A.C. Blog:Hungry for the Wolves
Mr. Cavalier Checks In from the Twin Cities
by Austin Carr (@MrCavalier34)
10/18/18 | Cavs.com
Hey, Cavalier fans! It’s Austin – checking in from the Twin Cities while we get ready for Friday night. What’s happening?
Overall, I was pretty happy with the Cavs’ energy and effort against Toronto in the opener. I thought we fought and we competed. But right now, the Raptors are playing for a Championship, trying to get to the Championship, that next level. And right now, we're playing for respect.
And it's a different mindset.
In the preseason, Boston really didn't play with the mentality and intensity that they usually bring. But then we played the Pacers, who were playing with a regular season energy during the Preseason. And the same thing with Detroit.
So you could see, in the last two preseason games, the type of effort that the Cavs are going to have to deal with this year.
I was impressed with how we responded to adversity against Toronto. That’s big for a young team still trying to figure themselves out.
The problem I saw was that they've still got to get used to playing the up-tempo pace. Because with that style of play, you're going to have turnovers, you're going to have bad shooting stretches. But you have to continue to live with who you are. And if you do that, then those rough stretches become shorter. And you start taking care of the ball better, you start shooting better, because those are shots that you're used to getting.
This team really didn't play a lot together during the preseason. And right now, they've got to get used to playing this new style. And I think that once they do, they'll be OK.
This is not going to be an overnight thing. These guys are still searching for an identity right now; they just haven't played together enough yet. They don't know – when they go down by ten, for example – what buttons to push to get themselves back in the game. That’s a mentality.
A.C. loved Collin's aggressiveness on Wednesday night, but knows that the Young Bull still has some lessons to learn at the next level.
Photo by David Liam Kyle/NBAE via Getty Images
Right now, this team is searching. They're searching for who's going to fit each role.
Like we know that when Jordan Clarkson comes into the game, he's coming in looking to score. But not everyone has that defined role yet.
So, they have to get their identity and who they are and who's going to be doing what.
Individually speaking, I think Cedi is the key to this style of play because of his ability to attack in the open floor. He's great in the open floor and this team has to understand that you get him the ball on the break because he's constantly probing and attacking.
He's perfect for the up-tempo game.
I thought the Cavs also missed Nance on Wednesday night in Toronto.
Defensively, you they missed him. Because on the defensive end, Larry makes up for a lot of mistakes – because he communicates a lot, he talks a lot and he can make up for problems on the defensive end with his activity around the basket. They missed him quite a bit.
"At first, Collin [Sexton] was kind of letting the game come to him. And as the game went on, he realized who he was playing against. And it hit him: At this level, you’ve got to go out and get it."
Cavaliers Legend Austin Carr
I was also really impressed by Collin’s debut. It went about how I would expect.
At first, Collin was kind of letting the game come to him. And as the game went on, he realized who he was playing against. And it hit him: At this level, you’ve got to go out and get it. You can't wait for it to come to you – especially at the point guard position at this level. And he seemed a lot more confident in the second half.
So I thought, all-in-all, that the Young Bull had a decent debut. And he's going to realize that attacking the basket in this league – because ALL the big men have skills – that he's got to get into their bodies before attempting a shot. You can't think that just because you beat your man, that you're going to score – because the bigs are waiting on you.
Kevin struggled early, but I think by the end of the game he was starting to understand his role with this team a little more.
Kevin still has to get back into that mentality of being the number one option. Some people don't understand that when you play a certain way for four years -- like Kevin did during the 'LeBron regime' – that it takes a while to get back in it.
It just doesn't 'happen' because you've played ONE game.
It's going to take Kevin a good minute to get used to being that first option again – realizing that every shot he takes is a key to our success. He's not used to that because before, every shot he took didn't matter as much. He and the team knew LeBron was in that role.
But now, the team plays off of HIS points. That is what has to happen – and he knows it. And it'll come.
Love will get a nice ovation and welcome when he takes the floor in Minnesota on Friday. And I’m sure he’d love to leave with a win.
This Minnesota team is talented, but they're also a team in a little bit of turmoil. And I think that gives us the opportunity to jump on them.
I know that Jimmy Butler is creating kind of a dramatic situation here. And the way to take advantage of that is to attack them. This is their home opener, they're going to be fired up, the fans are going to be fired up, but there's still going to be that underlying tone.
So if we can jump on these guys and get them focused on all the negativity, then we have a good chance of coming in here and getting our first win on Friday night.