occasionally lack the same defensive energy. Cleveland's defense has declined to 19th over the past two weeks, struggling to contain the point of attack. This has increased drive-and-kick opportunities, leading to opponents shooting the second-highest three-point percentage against the Cavs in the NBA.
The Wizards might not be as frightening from the perimeter as the Celtics or Golden State Warriors. However, they have shooting threats that could get hot if Cleveland lets them. Given Washington's dire situation, Cleveland may face a team with nothing to lose, which poses a trap game risk. The Cavs should stick to their core values and maintain distance from the Wizards to avoid this.
Can the Cavs maintain their championship standard?
Sunday’s win over Boston showcased that Cleveland has a shot to be special this season. However, great teams can take care of business against struggling opponents. So, if they want to maintain their bonafide, they must beat the Wizards.
That in itself presents a new challenge: demonstrating discipline. Cleveland can’t afford to overlook any opponent. Taking care of business secures the win, fine-tunes habits, and reinforces maturity, setting a standard that a young and aspiring Cavs team needs to maintain throughout the season.
