Jason Miller/Getty Images

THE CLEVELAND CAVALIERS HAVE BEEN PLAYING GREAT BASKETBALL

The Cleveland Cavs have a record of 13-12 through the first twenty-fives games of the season, and have been playing their best basketball as a team without LeBron since the late 90s. Several factors have played into their record being what it is. And as the non-biased patient fan I am it is lovely to sit back and see the work come to fruition. The team chemistry has vastly improved everyone has a designated role and everyone is bought in collectively. Coming into the season which would be year four of the rebuild since the second absence of LeBron, it needed to finally be the time for the team to show some watchability, some enjoyment, and progress of the rebuild. This has been that year.

Lauren Bacho/Getty Images

NO.3 PICK EVAN MOBLEY

I could write nearly a Harry Potter book worth on Evan Mobley's importance and potential just off the early games he has played with the Cavs. Going into the draft I had done a bit of research on him, knowing he was a defensive minded guy. I expected the defense to translate. His defensive positional versatility on that end is veteran like. He's a rookie but could genuinely make a case for a defensive team already, he has been that great on that end. The shot blocking is there, leading the league in contested shots, Evans just always in the right place at the right time. I've rarely seen him bite on a pump fake. But what I did not expect is the already shown flashes in his offensive  game. From occasional one dribble pull up mid ranges, confidence to take threes and make them here and there, and neat hooks. I love it all just for the youngin.  Mobley is also a great passer out of the post and at the top of the key for his age and position. I swear he has had many potential assists if his teammates had knocked the shot down, which I'll get into later. But if we're going to talk about how the Cavs have had this strong start, it starts with this guy Evan Mobley. He's not your typical twenty year old. Once Evan gains any type of muscle that will obviously dramatically evolve and improve his game. And if his three point jumper can be a consistent threat teams have to respect, the Cavs offense opens up a million times more than it currently has.

AP Photo

THE RICKY RUBIO PICKUP

Since year 1 of the Cavs rebuild, I've been expressing the need and importance of veterans for a young rebuilding team. The guidance, improvement, culture change, chemistry improvement, etc doesn’t nearly happen as easy without quality veterans on a young rebuilding team. When you lack quality vets, you get the Cavs prior to this year not having the best chemistry and not having much improvement. But this year, thirty one year old Ricky Rubio has been the much desperately needed veteran for the young Cavs. The play of guys like Cedi Osman and Kevin Love have noticeably increased significantly and part of that is the presence of Rubio. Still a very "young" veteran obviously still able to produce and do the things that make Rubio, Rubio. The high IQ playmaking getting guys in the right spots basically being an on court coach, stepping up offensively and hitting very clutch shots and even at times having the crunch time play being drawn up for Rubio. I expect Rubio to be on the trade market, obviously due to being on a one year deal and potentially being a great point guard for a contending team. But even if Rubio is only a Cavalier until February, his return value I expect will be significant and his presence will already be felt through every Cavalier. 

sportingnews.com

DG THE PG

Darius Garland's play this season as well has been amazing. Currently almost averaging 20 points per and 7 assists per game this year I love to see it. Darius from day one I had always seen his skillset and his potential to be the best player, offensively at least on this Cavs team. The quick first step, the amazing dribble moves to create space and get to his spots and cause the defense to help, his three point shot getting to an elite level, being a maestro in the pick n roll, the elite floater game that fools the offense thinking its a floater but turns into a lob, just the whole nine. DGs big problem to me last year was that he was a good shooter and I knew it, he just needed to take more threes. This season he is taking around seven threes a game making them at a thirty nine percent rate which is just what I expected. And with Sexton going down earlier in the season, expectedly Garland had full control and had the keys to the Cavalier offense. Darius also even more this year has made Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley elite level lethal lob threats. Not just throwing up a simple open alley-oop but has done an amazing job making the defense pick their poison and have them make a quick decision when he aggressively drives into the paint. The on court leadership as well in just year 3 has been great and you love to see it from your point guard. I've always wanted the Cavs to finally embrace the midwest toughness Cleveland has always had and so far DG has brought that dawg mentally.  I love the unity through the wins and losses this team has shown. 

David Liam Kyle/Getty Images

THE OFFENSIVE EMERGENCE OF JARRETT ALLEN

Jarrett Allen this season has been on an offensive tear dominating majority of the centers he has been matched up against so far this year. As simple as it sounds, Jarrett is your typical run jump and dunk center but what sets him apart from last year is his aggressiveness. This season The Fro has been backing down and throwing up a hook over who ever is in front of him. His footwork in the post has improved drastically, making him a threat on the block. Career highs across the boards averaging seventeen points per game and eleven boards a game on a seventy field goal percentage. With Mobley and Jarrett in that paint in can easily at times get clogged. But if Jarrett develops any time of consistent mid range or three point shot, that would do wonders for the Cavs offense. Just 23 years young, the Fear the Fro era has returned to Cleveland. 

David Liam Kyle/Getty Images

CEDI AND K LOVES PLAY

Starting off with K Love, this season he has been great. I think him coming off of the bench with less expectations has lead to this consistent good play. K Love has bought in and has become a consistent good veteran leader and player post Lebron finally. As always he is making his threes, making good outlet passes, good baseline and top of the key passes. You know the typical Kevin Love stuff. All while still being a solid rebounder in the limited minutes at times he does play. Getting his former teammate in Ricky Rubio was also just a much needed morale change as they play off each other so well. Speaking of Rubio, when Cedi Osman comes off that bench alongside Ricky Rubio this year it feels like his already good confidence increases one hundred percent and plays so well off of Rubio. This season Cedi has been Mr Fourth Quarter, hitting several clutch threes. And thats off the dribble and catch and shoot. He always has upped his play in the fourth so far. With the Cavs bottom ranked defense this season, these guys off the bench have been spotlights with consistent three point shot making so far. Cedi had a similar start last season, but I hope this year he keeps this play up.

AP Photo

ISAAC OKORO

Here's the part where I get critical and in depth. It was comin'. As I know it has been "sh!t on Okoro" hour as after pretty much every Cavs game everyone points out his offensive incapabilities and lack of a consistent three point jumpshot. While yes the Cavs do rank at a top five defense. They have one of the bottom eleven offense. Part of that is the personnel. We know Okoro is often a lockdown defender and solid cutter whenever used that way. And I should not have to say this but this is no knock on Okoro, but he should not have been drafted by the Cavaliers at fifth overall. A guy like Okoro, currently just used as a defensive specialist due to lack of development needed to go to a more open and quality developmental offensive staff. Teams like the Spurs, Warriors, Raptors, etc to reach his fullest offensive potential. The Cavs at that time drafted for fit which they should not have done. Established teams like the Suns, can draft for fit relatively high and take a Cameron Johnson who yes they could have gotten later but again they drafted for fit since they were established. Okoro on the Cavs has been for the most part not the primary ball handling slasher he was at Auburn. At that time on draft night, I really wanted Deni Advidja, Desmond Bane, or Saddiq Bey. Whom all would fit this Cavs team much better offensively and hold their own on defense enough if not at a good rate. But hey whats in the past is in the past. I am not giving up on Okoro the sophomore, it just will be difficult for him to find his rhythm on the Cavs even with Sexton out the remainder of the season. If Okoro is not going to be a knockdown shooter though, he should definitely be used more as a cutter and more as an off and on ball screener, giving him more value. With the Cavs lacking heavily in the wing department Okoro has become the Cavs x factor.  

Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images

WHAT CAN THE CAVS DO TO IMPROVE?

No, it is not like the Cavs are in a terrible position or anything. But the offensive personnel is a glaring weakness at times and does need to be addressed. So far the Lauri Markkanen at small forward experiment has worked well. Lauri as of late has been a consistent stretch three with quality defensive guy on high three point attempts which is what the Cavs traded him for. The Cavs thought process through that is though he is a seven footer and has had questions on the defensive end, he has Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen behind him. Is it the future of this Cavs team, probably not ideal but we'll see. The glaring weakness is in the wing department, I've said since the beginning of the year. Cedi Osman though he has been great will not be enough. You’re gonna need a star. Okoro was supposed to be that but offensively he has been a zero so far. It all depends on the Cavs and how aggressive they want to be with their picks and their players. The Cavs still have to figure out the Collin Sexton situation with him being on the last year of his deal and the experiment of him and Garland as a back court. If i'm the Cavs I'm going all in to get the needed offensive peices. This has been a very long drawn out rebuild and now is the time to keep this winning momentum up and make the necessary moves for a good wing scorer. A wing scorer that can create shots off the dribble consistently and is a versatile player on both ends with size and length. Weather it be via trade, draft, or free agency the Cavs will need to address it.