The Cleveland Cavaliers were able to pull out a win over the San Antonio Spurs on Friday night, but it was closer than expected.
The 114-113 victory was worth a lot, though, because it helped Cleveland remain the top seed in the East, and it gave them more practice before the upcoming playoffs.
However, there were concerning red flags during the game.
Writing on X, Tom Withers said he wasn’t pleased with how the team got “loose” as the game came to a close.
“They’ve shown a tendency to get loose with the ball down the stretch, mismanaging time,” Withers wrote.
“Gotta clean it up,” Withers added.
Remain skeptical about Cavs in close-out situations.
They've shown a tendency to get loose with the ball down the stretch, mismanaging time.Gotta clean it up.
Might be little nitpicking, but games about to get much bigger.
— Tom Withers (@twithersAP) April 5, 2025
This is a common problem for many NBA teams: they start strong and then start to go easy as the final buzzer draws near.
The Cavaliers are the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference while the Spurs are 13th in the West.
Therefore, this should not have been a close game, and it seems like it should have been an easy victory for the Cavs.
Instead, they won by just a single point.
This is a problem that has to be addressed because it could be lethal in the playoffs.
The postseason is a completely different animal, and teams play with more enthusiasm and drive.
Every season, at least one team always overperforms and impresses by catching another team off guard.
If the Cavaliers are still having problems with their consistency from the beginning to the end of a game, they could be in for a cruel surprise.
Withers wants the Cavs to work on how they approach close-out situations, and he is not the only one.
Hopefully, head coach Kenny Atkinson is cooking up a plan to figure this out.
NEXT: Kenny Atkinson Gets Honest About Playing De'Andre Hunter At Center Against Spurs
