NBA Scores 2018: Are the Cavaliers’ problems fixable?

Add another disappointing loss to the record of the Cleveland Cavaliers, a team in a midseason crisis that looks like a shell of the franchise that has been to three straight NBA Finals. If they don’t fix their problems, a fourth Eastern Conference title might be further from their reach than Pluto.

Cleveland got absolutely smoked by the Oklahoma City Thunder, 148-124, on Saturday. The Cavaliers let Paul George go for 36, Carmelo Anthony run up 29, Steven Adams go for 25 and 10 rebounds (on 92 percent shooting, I might add,) while Russell Westbrook calmly ran off 23 points, 20 assists, and nine rebounds. OKC shot 58 percent as a team. The Thunder did whatever they wanted to against one of the league’s worst defenses.

The Cavaliers have lost 10 of their last 14 games. They have the second-worst defensive rating (109.8 points per 100 possessions) to just the Sacramento Kings (Sacramento!), and are bottom 10 in the NBA in most hustle stats, including deflections (T-22nd), loose balls recovered (T-20th), and contested shots (25th).

They’re not the same team they were when they rattled off 13 straight wins earlier in the season. Isaiah Thomas’s return hasn’t helped, either. Something has to change.

The Cavaliers have reportedly inquired about George Hill, a player who would add much-needed perimeter defense and depth. They’ve also reportedly reached out to the Clippers about Sweet Lou Williams, who would add a totally different dynamic off the bench.

At this point, it doesn’t seem a trade is the biggest fix. The change has to happen from within.

The Cavaliers added eight new faces to the roster this summer, and with a shortened preseason, there was less time for players to get adjusted to playing with one another. Thomas’s midseason return from his hip injury further threw off their chemistry. But on paper, Cleveland has the roster makeup of a three-time conference champion that made the necessary improvements to make it to the NBA Finals for a fourth straight season.

Is a coaching change necessary? LeBron James doesn’t think so, but he’s not sure, either.

The Cavaliers are just not playing like champions. Players need to hold themselves accountable. They need to play every possession like it’s their last. They need to play every opponent like it’s a playoff game and not play down to their competition.

The Cavaliers may be broken, but they’re certainly fixable. They just need to take care of themselves on the inside. If they can’t do that, Cleveland might not keep its Finals streak alive.

Thunder 148, Cavaliers 124

Bulls 113, Hawks 97

Heat 106, Hornets 105

Pelicans 111, Grizzlies 104

76ers 116, Bucks 94

Rockets 116, Warriors 108

Timberwolves 115, Raptors 109

Jazz 125, Clippers 113

Trail Blazers 117, Mavericks 108