Going to be interesting which way the Cavs go. I think they wanted Reddish but their first round pick looked like it would be after the Hornets pick that the Knicks traded. LeVert is a possibility but I do not think it will be for Sexton.

If a team needs cap relief then the Cavs will offer Rubio.

I could see Osman being traded. First round pick traded. Who knows ? Someone might want some Love ?

But rusty - finally Love has some trade value sure - but then again he does fill an essential role on this team as it is.

Out today:

Insiders think a Ben Simmons deal gets done, plus a pulse on team’s desperation factor: NBA Trade Deadline Roundtable

Sam Amick, David Aldridge,John Hollinger Jan 19, 2022 228

I have no idea if Freddie Mercury liked the NBA.

But since the plan here was to talk all things #TradeSZN with the great David Aldridge and John Hollinger, and to analyze the teams that are facing varying degrees of PRESSURE to upgrade their rosters, let’s start with a live look inside most front offices at the moment. The posthumous assist, as you can see below, comes courtesy of the late Queen frontman, who had no idea he was belting an anthem for the Ben Simmons situation in Philadelphia.



So before we start assessing the various levels of pressure around the Association, let’s start in the same place we’ve been starting for so many months now: The Simmons saga. We know now that Sixers President of Basketball Operations Daryl Morey has been trying to attach Tobias Harris and his monstrous deal ($79.4 million combined in the next two seasons) to various Simmons trades, and that sort of ‘Plan B’ approach is as clear a sign as any that he isn’t enthused about the level of players being offered to this point.

If Philly was finding the kind of top-30 talents that are the top priority here — a la Damian Lillard, Bradley Beal — the talks wouldn’t be evolving to this point. What’s more, Sixers big man Joel Embiid told reporters on Friday that there was “no urgency to change” the team and thus sent the message to Simmons suitors that the 76ers will remain patient here.

A two-part question for our panel on this front…

Do you think a Simmons deal gets done before the deadline? What scenario makes the most sense?

Aldridge: There is what Embiid said after a comfortable win Friday over Boston, during which Philly went on a 28-2 run, and his body language after the Sixers lost in an essentially wire-to-wire victory by the struggling Wizards Monday – when Embiid plopped on the bench in the fourth quarter, after having again scored 30-plus points, in a futile afternoon in which Harris scored seven points and Seth Curry was a -18. (It didn’t help that Danny Green and Matisse Thybulle were both out.) That Embiid may have agreed not to put additional… pressure… on the Sixers by publicly either decrying the lack of trade movement on Simmons, or potentially further limiting Simmons’ value by calling him out, doesn’t mean the existing pressure isn’t still there. I mean, Daryl can keep saying “Lillard and Beal” like it’s a limited Netflix series he’s DVRed, but there’s little out there to suggest either Portland or Washington has changed its stance on their respective franchise guards.

And, if you think Embiid’s the only person in Philly who needs to be assuaged, you’d be wrong. There’s a coaching staff going out there every night without Simmons’ 16 points, eight rebounds and seven dimes. No matter what they think of Simmons personally, or whether they want him to shoot in the playoffs, they sure would like the impasse to get resolved, one way or another, and have more players available to try and win now, as opposed to waiting for draft picks in three or four years they likely will never coach, anyway.

There’s also an Eastern Conference that looks far from formidable, with all due respect to a surprising Chicago and Cleveland, retooled Miami and the defending champion Bucks. Brooklyn’s going to be without Kevin Durant for a month, and Kyrie Irving for every home game – and the Nets will, presumably, have home games in the playoffs. The East is definitely there for the taking. I just can’t believe Embiid is going to be placated by ‘hold tight; we’re getting James Harden in six months…maybe.’ But, I could be wrong.

I still think Sacramento makes the most sense, Sam. We’ve talked about why. Not to be disparaging, but the Kings are 10 games under .500. It’s hard to believe their front office still views the current core group as untouchable. They can potentially dream about making the play-in, and technically that would end the franchise’s postseason drought, but I can’t believe that’s acceptable to Vivek Ranadivé. Without the burden of being the first pick in Sac, Simmons could relax and just play. You’d guess one of De’Aaron Fox or Buddy Hield would headline any deal with Philly, but whoever remains, along with Davion Mitchell and Tyrese Haliburton and Richaun Holmes, could join with Simmons to be a high-flying, wildly-improved defensive unit.

Hollinger: I’ve put my money firmly on the “deal” square from Day 1, arguing that the Sixers can’t afford to burn a year of Embiid’s prime championship-winning years, and that by now, they pretty much know what the landscape is for a deal.

So let me offer an argument against myself from personal experience. We didn’t move Mike Conley at the trade deadline in 2019, instead opting to wait until the draft that year. There was a good reason for this: a vastly increased certainty on the draft picks themselves.

If (and only if) the Sixers are looking at deals where they get a player and multiple draft picks from the same team, this ends up mattering quite a bit, because those picks aren’t going to be laden with protections and what-ifs in a June trade the way they would be in any February deal. There are also ways to structure deals a bit more cap-favorably in the offseason, because of roster spots and trade exceptions and the ability to straddle the July 1 moratorium. The level of interest of other teams wasn’t what changed; it was the certainty (and thus reduced risk) of what they were giving up.

Anyway, if Philadelphia doesn’t move Simmons, I would finger that logic as the primary suspect: That Philly knows what would be on the table in June and could execute it much more logically then. But I’m still betting on a trade happening; with Embiid balling out and the East seeming fairly wide open, it’s just too great an opportunity to punt on, and you don’t know how many years of this Embiid’s body has in it.

Amick: So we’re all in agreement that a deal likely gets done — partly because of the desperation level in the market. The Play-In Tournament has created a new NBA landscape where there are far more buyers than sellers, and that’s great news for Morey and the Sixers when it comes to maximizing leverage.

As our Shams Charania reported recently, the suitors include Atlanta, Portland, Sacramento, Minnesota and Indiana. The list likely doesn’t stop there, though, and that means Morey has a chance to maximize this Simmons situation while also not being so painfully patient that he costs Philly a year of Embiid’s prime in the process.

Make no mistake, sources close to Simmons continue to insist that he’ll sit out the entire season if a deal isn’t done by the deadline. To DA’s point, that means the postseason would be unnecessarily brutal on Embiid when it comes to the load he’s asked to carry. There is, not surprisingly, serious skepticism from Simmons’ side as to the authenticity of Embiid’s messaging.

“Joel is Daryl, and Daryl is Joel,” as one source put it.

As for which scenario is looking the most likely, I’ll say this much: While I’m fairly confident that Atlanta has zero interest in taking on both Simmons and Harris in a John Collins-centric deal, the Kings appear to be considering the idea more seriously. With that being the case, it’s then a matter of figuring out what the Sixers think of Kings point guard De’Aaron Fox and the various other pieces that could help them match those massive salaries ($67.5 million combined this season between Simmons and Harris). The deal could be done by adding sharpshooter Hield ($22.7 million) and veteran wingman Harrison Barnes ($20.2 million), but Philly would surely push for more.

In terms of the Mercury meter, if you will, there’s no shortage of pressure in Sacramento. The widely held belief is that this front office, with general manager Monte McNair in his second season after working for all those years with Morey in Houston, simply must do a deal of significance now. To no one’s surprise, there has been a collective loss of faith in the prospect of this core evolving into a contender in the West. The Pacers’ Domantas Sabonis is a major focal point for the Kings, too, but Simmons appears to be front and center for now.

OK, enough about Simmons and the Sixers. What other teams are in all-out desperation mode here? Give me your shortlist of places where you’d be stunned if there wasn’t significant change.

Aldridge: Certainly, Atlanta. That 2022 first the Hawks got from New York in the Cam Reddish deal will likely convey next year (it’s top-18 protected), giving Atlanta some significant ammo if it wants to make a blockbuster deal before the deadline. But I think Boston’s even more likely to shake things up. The Cs have been markedly better this month on defense (fifth in defensive rating since Jan. 1) than earlier in the season, but Brad Stevens can’t think he’s got a legit contending roster at present. Not enough consistent shooting (23rd in the league in 3-point percentage; 17th in True Shooting Percentage entering play Tuesday), and precious little up front behind Robert Williams – unless Al Horford’s saving everything up for the stretch run.

Hollinger: Well, I think we have to start here in Atlanta, where my Hawks just lost 10 straight home games after making the conference finals a year ago. Trae Young won’t be traded, and Clint Capela can’t be, but pretty much anything else seems like it’s on the table right now. I’d be shocked if Cam Reddish was the Hawks’ only midseason maneuver after the way this year has gone, and the weaknesses that have been exposed. If I had to bet, I’d say “Gallinari plus picks” makes an appearance in multiple outbound trade proposals for somebody, anybody, who can play competent defense.

The other place everyone is looking is Indiana, where Myles Turner and Caris LeVert are both rumored to be very available amidst a disappointing Pacers season. Alas, news of Turner’s stress reaction makes his departure seem more improbable; he’s unlikely to be back on the court before the trade deadline, and I can tell you from experience that trying to look under the hood at medicals during an in-season trade negotiation is … complicated. (Yes, teams are entitled to a physical after the trade is agreed to, but unwinding a trade due to a failed physical is deeply unpleasant business; also, once you’ve done that, the trade deadline has passed, and your other options are gone.)

Amick: The desperation factor looms large in this particular trade season, and it certainly doesn’t end with Atlanta and Sacramento. But the thing I find so fascinating, and that Hollinger can relate to from his time in the Grizzlies front office, is the human element that will always come into play here. To put it bluntly, there’s a lot of GMs who likely need to make a splash if they’re going to earn more job security here.

Let’s highlight a few other places, and people, where there’s no shortage of motivation to make a deal at the moment…

• Portland Trail Blazers: Longtime Trail Blazers executive Joe Cronin was elevated to the interim general manager role after Neil Olshey’s firing in early December. With Lillard’s future still uncertain, he needs to upgrade this roster to calm those waters. Sources say Detroit’s Jerami Grant and Boston’s Jaylen Brown are the types of talents that would achieve that goal, but it remains to be seen if Cronin can pull something like that off. Lillard is out for at least six weeks after having abdominal surgery on Jan. 13. The Trail Blazers were widely believed to be pursuing Turner, and it’s unclear how the injury will impact the interest on that front. If it’s a lost season anyways, then maybe it’s a deal still worth doing. Then again, it’s a risky play considering Turner — who is owed $18 million this season and next — will become a free agent in the summer of 2023).

• Minnesota Timberwolves: Interim GM Sachin Gupta took over in September after Gersson Rosas’ dismissal, and the early sense from around the league was that the incoming ownership group (led by Alex Rodriguez and Marc Lore) would eventually find a full-time replacement. Yet to Gupta’s credit, he has — in the words of our Jon Krawczynski — “helped to ease the tension that was ripping through the front office.”
As JK put it in this piece: “Gupta has long had an affinity for coming up with creative trade ideas, and his ability to effectively bolster this team’s chances could go a long way toward solidifying his position atop the Wolves front office.” Presumably, the Timberwolves’ Simmons interest only intensifies with the news of Turner’s injury. While Karl-Anthony Towns and Anthony Edwards are untouchable, it appears Gupta is willing to discuss anyone else. The Timberwolves (21-22) are ninth in the West as of Tuesday.

• Los Angeles Lakers: Nearly five years have passed since Rob Pelinka left the agent world behind and was hired by the Lakers, so he’s hardly new to this side of the business anymore. But after the summer of star chasing that led to the Russell Westbrook addition, there is significant pressure on his plate nonetheless.

As we wrote on Tuesday, the Lakers’ struggles have been bad enough that coach Frank Vogel is under serious fire at the moment. In the absence of a coaching change, however, the only way to relieve some of the tension in this room is by making a move of some significance. It would help Pelinka’s cause if Talen Horton-Tucker had played like the up-and-comer they’ve long since believed him to be (currently shooting 40.9 percent overall and 24.4 percent from 3), as he’s one of the few potential trade chips at the Lakers’ disposal. Kendrick Nunn is another problematic piece, as he still hasn’t debuted for the Lakers because of a knee injury. The Lakers are among the known Grant suitors, but they’ll have plenty of competition there (the Wizards and Knicks are also in the mix with Portland and the Lakers, according to our Shams Charania).

As for sellers, keep an eye on Houston as we get closer to the deadline. There’s lots of chatter about the Rockets being even more open for business than we may have previously thought, with one rival executive indicating that Houston is still on the lookout for a franchise centerpiece-worthy player and thus open to all sorts of possibilities (translation: While Jalen Green is seen as a big part of their future, Harden’s old spot has yet to be truly filled). Christian Wood can be had, it seems, and John highlighted the Charlotte possibility in a piece with our Rockets beat writer, Kelly Iko.

There’s a fitting way to end this discussion here, too, guys: It’s been just 15 months since Morey resigned from the Rockets and Rafael Stone was elevated to the general manager role. The pressure, for him and for so many others this time of year, is quite palpable at the moment.

While Cavs walked away with win over OKC, it was a reminder of raised standards: ‘We can’t afford to play that way’


By Kelsey Russo 3h ago 8

A win is a win, in terms of the record books.

After the Cleveland Cavaliers beat the Oklahoma City Thunder 94-87 on Saturday, they improved to 28-19 for the season. Back in early January, they surpassed their win totals in the previous three seasons, and they have kept notching wins as the season has continued. The Cavs are fifth in the Eastern Conference.

Yet it’s not just about the record. It’s not just about claiming a win anymore. As the Cavs have taken steps forward in their rebuild since the beginning of the season and found success in the first half of games, the standards and outlook have also changed.

This win didn’t possess the same feeling as many other wins this season for Cleveland. There was a feeling of disappointment following the game, both from coach J.B. Bickerstaff and the players.

“That was a disappointing game for us,” Bickerstaff said. “We didn’t play the game and approach the game with the seriousness that we needed to. It’s over now, we got to win, but we can’t afford to play that way.”

For example, take the fourth quarter. With four minutes left, the Cavs had scored just eight points. Their offense did not have its normal sense of flow, which trickled down throughout the game. They finished the period with 16 points, their lowest-scoring quarter of the game.

The Cavs turned the ball over 23 times — off of which OKC scored 20 points — and shot 18 of 35 from the free-throw line. They shot 35 of 76 from the field and 6 of 27 from 3. They had just 22 assists. The Cavs struggled to protect the ball as the Thunder had 14 steals, compared with the Cavs’ five.

Bickerstaff said their approach to the game wasn’t correct. Their normal style on offense was bogged down, and the mistakes they made throughout the game weren’t characteristic of how the Cavs have played throughout the season.

“I think that we think that we cool and stuff, like we’re big dogs, but we’re not,” Darius Garland said. “I mean, we’re still underdogs, so we still have to compete like we’re underdogs, like we have no respect. So that just goes back to the last answer. We got (to) play hard for 48 minutes, play defense for 48 minutes, and we get wins.”

“We can’t get the big heads since we got 28 wins,” Garland later added. “We just have to play our brand of basketball. And we haven’t had 28 wins in I don’t know how long, so we haven’t done anything yet.”

That message was made clear both during halftime and after the game. The Cavs had to figure out how to lock into the game and play for all 48 minutes. And when that wasn’t met, rookie Evan Mobley said they have to accept it and change for their next matchup.

“Talked about it at halftime,” Mobley said. “(Bickerstaff) wasn’t very happy. We weren’t, either, about how we were playing. Same thing at the end of the game. Feel like we didn’t come out with the energy we wanted to.”

The Cavs have prided themselves on playing with a high level of consistency on a nightly basis through the first portion of the season. It’s part of the reason they took some teams by surprise with the success of their big lineup and how they played with a level of toughness each night. They were locked in, played for 48 minutes and used their defensive identity with their height and size to their advantage.

As the season has continued, there’s been some slippage in playing for the 48 minutes, a factor Garland and others have spoken about as something the Cavs have to improve upon. Their results in those games have varied, but it’s been a point of emphasis as of late to play with effort in the entirety of the game.

And while one game doesn’t mean that identity has changed, it’s an example of the Cavs playing below a standard they set for themselves. The Cavs have aspirations of making the playoffs this season, and in the first half of the season, they began to display that potential. Their current place in the standings indicates they could do so.

In order to keep those aspirations alive, though, the Cavs have to continue playing with the concerted effort, toughness and defensive tendencies needed to keep their place in the East. So they know it’s one game, and Bickerstaff reiterated the fact that they won’t overact to it.

“It’s an understanding of the bigger picture of what we’re trying to get done and the seriousness of every game for us and what it means,” Bickerstaff said. “And that’s, again, part of our growth and maturation. There’s games like this where if you lose these games, you’re looking back in April, and they matter. I know we all at the end of the year when teams are competing for playoff positioning, it’s like that mad dash, and everybody’s focused on the right now.

“But the good teams, they take care of business when they’re supposed to, and then they don’t have to look back, and they don’t have to make that mad dash, because they just continue to be who they are. And again, we are young, and we are learning. And for all of us, sometimes it can be frustrating. But we’re fortunate to get a win tonight.”

Garland believes the Cavs have a target on their backs. Teams around the league are trying to pull off the win against them. It’s new territory for a Cleveland team that was in the rebuilding phase for the previous three seasons and hunting for wins, successes and growth. Now, it’s become one of the hunted.

But the added attention means a need to focus on sticking to principles. The Cavs held an underdog mentality early in the season, fighting to prove others wrong. Even with their success this season, and this feeling arising of a target on their backs, Bickerstaff doesn’t believe the underdog mentality should shift in another direction. Neither does Garland.

“You should still approach every game like you are the underdog,” Bickerstaff said. “That’s kind of … how we built this, is that approach. And if you always feel like you’re the underdog, you’re the ones that are hunting people, you’re the ones that are chasing people down, you know you have to outwork them, you know you have to play well, and you have to play with that competitive spirit.

“So there should be no attitude shift because, big picture, we haven’t done anything yet. So there’s no reason to change our approach and our attitude. We got 82 games-plus is what our goal is. So until we have a final puzzle to look at, we haven’t done anything. So our approach should never change. We are the underdog.”

Not worried personally. They beat an inferior opponent on a day where they didn't play well.

Happens all the time in sports....all the time.

Hard to "force" adrenaline.

It was a sloppy game that once again reminds FO that they need a dependable backup point guard to control tempo and get the ball to the guys in their sweet spot. I am really thrilled to see Okoro developing. If there is a team that wants to give up a decent small forward for Sexton then I think he will be traded.

I really like Sexton and his work ethic which you should never take for granted in the NBA. I just do not see the fit coming off the bench.

another rather ugly win over last year's surprise team, this year's back to reality Knicks. It wasn't going to be easy with 2/3 of the front line out but if Mobley had hit his free throws it would have not been so tight at the last. Another real good off the bench night for Love.
Wade goes from DNP to double figures when he's called on to sub. He and Stevens were a real cheap pair of pickups who play hard when needed and are nice bench guys: they don't and won't mope if they're sidelined but are ready when called on.

Evaluating Evan Mobley’s career high in rebounds, focus off the dribble and more: Mobley Mondays

Kelsey Russo Jan 24, 2022 35
Welcome to another week of Mobley Mondays!

I’ve been thrilled to have you all along for the ride thus far this season, and while it’s not going anywhere anytime soon, I do see the feedback you leave me each week. As we move forward, I’d like to know what kind of Mobley-centric content you’d like to see more of.

We’ve also considered moving Mobley Mondays to a biweekly or monthly column. How often would you like to hear about the rookie star’s latest happenings? I’d appreciate any feedback you could share in the comments section below and thank you so much for reading my work on the Cleveland Cavaliers!

With that, let’s jump into this past week looking at Mobley’s play.

Mobley observations
Mobley set a new career high in rebounding in the Cavs’ 94-87 win over OKC on Saturday with 17 boards. He’s made an early impression on the glass throughout the season, with him and Jarrett Allen leading the Cavs in rebounds. With those two aggressive on the boards, it allows the Cavs to get out in transition more. Their presence on the glass plays an important role on the defensive end and helps them in finishing plays.

Darius Garland has witnessed Mobley’s growth throughout the season, especially in his confidence.

“He’s just going out there hooping now,” Garland said. “He’s not really thinking about anything or just like he’s reading the defense, just going through the motion it looks like and just getting it done really easy. So it’s cool to see him do that this early and I’m super proud of him.”

Mobley said after the game against OKC on Jan. 22 that he has been focused on developing his game off the dribble. He’s been doing work with the coaching staff on that skill so that he can add more versatility to his offensive game. Mobley said he’s also trying to be more attack-minded as of late, which has shown early in the first quarters of the last two games against OKC and Chicago. Mobley said attacking the basket early has helped his off-the-dribble skills come more naturally.

Typically, Mobley gets the ball on the baseline, dribbles and beats a defender to get to the basket, as shown in the first clip in this compilation.

https://twitter.com/i/status/1483459162298220545


Or, when he gets the ball in the paint, he uses his dribble to make a post move or create space.


“Feel like I’ve been playing bigger guys that are slower than me, so my dribble moves help shift the defense so I can get to where I want to get to easier,” Mobley said. “That’s what I’ve been using a lot lately.”

But an area Mobley has struggled with throughout the season is his success rate at the free-throw line. He’s shooting 68.8 percent from the charity stripe, averaging 2.2 made free throws per game. In the past week, Mobley took two free-throw attempts against Brooklyn, four against Chicago and six free-throw attempts against OKC.

It’s also an area that’s played a factor for the Cavs as a whole in recent games, as they shot 18 of 35 from the free-throw line against OKC.

Quote of the week
When asked at practice earlier this week about how Mobley has picked up details throughout the season and progressed, coach J.B. Bickerstaff said one of the most impressive things about the 20-year-old is his ability to make plays off the bounce at his size.

“There’s a moment I’m thinking about in San Antonio at the end of the shot clock in front of their bench where he has to make a dribble-move and find an open guy for 3. He finds Cedi in the slot for the 3,” Bickerstaff recalled. “Those are difficult plays for a guard to make. When you’ve got a 7-foot guy with that wingspan who can put it on the floor, beat his man and make a play like that, I think that’s the thing that’s been really impressive.”

Stat of the week
Mobley’s 17 rebounds on Saturday against OKC were the most by a Cavs rookie since Zydrunas Ilgauskas grabbed 17 on Mar. 4, 1998.

In the matchup against OKC, Mobley also surpassed 300 rebounds and 100 assists for the season. He became just the second rookie in NBA history to have 570-plus points, 300-plus rebounds, 100-plus assists, 65-plus blocks, 30-plus steals and a .500 field goal percentage in their first 39 games or fewer (Chris Webber in 1993-94 with Golden State).

BIG GAME against one of the other top 5 NBA East Powers. The Cavs are a power?!








/1

They are definitely now a power. The unexpected acceleration of Garland and Mobley combined with the steal of Jarrett Allen made that a reality.

State of the Cavs: Season of surprises, Darius Garland’s transformation, impending trade deadline and more



CLEVELAND, OHIO - JANUARY 26: Dean Wade #32 Evan Mobley #4 and Darius Garland #10 of the Cleveland Cavaliers celebrate during player introductions prior to the game against the Milwaukee Bucks at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse on January 26, 2022 in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)


By Jason Lloyd and Kelsey Russo 4h ago 13

The Cleveland Cavaliers have already exceeded their 22-game win total from last season, they’re on pace to win 50 games, they’ll be in the conversation for a slew of postseason awards and they’re coming off a signature win over the defending champion Milwaukee Bucks.

So they’re right where we all expected them to be … right?

If this isn’t the biggest surprise team in the league this season, they’re second only to Memphis. (For the record, I’ll take the Cavs on the shock-and-awe meter.) What this team has done is rather remarkable.

I expected them to take a leap, but I certainly didn’t see this coming. No one did. With that in mind, I asked Cavaliers beat writer Kelsey Russo to join me in a discussion about Cleveland’s impressive campaign, the impending Feb. 10 NBA trade deadline and more. Let’s dive in.

So Kelsey, after watching every game they’ve played this season, what has been the most surprising aspect about the Cavs?

Russo: For me, it’s seeing the success of the Cavs’ three-big lineup that uses Lauri Markkanen, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen all on the floor in the starting unit. And honestly, you can throw Kevin Love into the mix when he subs into the lineup for Mobley and plays alongside the other bigs.

After the Cavs acquired Allen last season, we saw what he could bring to the team, especially when paired with Darius Garland. Yet, seeing this season how those three can play off one another, protect the paint, rim and the perimeter (with Markkanen) effectively and use their size to their advantage against their opponents, was surprising early on. This grouping works well because of what each brings to the table.

Markkanen can guard smaller players on the perimeter and is an outside threat on the offensive end. Mobley’s passing and versatility as a rookie have allowed him to excel at the four. Allen is dominant in the paint on both ends — whether that’s blocking shots, grabbing defensive rebounds, catching lobs for dunks or fighting his way to the rim for a layup. Their success enables the guards to be successful and creates lineups that play well with one another.

On top of that aspect, I think the other factor worth mentioning is the level of consistency at which they play. There are some lapses here and there in an 82-game season. Yet, going back to the preseason, the Cavs wanted to build around their defensive identity and how hard they play each night. That’s who they wanted to be, and that’s who they currently are.

I’m going to throw it back to you, Jason, and ask you the same question: From your perspective, what stands out to you about the leap the Cavs have made? And where do the Cavs go from here for the remainder of this season?

Lloyd: We all saw last season how good Garland could be and the USA Select team nomination cemented that. But the way he has bloomed this season into an All-Star candidate has been fun to watch.

Collin Sexton’s injury was really unfortunate, but splitting those guys up and getting the ball more in Garland’s hands has been good for this offense. I wrote in June how Mobley would be a perfect fit for this team and he’s even better than I imagined, while the Cavs continue to insist Allen is their best player analytically. It’s a good problem to have, figuring out who is the best and most valuable.

Something that I think goes unnoticed, but I’ve come to admire this season, is how the Cavs continue to find talent on the margins. Players like Dean Wade and Lamar Stevens were undrafted forgettables not that long ago. The Cavs targeted them, worked with them, gave them valuable minutes and now they’re bearing fruit. It isn’t easy finding useful rotation pieces, particularly role players who can contribute to a winning team, by scanning the undrafted list every season. This organization has struggled with it in the past. For a team that is capped out like the Cavs, having guys who don’t make a lot of money but can play big minutes on a given night is invaluable.

Where do they go from here? They have plenty of time. This roster is set up for success for many, many years. I don’t think they do anything crazy at the deadline and become a tax team. There’s no reason to start that luxury-tax clock this year. A move or two around the margins, particularly for another ballhandler or creator, makes a lot of sense. But right now, this team is cognizant of the rhythm and chemistry they’ve developed, and I don’t get the sense they want to do much to disrupt it.

Russo: I agree. With how they’ve built their roster to succeed, even after guys like Sexton and Rubio went down, it doesn’t seem necessary to shake things up at the trade deadline. But like you mentioned, Jason, fringe moves for another ballhandler or creator could be a likely target. The trade for Rajon Rondo was a necessary move to help Garland in the backcourt and fill the void left behind by Rubio. But what seems like a necessary call sooner or later, is who is here long term? Is it Rubio? Rondo? Or, do they make a move at the deadline to bring someone else in?

We’ve seen the Cavs linked to guys like Indiana Pacers guard Caris LeVert, as The Athletic’s Shams Charania reported earlier this month. Is that a player you could see fitting in Cleveland’s roster?

Lloyd: LeVert makes a lot of sense. He’s the right age, his contract is easy to absorb if the Cavs use Rubio’s contract as the vehicle to make the money work (they’d obviously have to include other assets) and LeVert likely wouldn’t disrupt the chemistry the Cavs have right now. That’s a big deal in all of this. This team realizes how special this group is and they haven’t shown an inclination to do anything major that might disrupt it.

You reported this week about the $8.9 million Disabled Player Exception (DPE) the team received for Rubio, but it’s important to keep in mind the Cavs are only about $3 million under the tax line. They have a long runway for success with this group and aren’t interested in starting the tax clock now. Given the long-term ramifications, it would be financially irresponsible. Dan Gilbert will go into the tax but repeat offender status is real and it is costly. Owners, including the Gilberts, take it very seriously.

That’s a concern down the road, but the Cavs will likely be a tax-paying team as soon as next season. If they started that clock now, they’d enter “repeat offender” status and start paying the more punitive measures in the summer of 2025 — before a Mobley extension would even begin. By kicking the can down the road one more year, they won’t get hit with their first hefty repeat-offender bill until the summer of 2026 — which coincidentally would be the first year of a presumed max extension for Mobley.

None of this might matter to fans right now, but it’s extremely important to the front office and ownership as they build and extend their contention window as long as possible.

Russo: That’s a good point about the Cavs becoming a tax-paying team and important to remember moving forward. It will be interesting to see how it all plays out as the trade deadline approaches on Feb. 10, and the deadline for the DPE is March 10.

In between those dates is the All-Star break, in which the Cavs will have potentially three players in the conversation — Allen, Garland and Mobley. Fittingly, the three that have propelled Cleveland’s rebuild forward.

The Cavs have 33 games left in the season. That’s a decent chunk of games still to be played. Yet, the Cavs have the third-easiest strength of schedule the rest of the way, which could play into their favor come postseason. After the win over the Bucks on Wednesday night — and a Brooklyn loss to Denver — the Cavs jumped to third in the Eastern Conference with a 30-19 record.

Entering the season, the Cavs had their eyes set on the playoffs. It was always their goal. From an outside perspective, the Play-In Tournament seemed like a much more feasible route. But the Cavs exceeded those expectations and have continued to stay in the playoff conversation.

At this point, what do you think a realistic outlook on the postseason looks like for the Cavs? What does success look like for them in the position they are in?

Lloyd: The East, top to bottom, is drastically better than I expected. The Cavs are one-and-a-half games out of the top seed and home-court advantage throughout, but they’re three games out of being in the Play-In Tournament. Given what you’ve said about the strength of schedule and how the difficult stretch is behind them, I fully expect this team to be in the top six and perhaps holding home court in the first round.

Perhaps more than any other sport, the NBA playoffs are a different animal than the regular season. The games come so fast night to night, it doesn’t leave a lot of time to watch film and adjust to opponents. Young teams typically have to get to the postseason and experience the difference before they can figure things out for future seasons. I’m not ready to predict a conference-finals run, but it’s feasible to believe the Cavs could finish as a high seed to avoid Brooklyn, Miami and Milwaukee and win a first-round playoff series. That seemed like insanity six months ago, but it’s the reality of where they’re at and the road ahead.

The future for this franchise is suddenly very, very bright.

See here's the thing I see.

They have a very unique bunch of bigs - and that's why they can play 3 big.

The main things are:

1. Markkanen can spread the floor and is agile enough to guard some guys who are smaller. Not all.
2. Mobley and Allen are so agile, for bigs, that they can switch off and guard anyone.
3. They dominate the paint. So they get the benefits of the bigs - but since they are so agile (and Allen has an endless motor - he was a total steal) they minimize the downside of having many bigs.
4. Mobley is adding versatility to his offensive game too. This kid has great feel for the game and he's comfortable. Someone compared him to Tim Duncan - great comp! But younger and more agile.

Add in the maturing of Garland who can score or dish assists equally and the role guys and it just works. Speaking of working they have a great work ethic which is the real key to defense.

The ability to win when guys go down with injuries is superlative. And I love these two guys for what they bring when called on, I guess I said this a couple of days ago too, but I'll let the article above repeat it

Something that I think goes unnoticed, but I’ve come to admire this season, is how the Cavs continue to find talent on the margins. Players like Dean Wade and Lamar Stevens were undrafted forgettables not that long ago. The Cavs targeted them, worked with them, gave them valuable minutes and now they’re bearing fruit. It isn’t easy finding useful rotation pieces, particularly role players who can contribute to a winning team, by scanning the undrafted list every season. This organization has struggled with it in the past. For a team that is capped out like the Cavs, having guys who don’t make a lot of money but can play big minutes on a given night is invaluable.

Perhaps Bleacher Report is getting a big carried away but today's updated rankings list Cleveland at Number 5, above the injured Bulls, above the defending champ Bucks, above the 76ers and the Nets and all but Phoenix, Golden State, Miami and Memphis

"The Cleveland Cavaliers are officially more than just a feel-good story. After a comfortable 115-99 victory over the defending champion Milwaukee Bucks, Cleveland has won 8 of its past 9 and is within striking distance of first in the Eastern Conference.

Kevin Love's resurgance [he's posting his best plus/minus since 2013-14] the jumbo frontcourt [the Cavs are allowing a paltry 101 points per 100 possessions with Allen, Mobley and Markkanen on the floor] or Mobley's Rookie of the Year run are all worthy of a spotlight but let's focus on Darius Garland here.

When Ricky Rubio went down with a torn ACL, Cleveland's backcourt depth was understandably called into question. But since then Garland is averaging 20.1 points and 10.5 assists [compared to 19.5 and 7.3 before this run started]

civ - a lot of things have to go right for a turnaround like this!

I do think the fact that they all buy into defense makes it a bit easier to find those margin guys. Get in there, hustle and play defense and things work out.

And defense helps to win games when not at full strength.

Worst lost of the season Sunday, giving up a 9 point mid 4th quarter lead to the worst team in the NBA, or maybe second worst. No new injuries or illnesses, just a total breakdown.