Cleveland is 0-1 with a payroll over the tax line and a defense that ranked 15th last season. Whether that defense can match the offense decides if this is a 52-win team again.
Does one loss in Philadelphia say anything real about this team?
It says something, just not everything. Cleveland lost 106-114 at Philadelphia and is 0-1 with 81 games left. Mitchell scored 32 with 10 rebounds and Mobley added 18, so the stars showed up. Last season's team went 52-30 and ranked ninth in net rating at plus-4.1. One night does not erase that. It does point at the exact spot where the questions start.
Is the offense good enough to cover for everything else?
It was last season. Cleveland finished sixth in offensive rating at 118.3, with Mitchell at 27.9 points and Harden at 23.6 points and 8.0 assists a game. That is real shot creation. But Harden is 37 and Mitchell is 30, and an offense built on two guards has to be right every night. When shots stop falling, nothing else holds the floor.
Why does the defense worry people more than the scoring?
It slipped to 15th last season at 114.1 points allowed per 100 possessions. That is not what a team with Mobley and Allen inside is built to produce. A lead of 29 should be safe for a roster this expensive. Cleveland.com's Jimmy Watkins wrote that the loss should keep fans from treating this team as a contender. That is his opinion, but the defensive numbers give it fuel.
Can Cleveland afford to fix it with this payroll?
Not easily. The payroll is $209.0 million, over the $200.4 million tax line, with Mitchell and Mobley at $50.1 million each. Nearly every first-round pick through 2029 is tied up in swaps, and the second-rounders go to Chicago, Utah and Atlanta. Only the 2030 first is fully Cleveland's. The fix has to come from Atkinson's rotation, not from the trade market.
What does Brooklyn tonight actually test?
The defense, first. The Nets went 20-62 last season with a 108.2 offensive rating, and they are 0-1 now. Randle averaged 21.1 points and Porter Jr. 24.2 for Brooklyn's roster last season, and Tyler Bilodeau is out. Cleveland has one day of rest to the Nets' two. If this defense cannot hold a team that poor on offense to a short night, the concern is real.
Is the Cavaliers' defense the problem this season?
It is the biggest open question. Cleveland ranked 15th in defense last season at 114.1, while its offense ranked sixth at 118.3.
Are the Cavaliers over the luxury tax?
Yes. The payroll is $209.0 million against a tax line of $200.4 million.
