Kenny Atkinson may have already put the shape of his opening-night rotation on display, and the Cavaliers’ first preseason game offered plenty of clues.
Cleveland opened exhibition play with a 124-113 loss to the Boston Celtics, but the result wasn’t the main takeaway. A lot of what the Cavs want to be this season showed up on the floor, from the pace of the bench groups to the players who seem closest to locking down real minutes.
Atkinson said before the game that he wants a solid 10-man rotation this season. He has leaned on 11 players more recently, but he said the tighter group should be easier to manage. The most secure pieces are obvious: the starting five of Mitchell, Harden, Watson, Mobley, and Allen.
Behind them, Jaylon Tyson and Sam Merrill look like the first names off the bench. After that, things get messy fast.
Craig Porter Jr. and Tyrese Proctor appear to be fighting for the remaining guard minutes, and both had solid showings against Boston. Porter Jr., though, was the more noticeable of the two.
He was everywhere, not as a featured scorer but as a playmaker and defender. It would not be a surprise if he ends up with a much bigger role this season.
Meleek Thomas put up 11 points, but with so many guards in the mix, it may be tough for him to carve out the same kind of impact as Porter Jr. and Proctor. The front office and players seem especially high on Proctor.
Mario Hezonja also stood out and should be in line for steady minutes alongside Bryant. His size gives Cleveland something different on the floor.
If the bench rotation starts to take shape the way this game suggested, it could look something like this, with Thomas or Porter Jr. sliding in when needed.
The style of play was easy to spot. Cleveland played with energy and speed, and the bench groups especially pushed the pace. Possessions often started with a high screen, then a drive from Hezonja or Tyson, followed by a kick-out to Sam Merrill, Meleek Thomas, or Tyrese Proctor.
Tyson’s passing was another clear takeaway. When he was on the floor with the second unit, he was often the one initiating the offense.
Sam Merrill said he believes this Cavaliers team can return to the top 5 defense it had just a few years ago. That still looks like a difficult climb. The defense was uneven at times, and communication seemed shaky when certain players shared the court.
One of the better defensive combinations featured Jaylon Tyson, Peyton Watson, and Evan Mobley, with Craig Porter also in the mix. That group looked connected, made the right rotations, and still managed to keep the offense moving.
Cleveland’s next preseason game comes Sunday at 6:30 on ESPN against the Orlando Magic.
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Cavaliers May Have Found The Wing Help This Roster Needed
Mario Hezonja is back on an NBA roster, and the Cavaliers are taking a low-risk look at a player whose journey has taken him through several seasons in Europe. Cleveland brought him in on a one-year minimum deal as part of its effort to shore up wing depth, and early exhibition games have suggested there may be something worth exploring here beyond simple camp competition.
Hezonja has looked more physical and athletic in those tune-up minutes, which is exactly the sort of trait that can matter for a team trying to build a sturdier bench behind its core. If that carries into the season, he could give the Cavaliers a useful option on the wing and potentially bring more to the table than Dean Wade did in that reserve role, even as the larger question remains how much of this early promise translates once the games count. [Read more 🡒]
Celtics Exposed A Cavaliers Problem Kenny Atkinson Has To Solve
The Cavaliers preseason opener offered Kenny Atkinson an early look at both the promise and the problems still waiting to be sorted out. Cleveland fell to Boston 124-113, and while the score mattered less than the process, Atkinson had plenty to like from the way Peyton Watson attacked with creativity and athleticism, along with the work of second-round pick Meleek Thomas and Craig Porter Jr.
What stood out most, though, was how often the Celtics kept creating extra chances, a reminder that the Cavs front line has some clean-up to do before the games count for real. The rebounding issues were hard to miss, and with James Harden out as a precaution because of ankle soreness, the opener became less about the final result and more about how quickly Cleveland can tighten the details that tend to decide better teams. [Read more 🡒]
Tyrese Proctor Just Made Clevelands Guard Battle A Lot More Real
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Proctors case gets stronger because he is not just adding muscle, he is absorbing lessons from established scorers around him, including Donovan Mitchell and James Harden. That kind of daily education can speed up the learning curve, but the Cavaliers still appear to be looking for a very specific defensive profile before they settle the backup guard rotation. So while Proctor has made this competition more interesting, the final shape of the bench remains very much up in the air. [Read more 🡒]