The Cleveland Cavaliers may need to make major moves next season after getting swept by the New York Knicks in the NBA Eastern Conference Finals. They were just four wins away from returning to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2016, during the LeBron James era.
James Harden and head coach Kenny Atkinson remain confident in their squad. Although they came up short, they believe they can run it back next season. All they need, according to Harden, is more time together. He said the offseason will help them significantly in that department.
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Harden was heavily criticized for his lack of aggressiveness during the series. His playmaking was hardly present either. The 2018 MVP was the newest addition to the team and has consistently said that he is there to play a role. He joined the Cavaliers in a trade that sent star guard Darius Garland to the Los Angeles Clippers.
Garland is happy with where he is now, but he believes he could have provided what the Cavs did not get from “The Beard.” He agreed with comments made by former Cavalier Lonzo Ball, who was traded to the Utah Jazz in February.
“I’m with Zo, man. It was low-key tough to watch. I mean, I didn’t watch a lot. But when I did tune in, it was kind of tough,” Garland said during an appearance on the Ball in the Family podcast.
“Especially seeing how we were playing early on in the year, right? It was literally a 180. Something totally different on the court, but it is what it is.”
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Cleveland Cavaliers needed a defensive guard
Knicks star Jalen Brunson was able to exploit the Cavs’ defense throughout the series. Harden was often tasked with guarding him and later acknowledged Brunson’s talent, although he insisted that containing him required a team defensive effort.
Ball believes that would not have been the case if he had been in the lineup. The former No. 2 overall pick impressed early in the season with his playmaking ability and was also praised for his backcourt defense.
Even Cavs star Donovan Mitchell became a fan, comparing Ball to Ricky Rubio and Mike Conley.
Ball is currently without a team after being waived by the Jazz, but he remains confident in what he can offer. He believes the Cavaliers could have benefited from his skills had they not traded him.
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“If you were trying to win a championship, I don’t think that was a path that you should have taken personally. You ask me, I think we would have went farther,” he said.
“But that’s just me. I’m always going to bet on myself.”
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: Sports.yahoo.com
