The Cleveland Cavaliers walked off their home floor Sunday night with more than just a narrow 117-115 loss to a shorthanded Celtics squad-they left with some serious questions about their identity. And Jaylon Tyson wasn’t shy about voicing them.
After Boston came into Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse without starters Derrick White and Neemias Queta and still pulled out the win, Tyson spoke candidly about what he feels is holding the Cavs back. His message? The hunger just isn’t there.
“We’re not hungry enough,” Tyson said postgame. “What happened to us last year, it’s a similar thing that’s happening this year.
It’s a common theme, ultimately, it’s on us to fix it. The young guys, the role players, it shouldn’t be us having to bring energy every time, right?
Everyone has to bring energy. Everyone has to pour into this thing.”
That’s not just a soundbite-it’s a challenge. Tyson, now in his second year, may not be the face of the franchise, but he’s stepping into a leadership role with words like these.
And frankly, he’s not wrong. The Cavs entered the season with expectations of being a top-tier team in the East.
But after Sunday’s loss, they sit in seventh place-still in the mix, but far from the elite.
Yes, Cleveland’s dealing with injuries. Jarrett Allen missed the game, along with key rotation pieces like Sam Merrill, Max Strus, Lonzo Ball, and Larry Nance Jr. But Tyson made it clear that injuries aren’t an excuse for the lack of edge he’s seeing on the court.
“I feel like teams want it more than us,” he said. “There’s a target on a lot of our guys’ backs, and it’s everyone’s job to say, ‘You want to come at us, let’s go.’”
Tyson backed up his words with his play. He knocked down five of his 12 shots from deep, finishing with 17 points, four offensive boards, two steals, and two blocks in 34 high-energy minutes. He was everywhere-and he clearly wants the rest of the roster to match that intensity.
Meanwhile, the Cavs’ stars had mixed nights. Donovan Mitchell was held in check for most of the game, scoring just 18 points-though he did heat up late with a pair of clutch threes in the final minute. Still, two of his three lowest scoring games this season have come against Boston, a team that seems to have a blueprint for slowing him down.
Darius Garland, back in the lineup after a toe injury, looked more comfortable offensively, putting up 21 points and eight assists. But his -27 plus-minus in 31 minutes tells a deeper story about the Cavs’ struggles when he was on the floor.
On the other side, Payton Pritchard stole the show. With two starters out, the Celtics guard erupted for a season-high 42 points, torching Cleveland’s perimeter defense. Jaylen Brown added a triple-double-19 points, 12 rebounds, 11 assists-and did a little bit of everything to keep Boston in control.
This wasn’t just a bad night. It was a missed opportunity against a depleted roster, and the kind of game that can linger in a locker room. Tyson’s comments suggest that the frustration is real-and that the Cavs are at a crossroads.
There’s still plenty of season left, and Cleveland has the talent to make a run. But if they’re going to climb the standings and live up to the hype, they’ll need more than just healthy bodies. They’ll need the fire Tyson is demanding-and they’ll need it soon.