Fansided

Dissecting The Cleveland Cavaliers’ Turnaround

By Clint Pemberton

Nov 10, 2014; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) performs his pre-game chalk ritual before the game between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the New Orleans Pelicans at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 10, 2014; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) performs his pre-game chalk ritual before the game between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the New Orleans Pelicans at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports /
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Nov 19, 2014; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward Kevin Love (0) grabs a rebound beside forward LeBron James (23) in the fourth quarter against the San Antonio Spurs at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 19, 2014; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward Kevin Love (0) grabs a rebound beside forward LeBron James (23) in the fourth quarter against the San Antonio Spurs at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports /

Softer Schedule

The schedule makers did the re-tooled Cavaliers no great favors in the early part of the season. The Cavs have played the tenth hardest schedule season to date according to Basketball-Reference SOS and it is interesting to note that Cleveland is the only team in the top 10 of SOS that has an above .500 record.

The Cavs famously opened the season 5-7 in their first 12 games. In those games they played teams with a combined record of 0.534. Of those 12 teams we can classify six as “good” teams, with win / loss records of .600 or better. In those six games against good teams the Cavs went 2-4 and against the far superior Western Conference the Cavs struggled to a 2-4 a record.

It’s easy to dismiss the Cavs win-streak and subsequently improved record to simply playing an easier schedule. During their eight game win streak which was halted tonight by the Oklahoma City Thunder the Cavs faced off against teams with an average record .483, significantly lower than the .534 stretch to start the season.

The Cavs did not cross paths with a Western Conference foe during their run and played only three teams with a better than .500 record. Noting however that the Raptors sans DeMar DeRozan consisted of two of those three teams with winning records.

It would be easy to dismiss the Cavs win-streak and subsequently improved record to playing an easier schedule, however that would be lazy storytelling and over simplifying the narrative.

Next: Improved Defense

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