Cavs address rebounding woes with unlikely source

Mitchell led by example today.

The Cleveland Cavaliers won their 60th game of the season today. A feat they’ve only done two other times in franchise history. But while they’ve racked up wins by shooting teams out of the gym all year. This most recent win over the LA Clippers was built on the back of an all-around team effort on the glass.

Cleveland won the rebounding battle 45-44. That might not seem like much of an accomplishment. For context, take into account that the Cavs lost the rebounding battle 49-29 in their previous matchup with the Clippers.

Ivica Zubac dominated the glass in that game. He hauled in 20 boards while Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley combined for just 11. This lopsided affair on the boards contributed to a loss in LA. And, it would plague the Cavs throughout their West Coast road trip.

The Cavs had been one of the worst rebounding teams in the league during their four-game losing streak. They course corrected by winning their next three games before faltering to the Detroit Pistons. Mobley and Allen again disappeared in this one as they managed just 10 rebounds between the two of them.

But the Cavaliers' issues on the glass have always been deeper than Allen and Mobley. Cleveland actually fairs well enough with both bigs on the floor, ranking in the 65th percentile. It’s lineups that take one off the floor that plummet to the bottom.

That’s why the Cavs need support from all five players on the court. Against the Clippers this time around — that support was there.

Donovan Mitchell lead by example

If the best player on the team is willing to get his hands dirty, then everyone else should be ready to join him. Mitchell dug deep today for 12 rebounds as he set the tone early for Cleveland.

Take this as an example. Mitchell actively pursues the ball as it’s coming off the rim. Mitchell’s aggressive hunt for this rebound is the only reason LA didn’t grab an extra possession.

Here we see Mitchell again beat everyone to the ball for his patented one-handed snag. These two plays let us know that Mitchell was placing an emphasis on being on the glass all game.

Below, Mitchell tracks his man all the way down into the paint. Mitchell stays totally connected to Derrick Jones Jr. as the ball goes into the air. This effort pays off as the rebound falls straight into Mitchell’s lap. If he hadn’t remained engaged on this possession, then it would have been an easy second-chance opportunity for Jones.

Later in the quarter, Mitchell again shows he is willing to get physical. Watch Mitchell as this shot goes in the air. He turns around and puts two hands squarely on Bogdan Bogdanovic to ensure he can’t get around him. A job well done and another rebound added to his total.

Next we see Mitchell stuck in a crowd and he still ends up with a rebound. He has a body on both Zubac and Ben Simmons, giving himself the inside edge to get this ball before anyone else.

Finally, Mitchell makes an excellent read to stop Kris Dunn in his tracks and claim this rebound for himself. Mitchell’s attention to the full floor allowed him to rotate away from the corner and into a crashing Dunn. This is the little stuff that determines who wins and who loses games.

A better showing from the bigs

Let’s not forget. Allen and Mobley are ultimately still the key to winning a rebounding battle. Sure, others need to step up. But none of it matters if Mobley and Allen aren’t doing their job. They did that today.

Allen, especially, was much improved. He grabbed 12 rebounds in 31 minutes to contend with Zubac’s production (13 boards in 37 minutes). Allen’s active presence made all the difference — as did Mobley’s contributions of seven rebounds.

Here, Allen comes up to defend the ball screen and then dives back down to grab the miss. Active feet and constant movement keep Allen in position to secure the defensive stop.

We see another example of this energy below. Allen barges his way through the open floor, swimming around the Clippers defense to grab this offensive rebound. The result is two free throws.

Allen’s athleticism is a tool. He might not have enough weight to bang in the paint with certain bigs — but Allen can move faster and jump higher than most of them. Simply dancing around Zubac and then springing up to tap this ball back to his teammates is a recipe for success.

We saw Mobley get involved later with this grown-man board over Zubac. Mobley’s increased strength has made him more of a problem for opposing centers. Zubac would have had no problem clearing Mobley on this possession in years previous. Not now.

Lastly, Allen again secures a stop for the Cavs at a critical juncture of the game. This is an automatic offensive rebound for James Harden if Allen doesn’t work his way back into the paint to take it away from him.

These are the plays that we take for granted. Allen is hardly noticeable on most nights when he’s doing his job. But it would have been easy for Allen to use the above play as an opportunity to catch his breath and stay home on a shooter in Bogdonavic. If he hadn’t exerted himself to crash for this board, we’d all be complaining about LA’s offensive rebounds. So make sure we give credit where it’s due.