The Cleveland Cavaliers just suffered their tenth loss of the season.
Usually, being 40-10 shouldn’t be much of a reason for concern.
Nevertheless, most of their losses have had one common factor: They’ve come against teams with long and athletic wings.
More than that, several players choose the absolute worst time to have an off-night.
That’s why NBA analyst Tim Bielik claimed that as much as Evan Mobley deserves some of the blame for the loss because of his bad game, the team needed much more from veterans like Caris LeVert and Georges Niang.
Mobley had a bad night, but LeVert and Niang can’t be that bad combined if the #Cavs want to beat the Celtics. I don’t know if that will change how they approach the deadline, but the Celtics are the one team you have to figure out how to beat.
— Tim Bielik (@timbielik) February 5, 2025
LeVert, who’s usually the team’s offensive catalyst off the bench, was held scoreless in almost 17 minutes.
Having him not get a single bucket in a seven-point loss was clearly a factor.
As for Niang, he finished with six points but only took three shots, and he struggled to keep up on defense all night long.
He’s not a good matchup for teams like the Celtics.
Although he’s a good defender, he’s not athletic or fast enough to hold his own against them.
The Cavaliers are now 1-2 against the Celtics this season.
All of the losses have been close, which is clearly an encouraging sign ahead of a potential playoff matchup.
Nevertheless, personnel continues to be an issue and a concern.
The Cavaliers only have a few hours left to address their need for more size and defense at the wings.
And with Dean Wade dealing with a knee injury, they might need to get creative and make some moves.
NEXT: Analyst Reveals Big Reasons For Cavs' Loss To Celtics
