Despite going on the road, the Cavaliers played much better in game number two of the 2011-2012 campaign, beating the Pistons in Detroit. As was seen tonight under the guidance of coach Byron Scott and staff, tenacity on both sides of the court will serve this young Cavaliers team well. Those who watched the first two games of the season could tell the Cleveland defense improved from its opening night performance at home versus Toronto. Here are some other observations from the first two games.
Scouting is Critical: The Cavs did a good job of carrying over their scouting from the two preseason games into the game against the Pistons. The team forced the Pistons--who have a lot of players that like to score off the dribble--into some tough shots, including forced jump shots after ball swings with the shot clock winding down. Moreover, the Cavs exposed the Pistons' underdeveloped chemistry through smooth passing on offense. During the game, it was obvious that Detroit's roster is still in transition, as coach Lawrence Frank and staff need time to determine players' roles and executive Joe Dumars needs time to entertain trades of players such as Rodney Stuckey (regardless of his new contract) and Ben Gordon.
On the other hand, Cleveland struggled against the Toronto Raptors, who entered the opening game with nearly the same roster as last season. Aside from signing quiet sharpshooter Rasual Butler, the major change the Raptors made was bringing in head coach Dwane Casey, who served as Rick Carlisle's top assistant for the NBA champion Dallas Mavericks. Unlike Frank, Casey inherited a team that has defined roles. As DeMar DeRozan and Andrea Bargnani continue to develop as the team's future stars, strong guard play by Jose Calderon, Jerryd Bayless, and Leandro Barbosa remain critical to the Raptors' success. What Casey is adding is a focus on hard-nosed defense. In the opener, the Raptors' newly-emphasized defense made the Cavaliers' starters look lost. Calderon's veteran savvy carried over to the offensive end, with numerous pick and roll plays against Kyrie Irving, Anderson Varejao, and Antawn Jamison. As the Cavs struggled with the pick and rolls, Amir Johnson and Ed Davis controlled the boards for the Raptors. In the next matchup, the Cavs should be better prepared for Toronto.
The Bench is Important: In the preseason, Byron Scott mentioned that he has followed the NFL especially closely in order to understand the nuances of a lockout-shortened training camp leading into the regular season. In two games, Scott has proven true to his words. The team has used 11 players in meaningful minutes to start the season. While Cleveland's starting lineup may struggle against some tough matchups (such as Orlando with Dwight Howard), the bench looks prepared and equipped to challenge any bench in the NBA. As back-to-back games come during the schedule, non-rotation players such as Christian Eyenga should also get added to the mix to help keep the other players fresh.
Strong bench play is not new to Cavaliers history. Young players such as Terrell Brandon, Chris Mills, and Andre Miller earned their stripes off the bench before gaining promotion to the starting lineup, while veterans such as Nate Thurmond, Hot Rod Williams, and Bobby Sura played key minutes off the bench for successful Cavs teams. In 2006-2007, some may recall that the bench lineup of Daniel Gibson, Damon Jones, Anderson Varejao, and Donyell Marshall played well alongside #23--closing out some games en route to the NBA Finals.
The Rookies are Fundamentally Sound: Much has been said about Kyrie Irving's and Tristan Thompson's willingness to listen and abilities to learn. In two games played, it is clear that both players also enter the league with developed fundamentals. With strong ballhandling skills, Irving has shown the ability to run the offense smoothly and calmly while also attacking the rim. With solid footwork and hands, Thompson has shown the ability to stabilize the team on both sides of the court. Irving will do what he does more quietly while Thompson will make some noise in doing good things on the court. Overall, both players can create plays through athleticism and vision.
Play to Strengths: While Antawn Jamison's jump shot has been on and off to start the season, he has turned to his underutilized slashing ability--which brought him national attention back in college several years ago. Jamison has the ability to score off the dribble and draw fouls; he should focus on this while leaving the bulk of the perimeter shooting to strong spot-up shooters Omri Casspi and Anthony Parker. Furthermore, Jamison and Varejao are good scorers on cuts to the basket; in the Princeton offense, they should be looking for these kinds of baskets on every play.
On the bench, the Cavaliers absolutely must capitalize on Daniel Gibson's sharpshooting. While he does not have to be the leading scorer off the bench, his ability to hit timely shots should be considered as other players hit slumps over the course of the season. If Scott and the coaching staff spend more time working with Gibson on catching and shooting off cuts and screens (think anywhere from Rip Hamilton and Reggie Miller to Steve Kerr--or on Scott's previous teams, Keith Van Horn, Kerry Kittles, Lucious Harris, Peja Stojakovic, Morris Peterson, and Rasual Butler), Gibson could add a dimension to his shooting and score more points per game.
Improve on Weaknesses: Ramon Sessions and Alonzo Gee are turning heads with their improved play thus far. While Sessions looks more focused on defense, he is displaying a greatly improved jump shot. Combining slashing ability with consistent jump shooting will make Sessions very hard to guard on defense. The key for Sessions is to use his newly found jump shot selectively and continue to grow comfortable with it during games.
Meanwhile, Gee looks a lot more capable on offense. He has shown early on that he can distribute the ball from the paint and make pull-up jump shots. His decision-making was not quite as good in Detroit, as he appeared to look more for fadeaway shots than straight-up pull-up shots. If Gee commits to the short pull-up jump shot as a staple of his game, he could become a reliable bench scorer.
Obviously, other players need to make some improvements as well. In Omri Casspi's case, he needs to be more aggressive in looking for his shot. His skill set and instincts are reminiscent of the aforementioned Mills, who could shoot jump shots with the best shooters of his time but always looked to pass first. With proper ball movement, Casspi should get plenty of shots this season.
Balanced Scoring Works: In a different era, Byron Scott's "Showtime" Lakers had 5-6 double-digit scorers per game each year in winning NBA championships. Comparatively, the 80's Celtics had 3-4 double-digit scorers en route to winning NBA championships, a trend which carried over into the Jordan Era and Shaq/Kobe/Duncan Era. However, the 2004 NBA champion Detroit Pistons--a team without superstars or surefire future hall-of-famers--had 5-6 double-digit scorers per game, both during the season and in the playoffs. As the Cavaliers have a roster that fits the mold of the 2004 Pistons and are running an offense with principles of Scott's "Showtime" Lakers, balanced scoring should be emphasized going forward.
Scouting is Critical: The Cavs did a good job of carrying over their scouting from the two preseason games into the game against the Pistons. The team forced the Pistons--who have a lot of players that like to score off the dribble--into some tough shots, including forced jump shots after ball swings with the shot clock winding down. Moreover, the Cavs exposed the Pistons' underdeveloped chemistry through smooth passing on offense. During the game, it was obvious that Detroit's roster is still in transition, as coach Lawrence Frank and staff need time to determine players' roles and executive Joe Dumars needs time to entertain trades of players such as Rodney Stuckey (regardless of his new contract) and Ben Gordon.
On the other hand, Cleveland struggled against the Toronto Raptors, who entered the opening game with nearly the same roster as last season. Aside from signing quiet sharpshooter Rasual Butler, the major change the Raptors made was bringing in head coach Dwane Casey, who served as Rick Carlisle's top assistant for the NBA champion Dallas Mavericks. Unlike Frank, Casey inherited a team that has defined roles. As DeMar DeRozan and Andrea Bargnani continue to develop as the team's future stars, strong guard play by Jose Calderon, Jerryd Bayless, and Leandro Barbosa remain critical to the Raptors' success. What Casey is adding is a focus on hard-nosed defense. In the opener, the Raptors' newly-emphasized defense made the Cavaliers' starters look lost. Calderon's veteran savvy carried over to the offensive end, with numerous pick and roll plays against Kyrie Irving, Anderson Varejao, and Antawn Jamison. As the Cavs struggled with the pick and rolls, Amir Johnson and Ed Davis controlled the boards for the Raptors. In the next matchup, the Cavs should be better prepared for Toronto.
The Bench is Important: In the preseason, Byron Scott mentioned that he has followed the NFL especially closely in order to understand the nuances of a lockout-shortened training camp leading into the regular season. In two games, Scott has proven true to his words. The team has used 11 players in meaningful minutes to start the season. While Cleveland's starting lineup may struggle against some tough matchups (such as Orlando with Dwight Howard), the bench looks prepared and equipped to challenge any bench in the NBA. As back-to-back games come during the schedule, non-rotation players such as Christian Eyenga should also get added to the mix to help keep the other players fresh.
Strong bench play is not new to Cavaliers history. Young players such as Terrell Brandon, Chris Mills, and Andre Miller earned their stripes off the bench before gaining promotion to the starting lineup, while veterans such as Nate Thurmond, Hot Rod Williams, and Bobby Sura played key minutes off the bench for successful Cavs teams. In 2006-2007, some may recall that the bench lineup of Daniel Gibson, Damon Jones, Anderson Varejao, and Donyell Marshall played well alongside #23--closing out some games en route to the NBA Finals.
The Rookies are Fundamentally Sound: Much has been said about Kyrie Irving's and Tristan Thompson's willingness to listen and abilities to learn. In two games played, it is clear that both players also enter the league with developed fundamentals. With strong ballhandling skills, Irving has shown the ability to run the offense smoothly and calmly while also attacking the rim. With solid footwork and hands, Thompson has shown the ability to stabilize the team on both sides of the court. Irving will do what he does more quietly while Thompson will make some noise in doing good things on the court. Overall, both players can create plays through athleticism and vision.
Play to Strengths: While Antawn Jamison's jump shot has been on and off to start the season, he has turned to his underutilized slashing ability--which brought him national attention back in college several years ago. Jamison has the ability to score off the dribble and draw fouls; he should focus on this while leaving the bulk of the perimeter shooting to strong spot-up shooters Omri Casspi and Anthony Parker. Furthermore, Jamison and Varejao are good scorers on cuts to the basket; in the Princeton offense, they should be looking for these kinds of baskets on every play.
On the bench, the Cavaliers absolutely must capitalize on Daniel Gibson's sharpshooting. While he does not have to be the leading scorer off the bench, his ability to hit timely shots should be considered as other players hit slumps over the course of the season. If Scott and the coaching staff spend more time working with Gibson on catching and shooting off cuts and screens (think anywhere from Rip Hamilton and Reggie Miller to Steve Kerr--or on Scott's previous teams, Keith Van Horn, Kerry Kittles, Lucious Harris, Peja Stojakovic, Morris Peterson, and Rasual Butler), Gibson could add a dimension to his shooting and score more points per game.
Improve on Weaknesses: Ramon Sessions and Alonzo Gee are turning heads with their improved play thus far. While Sessions looks more focused on defense, he is displaying a greatly improved jump shot. Combining slashing ability with consistent jump shooting will make Sessions very hard to guard on defense. The key for Sessions is to use his newly found jump shot selectively and continue to grow comfortable with it during games.
Meanwhile, Gee looks a lot more capable on offense. He has shown early on that he can distribute the ball from the paint and make pull-up jump shots. His decision-making was not quite as good in Detroit, as he appeared to look more for fadeaway shots than straight-up pull-up shots. If Gee commits to the short pull-up jump shot as a staple of his game, he could become a reliable bench scorer.
Obviously, other players need to make some improvements as well. In Omri Casspi's case, he needs to be more aggressive in looking for his shot. His skill set and instincts are reminiscent of the aforementioned Mills, who could shoot jump shots with the best shooters of his time but always looked to pass first. With proper ball movement, Casspi should get plenty of shots this season.
Balanced Scoring Works: In a different era, Byron Scott's "Showtime" Lakers had 5-6 double-digit scorers per game each year in winning NBA championships. Comparatively, the 80's Celtics had 3-4 double-digit scorers en route to winning NBA championships, a trend which carried over into the Jordan Era and Shaq/Kobe/Duncan Era. However, the 2004 NBA champion Detroit Pistons--a team without superstars or surefire future hall-of-famers--had 5-6 double-digit scorers per game, both during the season and in the playoffs. As the Cavaliers have a roster that fits the mold of the 2004 Pistons and are running an offense with principles of Scott's "Showtime" Lakers, balanced scoring should be emphasized going forward.