The Cleveland Cavaliers spent a relatively easy time in their first round series with the Miami Heat. They are currently in the second round, so Jarrett Allen and Cavs have a more challenging matchup.
As the number one seed, the Cleveland Cavaliers met expectations by fully controlling the heat in Miami. It was a great victory as they wiped out the heat, including a 138-83 blowout in Game 4. The performance showed the potential of the Cavs with their suffocating defense and offensive firepower. They even chose Tyler Hero as a weakness in the heat, which drew some headlines.
Evan Mobley will become Cleveland’s defensive anchor. Cavs head coach Kenny Atkinson hopes Jarrett Allen will step up to defend the Indiana Pacers’ five-inning offense. Indiana is a very challenging matchup as it can be filmed by all players.
Mobley comes to mind when discussing Cleveland’s number two defense. Because he is the best example of pivoting into positioning defense in the NBA. Mobley doesn’t do it alone, as Allen always serves as his frontcourt partner.
The defense needs to be adjusted as they play the Pacers. Tyreese Halliburton is a difficult player to oppose, especially in pick and roll. Mobley and Allen fill their hands with their hands against it. However, the biggest challenge is the ability of the pacer to stretch the floor for all players. Miles Turner is a great 3-point shooter, so Allen has to be more active defensively.
Ahead of the series with Indiana, Atkinson is on track to prepare for his team. You will need to adjust your defenses when fighting against the five attacks of the Pacer, and the Cavs are ready.
“That’s the hardest thing to defend in basketball. Five outs, five shooters. It’s just. You have to decide. It’s Boston’s challenge, it’s Indiana.
“How much will you switch? Are you going to stay with the report? We had a lot of coverage against Miami,” Atkinson said of playing against the Pacers.
“We all know that JA’s next step can protect five people. I think that’s a challenge. But he’s capable of his versatility.”
Cleveland and Indiana had a relatively easy series in the first round. The Cavs won by a sweep, and the Pacers defeated the predatory Milwaukee Bucks in five games.
Now they are facing a real test with each other. The Cavs were the best teams in the Eastern Conference during the regular season. However, Pacer had the advantage in four regular season matchups. Rick Carlisle’s Pacers team has the most of any team in the league, beating the Cavs three times.
Cavs have a great roster led by Donovan Mitchell, so they are their favorites to win this series. Mitchell knows he has to lead the team in offense and defense. He has a strong supportive cast, including Allen and Mobley. Darius Garland is still injured. That means players like De’andre Hunter and Max Strath from “Swiss Army Knife” are essential.