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Many words have been said and written about why the Cleveland Cavaliers’ new core four won’t work. About redundancy. About perimeter defense. About spacing. Very few words have been said and written about why it will work. About what, precisely, makes die-hard fans and the Cleveland front office and coaching staff alike believe that this team can win the NBA title and be crowned world champions.
Turns out, words aren’t necessary. There’s a play. A singular clip. Show. Don’t tell.
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This clip is everything. It’s the hope. It’s the dream.
The NBA playoffs are less about what you can do and more about what problems you can present to your opponent. Modern basketball is an offense-advantaged game at its core. Present enough problems and the defense will crumble. Present too few, and the defense will take it away. They will collapse what you do and what you are. Watch the clip twice.
This is not a meaningless game. It is the best insight into what it will take to win it all. Cleveland, post-James Harden trade, with the whole (new) Core Four playing, at the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder’s house on the last game of a three-in-four night stretch. National spotlight game. Both teams are trying their best.
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Now, let’s dig in.
James Harden brings the ball up court. The Thunder are pressuring hard because that’s what you do with playoff intensity. Evan Mobley sets a screen way up near half court to spring Harden. He doesn’t slip it. He makes contact, and the defender is put off balance. Harden has the edge. A staggered screen from Jarrett Allen is waiting just in case he recovers.
Boy howdy! That’s a lot of resources to commit above the three-point line. Three players and both bigs! Is space tight? Does the best defense in basketball (by my eyes) have the Cavs in jail? No. Chet Holmgren (Mobley’s defender) is waiting at the arc but won’t go further. Allen’s defender is right behind him, effectively double-covering meaningless space. Mitchell’s defender is glued to him in the corner. And where is Sam Merrill? Where is his defender? They are so deep in the…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/one-play-shows-cavs-win-100000531.html
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Publish date : 2026-03-27 10:00:00
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