From Distance: Anger Games

Four point play…

I woke up in a particularly foul mood this morning. It would likely have been considered a flagrant foul had referees been there to adjudicate its severity. Was anything really the matter? No. Like most of us, I simply woke up on the wrong side of the world. Little aches and pains were more frustrating than they normally are. When I hit my head on the kitchen cupboard, as I am wont to do, it warranted a full-throated roar. I sing opera. My roars aren’t messing around.

I’m not the type to take my aggression out physically. I value my hands too much to flippantly beat on something because I can’t find a light switch. But I am familiar with that special surge of adrenaline that prepares muscles for action. It feels good. It feels like something is about to be done.

There are many reasons people slip into bad moods. In civilized culture, such a mood is customarily considered to be a negative thing. We are supposed to be perpetually cheerful, chill, and/or Zen. If not, something is supposedly wrong with us. “We have it all. Get some perspective!” says those who are only mostly right. It’s not like we really need to harness that irritability to hunt down some mammoth with cheese. That feeling of power is to be contained. Unless, of course, you are a superhero. Then it is fine.

In any case, even if one doesn’t have to close the portal to another dimension (spoiler alert), a foul mood can have its advantages. Many minor problems that have been overlooked in the name of serenity, seem like bigger deals, and thus they are more likely to be addressed. Minor or not, problems need to be acknowledged at some point. Small issues can become big issues while we are busy meditating. Yes. Meditate to promote perspective, but also meditate on how to improve a tangibility.

Unfortunately for me this morning, there was no specific issue that I could really address. Well, other than properly moisturizing my dry face (As I said, those folks are mostly right when they say we need to keep things in perspective). Since I still had some energy to burn after aggressive lotion application, I did what I usually do in the face of my negative biochemistry. I took out my energy on the earth’s gravity in the form of pushups and pullups.

If only I had had a sport to play that could have allowed me to harness that physical explosion into a form of success. If only I were a member of the Cleveland Cavaliers.

1. Will the Cavs ever get angry?

The Cavaliers have the worst defense in the NBA. This is in no way hyperbole. I’m not giving a hot take. All the metrics state it is so. No one who has watched the Cavs this season should really be surprised. They are horrific at stopping dribble penetration, confused on their switch responsibilities, and slow on the back end for rim protection. They don’t play with any force.

Derrick Rose, Iman Shumpert and Jeff Green have never been smart team defenders. Dwyane Wade and Kyle Korver have lost a couple precious defensive steps. J.R. Smith begins every new season underwater until he wakes up around Thanksgiving. Jae Crowder hasn’t been the same since he hurt his MCL a few years back.

In the frontcourt, Tristan Thompson has never been a great rim-protector or defensive rebounder, despite his reputation. This season, he was abjectly awful until his strained calf gave him a chance to re-evaluate from the sidelines. Kevin Love is competently in the right position, but doesn’t have the size or athleticism to be a true defensive force.

Basically, the success of the team’s switch happy defense relies purely on intelligence, energy, and LeBron James. LeBron is right to save energy in the regular season. It would be foolish to ask him to play playoff level defense during the 82 game grind. Dude knows when to turn it on.

Still, the disparity between the Cavaliers’ defensive intensity in the fourth quarter of the Knicks game and every other game of the season is ridiculously huge. It makes the prospect of watching regular season Cavaliers games less enticing. It feels a little bit like ordering a Blizzard from Dairy Queen and only getting soft-serve. “Oh, we could toss some cookie dough in there, but only if it is a nationally televised game.”

When James is locked in, it’s still the best Blizzard out there. LeBron was clearly annoyed against the Knicks after all the Dennis Smith Jr. draft position chatter. He used that extra energy to indulge on the defensive end. After falling behind by 23, he finally took the challenge of guarding young superstar, Kristaps Porzingis down the stretch. It was effective as The King completely shut the young Latvian down. LeBron’s activity allowed the other guys to guard their own men adequately.

Instead of watching Knicks players step into easy three ball attempts, the Cavs rotated, bodied, and active-handed their way into domination. They, uhm, like, tried!! Whether LeBron manufactured the drama or not isn’t really important. The Cavs showed what kind of defense they need to play in order to be successful.

Unfortunately, that kind of defense isn’t sustainable. Ya know, assuming Tyronn Lue doesn’t want LeBron to be taking mid-season rest vacations. It is a defense designed for the playoffs. That kind of sustained aggression always leads to a collapse. When the collapse happens in July, fine. In January, who really wants to be in that kind of mood?

2. What to do?

There needs to be another way to manufacture energy and attentiveness. I’m tired of screaming for more Cedi Osman, but I’ll do it anyway. The seniors (Wade especially) won’t pass the freshman the darn ball, but Cedi’s energy moving around the floor, his switch-ability and his floor-spacing should be a consistent force in the rotation. He was a huge catalyst to the comeback against the Knicks. Coach Lue is hanging him out to dry a bit by making him guard opposing lead guards, but Lue doesn’t have much choice. And hey, if that is the way Cedi sees more floor time, so be it.

For the love of basketball, ramp up Kevin Love’s usage when LeBron is on the bench. Lue is playing Love almost exclusively with LeBron right now. Let Kev have a bit more run as the primary guy surrounded by shooters. Pairing Love with Rose, Wade, Green and/or Shump limits Kevin’s playmaking possibilities. There is no reason a lineup of Smith, Korver, Cedi, Crowder and Love couldn’t get more burn. Everyone whines about Minnesota Kevin Love. He’s even more skilled now than he was then. Lue just won’t give him the rock for whatever reason.

3. Don’t you wish Kyrie were still around? 

Why are you even bringing him up? Oh right. Because we are talking about me being annoyed. No. I still don’t want him here and it has nothing to do with basketball. I’m happy that Kyrie is beginning to play defense for Brad Stevens. Good for him. But one of the things that drives me up the proverbial wall, especially when I am in a bad mood, is voluntary ignorance.

To Kyrie,

Step one: Go to the ocean. Look at the horizon. A horizon itself is proof the earth isn’t flat. You don’t even need another single piece of evidence. Stop talking about pictures from space. We don’t need them. If you still don’t understand, there are plenty of ways to prove the earth isn’t flat without leaving your backyard.

You aren’t promoting a conversation. You aren’t showing us how silly social media and backlash culture are. You aren’t illuminating class and race warfare in the era of fake news. You are just being a childish ignoramus. Even if you would like to think like young Charles Barkley, you are a role model whether you like it or not. There are plenty of things science doesn’t know yet. Do us all a favor and read up on some of that stuff. It would save me from having to do more pushups. Or don’t you believe in gravity either? Sigh. Why do I bother?

Your Favorite Writer,

Ben

4. Quickies:

-There are currently 54 qualified players shooting over 40 percent from three this season. The Cavs have only one of those 54. Kyle Korver. Frye’s .400 doesn’t count as he as only made eight in total.

-LeBron is third worst in the NBA with 66 turnovers. He has the worst steal to turnover ratio in the league.

-Kevin Love has the highest defensive Real Plus Minus of the Cavs regular rotation guys. He’s ranked 119th in the league.

-The Cavs’ overall defensive efficiency is worse than any number put up in last five seasons. Likely, it is the worst since some awful team in the 80s. I just got tired of looking back in time to find a worse squad.

-Even with a miserable backcourt, the Cavs are still scoring the rock. LeBron has only really been stopped by his own turnovers and some cramped floor-spacing. He’s not playing any defense, but man is he killing it on the offensive end of the floor.