The Cavs veteran’s postgame speech warns against complacency after Friday’s unsatisfactory second half

by Junna Base November 12, 2024

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Not satisfied.

The Cavs are off to their best start in franchise history, extending their streak to ten straight wins with a 136-117 win over the Golden State Warriors on Friday. What impresses Cleveland most, however, is not the victory itself, but the lessons learned from it.

After two quarters, the Cavs had 83 first-half points, a franchise-record 41 points at halftime against the NBA’s second-ranked defense, tying the team record for points in a half. They were at full speed, firing shots and feeding off a seemingly unstoppable rhythm. But as the game progressed, the Cavs’ confidence began to turn into complacency. Cleveland lost focus and deviated from the disciplined play that had helped them to an unprecedented start to the season.

When the final buzzer sounded, it was clear the Cavs had won. Their point total of 136 points tied the franchise record for games with 130 or more points in a season. This is a feat achieved in half of their previous victories and is consistent with the high pace set by the 2016-17 and 2017-18 teams.

But they didn’t like the way the Cavs ended the game.

For the Cavs, learning about themselves and the new offensive schemes under Kenny Atkinson in his first season in Cleveland while securing wins was a key advantage early in the season. And veteran big man Tristan Thompson, who returned through his experience and leadership as well as his play on the court, didn’t want the team to take it for granted.

“I can’t screw up the game,” Thompson told cleveland.com of his postgame speech. “We had a lead of 40. We should have finished it off with the starters getting a break in the fourth quarter, especially on a back-to-back.

“We have to take advantage of moments like this, especially because our schedule was crazy. We’re just telling the guys, let’s get business done right now so the fourth quarter starters can sit down and get ready for another difficult thing tomorrow.”

Thompson has become a trusted voice in the locker room and an extension of Atkinson’s coaching staff on the bench. Thompson’s postgame speech highlighted a crucial reality: The season is long, and the ability to give starters a break when out is invaluable to a team with championship aspirations.

And Thompson wasn’t the only one to express his frustration with the team’s second-half performance.

“In the second half the opposite was the case [of the first]Atkinson said in his post-match press conference. “We spoke to the boys. Our standards have to be higher, right? Great first half. You can’t play much better. But in the second half, just like we did, they scored 13 points in the first three minutes. I am a trainer. It was a little frustrating, and I mean, they’re a damn good team so that’s a little bit to be expected, but I think it was more than a little bit enough. And we’re really stagnant. We didn’t move the ball. We just started putting our heads down. They’re too good for that.”

In the first half, the Cavs assisted on 22 of their 28 baskets while shooting 28 of 43 from the field and 14 of 22 from deep, making them the second-most 3-pointers in a half in franchise history. The ball moved with purpose, and the Cavs took advantage of the Warriors’ defense by forcing constant rotations and generating quality shots through smart off-ball movement and quick decisions.

“We knew they were going to protect the paint first at all costs,” Atkinson said of their preparation. “We knew that when we came in. But we worked on it. We worked on it this morning at shootaround, just driving, driving, kicking, swinging into the paint. That’s kind of our motto and I think we did a great job in the first half. Second half, not so good.”

In the final two periods of the game, the Cavs shifted to holding the ball in isolation, moving away from the ball movement and spacing that had been so effective in the first half – they combined for just 11 assists in the third and fourth quarters. They began to rely more on one-on-one combat and tried to pick off defenders one-on-one. The Warriors saw the opportunity and took advantage of the Cavs’ stagnant offense to score 41 points in the third quarter and force 13 turnovers in the final two frames.

“We played against the score,” admitted Darius Garland, who finished the game as the game’s leading scorer with 27 points and six assists. “Everyone kept saying we were way ahead, so it was tough.

Even when the Cavs’ shooting waned, Garland remained a consistent force, scoring 16 of his 27 points in the second half. His ability to consistently find ways to score, whether through pull-up jumpers or crafty attacks, kept the Warriors at bay and thwarted their relentless attempts to get back into the game.

“What a season [he’s having]Atkinson said of Garland. “And he defended Steph [Curry]. I thought he did a damn good job. So he did it at both ends. Listen, that’s where things got a little tricky. We got a little nervous. We brought him into the game and he basically closed the door.”

Garland has endured a tough year, with injuries and personal losses challenging him at every turn. He was recovering from a broken jaw that was wired shut and forced him to drink through a straw with limited physical activity. He struggled to maintain his weight while grieving the death of his grandmother.

But now, as he told cleveland.com after Friday’s game, he’s playing with a new sense of joy and determination, finding ways to celebrate his loved ones with every kiss to the sky – his new signature after every triple scored.

“He’s an All-Star right now,” Thompson said. “He plays like an All-Star. He should be an All-Star. Everyone here wants him to be an All-Star and get him back where he belongs. So we just have to keep doing what we’re doing, keep playing well.

“He plays with outstanding confidence. And I think that’s what the NBA is all about. It’s about self-confidence. When you have confidence you can do so much more out there and I think he understands that. I think he feels it too. So when he shoots, he feels good.”

The Cavs’ inability to finish games with consistency last season allowed several teams to return to contention, with poor second-half performances negating otherwise fast starts. Whether it was a loss of defensive intensity or a shift toward isolation plays on offense, the Cavs too often had to struggle to recover after taking their foot off the gas.

To continue to prove that they’re a different team this year – one with greater playoff ambitions – Friday’s game against the Warriors should serve as a wake-up call. As they grow into a respected competitor with a goal behind them, maintaining a relentless focus no matter the scenario is paramount.

Ultimately, in the always competitive Eastern Conference, securing wins when they have a clear advantage and keeping key players like Garland fresh will be crucial for the Cavs to achieve their ultimate goal.

“We just have to keep our heads in the game,” Garland said. “We just have to stay focused and just worry about ourselves, how we can get better every day and every possession.”