P.M. Cleveland Cavaliers links: Emphasis on defensive improvement during final 26 games

Need to be more aggressive and smart at chasing shooters, defending the pick-and-roll and retrieving the missed shot.

Joshua Gunter, The Plain Dealer Anthony Parker (left), here pestering Kobe Bryant during the Cavs' 104-99 win over the Lakers last Wednesday, is the Cavaliers' best perimeter defender.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The win-loss record, 10-46, indicates better than any statistic how much the Cleveland Cavaliers have struggled (that's an understatement) in every aspect of playing efficient basketball.

Coach Byron Scott hopes, of course, that over the remaining one-third of the season, the Cavaliers will improve every part of their game, with a particular emphasis on defense.

Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon Journal writes about Scott's objectives:

Figuring out how to do it is threefold, according to Scott. Guards have to do a better job of fighting through screens, the bigs have to defend the pick and roll better by jumping out on the dribbler in a ''hard show,'' then retreating to their man, and everyone has to do a better job of rebounding.

''It all comes down to one word — effort,'' Scott said. ''Telling yourself from a guard standpoint, 'I know there's going to be a screen, I'm not going to get screened. I'm not going to melt on the screen, I'm going to get through it.' ''

The Plain Dealer and cleveland.com continues its Cavaliers coverage. Cleveland returns from the all-star break with a home game against the Houston Rockets on Wednesday night.

Jump shots

A look at the remainder of the Cavaliers season, by Jacob Rosen for the WaitingForNextYear blog.

It was a surprisingly poor showing for Daniel Gibson, but at least he was there. A photo gallery of Gibson at the 3-point shootout on NBA.com/cavaliers.

The Cavaliers and other losing teams, as they approach Thursday's trade deadline and the rest of the season. By Sam Amico for FoxSportsOhio.com.

The "buyers and sellers" as the trade deadline nears, by Ian Thomsen for Sports Illustrated's SI.com.

Cavaliers trade deadline options, by Ricky Braun on the landloyalty.com blog.

 

Source: http://www.cleveland.com/ohio-sports-blog/index.ssf/2011/02/pm_cleveland_cavaliers_links_82.html

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