What’s Behind Cavaliers' Defensive Slide?

The Cleveland Cavaliers need to refind their defensive identity before the NBA Playoffs.

Remember when the Cleveland Cavaliers defense was one of the best in the league? Remember when they were consistently holding teams to 100 points? It feels like just yesterday we were talking about it being a strength of this team, but that’s no longer the case. 

With the playoffs quickly approaching, getting the defensive back on track needs to be a priority or it won’t matter how many points the team can put up. 

Fixing the defense starts with identifying the problem and J.B. Bickerstaff believes he knows the answer. This is what he had to say regarding the defense's recent slide.

“It’s more controlling the ball. I’m looking at small things like foot positioning and when we’re at our best. Whether that picks ‘n roll or closeouts. We’re allowing too many people to get passed us and get to the middle of the floor and get to the paint. Now, our big guys are having to help earlier and more, and the back side is activated. But if we can do the job in small spaces, one-on-one, and eliminate straight lines and baseline drives or paint touches, then that gives our defense an opportunity to be successful.”

Watch Coach Bickerstaff’s Entire Presser Here

Apr 10, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen (31) blocks the shot of Memphis Grizzlies center Trey Jemison (55) during the second half at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports

Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports

The Cavs' defense over the last few weeks has been abysmal. They have a defensive rating of 115.0 since the middle of February which is 22nd in the NBA. Needless to say, that's not ideal.

Bickerstaff also brought up that the team has been unable to get into a practice routine due to their recent travel schedule. Therefore, they haven’t been able to make all of the adjustments they’ve needed. Hopefully, being back at home, the team can take some time to look over their defensive rotations.

Now that the team has identified what they believe the problem is, the question shifts to whether or not they can fix the issue before the postseason.