INDEPENDENCE, Ohio (92.3 The Fan) – There’s no hiding what went wrong in Game 1 Saturday night for the Cleveland Cavaliers, and to their credit, they aren’t running from it either.
On Monday they went to work with short memories, focused on avoiding a repeat performance Tuesday night.
“I wouldn't say it was a looser practice, but we weren't so bogged down by the loss of three days ago,” center Jarrett Allen said. “We came in here ready for [Tuesday], ready for another chance at the New York Knicks.”
Those Knicks won the intangible battles in the 101-97 victory to claim a 1-0 series lead.
“[We] have to do a much better job on the boards,” Cavs head coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. “[We] can't be dominated on the glass and expect to win.”
To Bickerstaff’s point, the Knickerbockers beat the Cavs on the glass 51-38 as well as second chance points 23-12, points off turnovers 26-10 and points in the paint 44-40.
“We all know the story, but now we're trying to find the ways to eliminate that many offensive rebounds by changing our defensive scheme,” center Jarrett Allen said.
“It's a collective effort from everybody. It's not all about when the shot goes up, it's about before the shot goes up, making sure that they shoot the shots within our defense, that goes a long way in terms of helping us rebound the ball.”
New York took advantage of 17 offensive rebounds to just 11 for the Cavs.
“Can't win games with those many offensive rebounds,” forward Isaac Okoro said.
Okoro was a non-factor offensively Saturday shooting just 1-6 and scoring six points, but he is on the floor for his defense and not offense.
Finding a way to slow Julius Randle and Jalen Brunson, who combined to score 46 points with Randle pulling down 10 rebounds, is a top priority.
“Randall and Robinson are both tall, strong guys, so I mean we have to be able to help [Allen] out by boxing them out, shove them out the way and being physical,” Okoro said.
“Last game felt like we played somewhat well. It was just more of just little things – 50-50 balls, the offensive rebounds, loose balls, things like that.”
Allen scored 14 points and pulled down 14 rebounds in the loss that saw Evan Mobley shoot just 4-13 from the field to finish with eight points and 11 rebounds.
The expectation is that Mobley will be more assertive Tuesday night.
“That's the fun part about working with Evan is he wants to take himself to a point where there are no flaws. He wants to play a perfect game,” Bickerstaff said. “There are areas defensively that we talk to him about where he can be better. We'll continue to work with him on those things and help him. I mean, it's the time that he's spent in the league like now. Last year he was playing off his wits, now he understands the league and the players within the league. So again, his instincts kick in, but he's able to be in multiple places at once because he understands what the NBA is and what the individual players are trying to do.”
As for the physicality, that’s an element the Cavs will have to match Tuesday night after the Knicks pushed them around in Game 1.
“There is an intensity to it, and I mean there is a dynamic shift from physicality intensity, things that you're allowed to get away with in the regular season that just kind of go away,” Bickerstaff said. “And once you understand that, then you can do it and you can participate in it. So again, until you go through it, we can talk to you until you're blue on the face, but it doesn't matter. You have to experience it for yourself.”
Notes: Mobley finished third in Defensive Player of the Year voting. Memphis’ Jaren Jackson Jr. became the second youngest to win the award. Brook Lopez of the Bucks also finished ahead of Mobley. Knicks reserve Josh Hart, who scored 17 points and had 19 rebounds in Game 1, was limited in practice and is questionable for Game 2 with a sprained left ankle.
