The sense of unease surrounding the Cavaliers continues to grow after their 12–9 record was punctuated by another disappointing home loss, this time to Boston on Sunday night.
Cleveland entered the season believing it had the ingredients to sit atop the Eastern Conference, but nearly a quarter of the way into the year, the team finds itself hovering in play-in territory rather than among the elite.
Second-year wing Jaylon Tyson didn’t sugarcoat his frustrations, pointing to a lack of urgency that has been creeping into the group.
“I just think we’re in cruise control,” he said. “As a team, I think that we’re not hungry enough. What happened to us last year, it’s a similar thing that’s happening this year. Getting ran out the gym. Getting beat on the glass. Toughness, right? So, I mean, it’s just a common theme, and ultimately it’s on us to fix it. We have three of some of the best players in the NBA. Our starting five, I’ll put them up with anybody in the NBA. One of the most talented teams in the NBA. But talent don’t win championships. It’s all the little stuff, the grittiness, the hunger. I feel like that’s what wins championships.”
The Cavaliers have rarely been whole, with injuries disrupting any chance of establishing rhythm. The latest setbacks involve Larry Nance Jr., who is expected to miss three to four weeks because of a right calf strain, and Jarrett Allen, out at least a week with a finger sprain. Sam Merrill remains day-to-day after missing five straight games.
Yet Boston, too, was short-handed, missing Derrick White and Neemias Queta. Playing the second game of a back-to-back, the Celtics still managed to outpace Cleveland, jumping ahead by as many as 21 before the Cavs mounted a late push.
Evan Mobley, who posted 27 points and 14 rebounds, expressed both frustration and belief that emotions might help spark needed change.
“Everyone wants to be better, everyone wants to win, everyone wants to be the best we can be but right now we’re not,” he said. “We got to find a way on how we’re going to fix that. Frustration might help, honestly, a little bit.”
