The Cavs Only Care About Offense, and It Works

As the NBA All-Star game approaches, it is evident that this season has been full of surprises. The Houston Rockets are the second-best team in the Western Conference, the Detroit Pistons are likely playoff-bound, and the Philadelphia 76ers are looking forward to the draft lottery instead of the postseason. The most jarring fact to me, however, is the Cleveland Cavaliers’ success as the team to beat. I’d like to analyze the various factors that have contributed to the Cavaliers’ breakthrough season as the most dominant team in the league.

Last season, the Cleveland Cavaliers had a record of 48-34, placing fourth in the Eastern Conference. Their in-conference record was 31-21, their divisional record was 11-5, and their home and away splits were 26-15 and 22-19, respectively. The Cavs so far this season are 37-9 overall, 24-6 in-conference, 8-1 in-division, 22-3 at home, and 15-6 away. Only 11 wins away from matching their season record last year, Cleveland is clearly in a better position compared to last season. The Cavs’ dominance both at home and away is clear as day, as well as their ability to make quick work of in-conference opponents.

Beyond these surface-level statistics, the team has excelled in various capacities. In the 2023-2024 season, the Cavaliers averaged 112.6 points per game (PPG), which ranked 20th among the 30 total teams. In the current season, the Cavs are averaging 121.8 PPG and rank second. The Cavs’ field goal percentage last season was 47.9%, whereas now they average 49.5%. On top of that, Cleveland leads the league with a 3-point percentage of 39.5%, while last season, they finished 15th in the league with 36.7%. It seems fair to deduce, then, that an increase in efficiency from the 3-point mark and at the basket would produce better results in their record, which it most certainly has.

What appears to be most interesting in team statistics is how poorly the Cavs perform in other major categories. In rebounds per game (RPG), steals per game (SPG), and blocks per game (BPG), Cleveland doesn’t even place in the top 10. These defensive statistics, typically discussed as crucial components in team success, seem to matter little for the Cavs’ dominant performance this season. For reference, the Boston Celtics held the best record last season with 64 wins and 18 losses. The Celtics were second in RPG and first in BPG, along with averaging 120.6 PPG with the second-best 3-point percentage.

So, how do the Cleveland Cavaliers simply dominate the competition on offense and get away with mediocre defense? Perhaps the team’s key players hold an answer. Donovan Mitchell has decreased his per-game production from the past season, improving only in 3-point percentage and decreasing turnovers. Darius Garland, on the other hand, has improved in every major statistical category excluding rebounds and steals per game. Beyond Garland’s improved efficiency, Evan Mobley has taken a leap forward as well. Mobley has increased his 3-point percentage, free throw percentage, and overall PPG. The improvements in these three core players succinctly explain the offensive jump the team has taken, yet fails to provide context into their success given their defensive struggles.

As I continued to search, I found that no traditional or advanced metric provides support for the league-average defensive effort by the Cavs. Cleveland Head Coach Kenny Atkinson, hired this past offseason, seems to have found his groove by simply tweaking the offensive pieces. By relegating Mitchell to a lesser role, Atkinson has improved the overall offensive efficiency. Garland and Mobley have settled into larger offensive pieces and taken the weight off of Mitchell to over-perform every other night. Atkinson’s system is one marked by complete and utter dominance, leaving opponents perplexed at the Cavs’ growth.

The most important takeaway from analyzing the Cavaliers’ success is certainly the shifting focus from defense to offense. A common talking point in NBA conversations is how the league appears to promote an offensive-heavy playstyle. Offensive fouls aren’t called enough, guarding is more difficult, and many of the best offensive players rely on foul-baiting to rack up points. Despite these notions, the common statistics typically proved the importance of providing good defense and offense. However, the current Cleveland Cavaliers show how a team can possess a primarily offensive mindset and barely struggle when playing mediocre defense. Soon enough, we may see teams adopt the same offensive-focused playstyle as the Cavs and completely eliminate the need for defensive-heavy teams. In the meantime, let’s enjoy the Cavaliers’ success and appreciate defensive-minded coaches while they last.