Five Problems the Cleveland Cavaliers Need to Address Before Playoffs Begin

3. Playing Down to the Level of Opponents

The Cavs have had a disturbing tendency to play down to the level of their opponent. This month alone, they’ve fallen to the Nets, Jazz and the shorthanded Grizzlies. They also trailed the Orlando Magic through three quarters before prevailing, and while they blew out the Denver Nuggets at home this past Monday night, it also took them the equivalent of less than a quarter to squander an early 19-point lead against a vastly inferior team.

With a closing schedule which does not include meetings with the Heat, Toronto Raptors or Boston Celtics, the Cavs should be able to hang on to the top seed in the East. But they’ve stumbled before against the Nets, Milwaukee Bucks and Detroit Pistons. If it has happened before, it can happen again.

And their lopsided defeats to the Heat, Warriors and Portland Trail Blazers since Christmas don’t reflect well on a team which was supposedly battle-tested during a march to the NBA Finals in which they dealt with more than its share of injury-related issues.

Next: Timofey or Tristan?