“I didn’t think we had been defending the way we were capable of to start this year,” Cavs coach J.B. Bickerstaff said when asked about his message going into another showdown with rival New York. “We challenged our guys to go out, defend and play Cavaliers basketball.
NEW YORK -- Inside the main ballroom at the Pendry Manhattan West, the Cavs held an early-morning walkthrough and team meeting.
“We showed our true grit,” Bickerstaff said. “We didn’t have an offensive explosion. But the way we win and the way we will be most successful is if we are a great defensive team, which we have the capability of being. That’s where the Cavaliers hang their hat -- being able to get stops on demand.” The Cavs’ defense is built to protect the paint -- referring to themselves as a “no-middle” team. They allowed the third-fewest paint points last season, behind just New York and Miami. When it comes to closing out on perimeter shooters, the idea is to force opponents anywhere else but the middle. It takes communication, attention to detail, specific footwork, effort, scrap and hustle.
“I think that’s something that went kind of underrated tonight,” Caris LeVert said when asked about Niang’s defense. “Think he played him extremely well all night. Started at the 4. Matched his minutes. He kind of set the tone. Julius went at him a couple times early and Georges kinda just showed he was going to be there all night.”
Knicks guard Jalen Brunson was the other name atop the scouting report. That responsibility belonged to defense-first swingman Isaac Okoro.
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