The Cleveland Cavaliers are in the middle of their longest win streak of the season, but the team stresses there is still plenty of improvement that needs to take place. They might have won 11 games straight, but the Cavaliers have also had the cushion of the easiest schedule during that stretch. The wins are certainly impressive as Cleveland is finally beginning to look like the threat everyone expected them to be, but there are still wrinkles that need ironing out.
Kevin Love is downplaying that idea that his confidence level is an issue with the team. LeBron James made headlines when he stressed that Love simply needs to have more confidence when shooting the ball and just step up and attack the basket. The comments came off a win over the Philadelphia 76ers where Love had just five points and 15 rebounds. That has been somewhat par for the course this year as the forward continues to remain an inconsistent shooter. As worry rises over his role on the team, Love is downplaying the idea that his struggles will continue.
"I'm just doing what's being asked of me," Love said, via ESPN.com following the 76ers game. "I think I've kind of been doing that all year. I've been keeping my head up and keeping positive, glass half-full. And I'm just trying to impact the game in other ways as best I can. I think tonight I did that on the defensive end -- stuff that doesn't necessarily show up in the stat sheet, and I've been trying to rebound the ball and get inside the paint a little bit more these past few games."
Kyrie Irving came to the defense of his teammate following questions about Love's shot taking. The point guard simply said that basketball is a team sport and everyone makes their impact in various ways. In the game against Philadelphia, Love was a rebounding machine. Another week he could be taking all of the shots. It just varies.
"It's a team basketball game," Irving said. "For us, I didn't even know [Love didn't take a shot after the first quarter], honestly. But he was doing all the little things in order for us to win, and we all understand that. I understand that, he understands that. Game to game, it's just different guys are going to step up."
Love's numbers are down this season. Last year he ranked fourth in the league with 26.1 points, but this year he is putting up just 16.9 points. He is also on a team that is far more balanced than the Minnesota Timberwolves and Love no longer has to be the star of the show. Trades have given the Cavaliers a very deep and productive bench along with size in players like Tristan Thompson and Timofey Mozgov.
"I think Kevin is very much in the flow of the game and is playing both ends of the court," head coach Davis Blatt said. "The last thing I really worry about with Kevin Love is if he is going to score. That's the last thing that concerns me. He's a proven scorer in this league and a proven high-level scorer. And he's helping the team win."
