This season has not been very kind to the Cleveland Cavaliers. Before the campaign started, most people thought the Cavaliers and the New York Knicks were the runaway favorites to dominate the Eastern Conference.
It has not panned out for the Cavaliers, as they are eighth in the East standings with a 19-16 record. They are far away from the Knicks, who are sitting second with a 23-10 record. However, the Cavaliers' season can still be salvaged, especially with the ongoing two-game winning streak.
Garland believes getting the bigs involved is the key to victory
The Cavaliers have been dealing with injuries to many major players, with the biggest one being Darius Garland. An All-Star-level point guard is also a big miss for any team, but Garland keeps the offense ticking for Cleveland. Donovan Mitchell is a superb offensive player, but he is at his best when he is focused on scoring.
Garland can set the table for the rest of the team, especially the point guards. Coach Kenny Atkinson made it a point to get his point guards get everyone involved, especially the big men. Considering the Cavaliers have Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen as their frontcourt, it is evident that Atkinson wants his team to maximize their strengths.
More: Kenny Atkinson gives his reasoning behind benching Lonzo Ball in favor of Craig Porter Jr.
Moving forward, the Cavaliers have the potential to break into the top spots in the East again. They need a more potent offense, and Atkinson sees it by feeding the big men in the pick-and-roll or in the post. It will be a much more dynamic system if Mitchell continues to score from the perimeter, while the big men are also scoring more efficiently.
"Get the bigs the ball. Involve them as much as we can; they do so much for us on the defensive end. Hit them on the short roll, and make plays for them, so they can do their thing," Garland said after the win against the Suns.
In both of their wins against the San Antonio Spurs and Phoenix Suns, there was a concerted effort to feed the big men. Against the Spurs, Allen had a massive 27-point game, and Garland had 11 assists in that game. In the game against the Suns, Allen and Mobley had 16 points apiece, as they dominated Phoenix's frontcourt.
It will be a challenging season for the Cavaliers as they try to meet expectations. They still have a lot of time left, so they must keep working hard and winning games. Garland will be the key to that, as he can orchestrate the offense as well as anybody can in the league.
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