Don’t look now, but the Cavaliers – who took their share of lumps on the court and in the press throughout December – are now the hottest team in the Eastern Conference.Cleveland’s run began on Christmas Day against Miami and continued on the Heat’s home floor on Monday night. The Cavaliers have now won three straight road games, four straight overall, and ten of their last twelve. The Cavaliers have beaten struggling teams like the Sonics and Kings at The Q and heavyweights like the Mavericks and Spurs in their own gyms in Texas.
Boston got off the big start but dropped three of four last week and the cooling Pistons seem to be the only club that can’t figure out the Bulls, dropping their third game to Chicago this season on Saturday night. Detroit lost a heart-breaker to Orlando on Monday night and their once seemingly-insurmountable Central Division lead over the Cavaliers is now six games.
The obvious reason for the Cavaliers’ resurgence has been their attention to the defensive end of the floor – and, of course, LeBron James’ total brilliance – but another huge reason has been the play of their bench. And more specifically, the presence of Anderson Varejao, whose return has breathed life into a second unit that’s been every bit as effective as Cleveland’s starters.
Over his last 13 games, the Wild Thing is averaging 9.2 points and 9.9 rebounds per game in just over 30 minutes per contest. He was huge in last week’s win in San Antonio, netting his third double-double of the season with 12 points and 14 boards. But Anderson’s game can really never be defined by sheer numbers. His frenetic style and relentless hustle infused a much-needed lift to a listless team in mid-December.
But it’s been more than just Varejao. Daniel Gibson continues to impress and has put any thought of a sophomore slump to rest with his consistently strong play. Among all second-year players, his scoring increase from 4.6 ppg to 12.4 ppg (7.8) puts him fourth in the league. He still ranks third in the NBA from beyond the arc, and it would be a crime if he was not invited to participate in the three-point shootout over All-Star Weekend in New Orleans.
Devin Brown has proven to be a huge pickup by Danny Ferry, who tabbed the tough-as-nails veteran on the weekend before Training Camp opened. Brown’s versatility gives Coach Mike Brown several options off the bench. He handles the ball and runs the floor like a guard but can get down and dirty defending either forward position. Whether Coach Brown wants to go with a big lineup or a small one, Devin can find a way to get on the floor.
But maybe the most pleasant surprise from the bench comes in the person of Damon Jones, who looked left for dead when he wound up in the doghouse after a Christmas Day flare-up near the end of a Cavaliers’ win over the Heat. He hadn’t played in a game since December 19 when he got the call against Toronto on January 6, and he hasn’t looked back. Including Monday night’s victory over the Heat, Jones is 13-for-21 from the floor – including 8-for-12 from three-point range over his last five.
With starters Sasha Pavlovic and Larry Hughes struggling to find their shooting consistency, the bench has been the key element to the Cavaliers’ success. Donyell Marshall is just about ready to return to the active roster, but the Wine and Gold are taking their time bringing him back. After all, why mess with success?
The Cavaliers won’t have the luxury of resting on their recent good fortunes any time soon, however. The Wizards – every bit as hot as Cleveland – come to town on Wednesday and the high-octane Suns roll in for a Friday night affair. After that, it’s back on the road for three more on the West Coast, including a marquee matchup on Sunday afternoon against Kobe Bryant and the Lakers in Tinseltown.
