The Cleveland Cavaliers are smothering their opponents with their defense.
Their ability to go in and out of a zone defense has kept their opposing teams guessing.
Also, it has helped them hide their bad defenders, with even Darius Garland and Donovan Mitchell taking pride on that end of the floor.
Considering that, Cavs analyst Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com revealed that the team is actually using the third-most zone in the league right now, trailing only the Philadelphia 76ers and Miami Heat:
“The zone has become a Cavaliers staple, using it with the third highest frequency of any NBA team, behind Miami and Philadelphia. It’s another pathway to defensive success,” Fedor said.
Of course, this is what teams get used to and adapt to in the playoffs.
Most teams don’t have a zone package during the regular season, and coaching staffs usually tighten up in the postseason.
That’s why, as much as this has worked out perfectly for Kenny Atkinson’s team during the regular season, he will have to tone things down a little in the second half of the season.
The Cavs need to keep a couple of aces up their sleeve to keep their opposition guessing when it matters the most.
Zone defense isn’t that popular in the league right now.
Most teams only use it to come back from major deficits, and as crazy as it may seem, it feels like most teams simply do not know how to attack it efficiently.
The Cavaliers have made the most of it during their franchise-best season, and with their free-flowing offense, that’s just a lethal combination.
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