by Basketball is back! With the start of the NBA Preseason, that means the Cavaliers are back in action. The Cavs were at home against the Bulls yesterday and a few things stood out. First, and maybe most importantly, the starters looked great. Evan Mobley had 19 points, along with three blocks and six rebounds. Darius Garland seemed more like his former self, and the best news, number 45, Donovan ‘Spida’ Mitchell is still in a Cavalier jersey. The worst part of the game – Max Strus left early with a right hip contusion.
The starters, along with some bench players, end the first half with a score of 67-54. Now, obviously these games don’t matter, but with a new head coach and his staff, fans should be excited about the potential of this offense. Kenny Atkinson, new head coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers, is not new to the NBA world. Not too long ago he was an assistant coach under Steve Kerr.
The bench has some work to do. Having a strong bench is a must for any NBA team, providing depth, flexibility, and the ability to compete at a high level throughout the season. With that said, Issac Okoro has some more work to do. Being one of the best perimeter defenders in the league is great, but his 0-6 shooting in the first preseason game wasn’t exactly the start anyone would have hoped for or predicted. Fans should not worry. Okoro shot 39.1% last year from 3-point line, a career high. He will find his groove soon enough.
Rookie Jaylon Tyson showed what he could do on both sides of the court scoring eight points and grabbing seven boards. Another name Cavs fans might have seen before is Luke Travers. The Aussie is officially on the roster with a two-way contract. It will be entertaining to see what he can add to this team.
Next Up: Pacers at Cavaliers, Thursday at 7pm.
