The Cavs’ defensive scheme shut down Devin Booker, the Suns in a 118-92 victory

For most players, on defense Phoenix Suns superstar Kevin Durantarguably the greatest goal threat ever, no easy task. For Cleveland Cavaliers, without two defensive stars, Evan Mobley and Isaac Okorothe the task of defending Durant went to Cavs forward Dean Wade.

While it may have looked like Durant, who had 23 points on 9-16 shooting, crushed Wade, looking at the box score doesn’t paint the full picture. It wasn’t about that how much points Durant scored against Cleveland. instead, how and where Durant hit more important for the Cavs.

“We’ve really improved our fitness.” We really made those guys work,” the Cleveland head coach said Kenny Atkinson postgame. “I think our physicality has been one of the best this year in terms of getting into guys. We turned them over and our depth shined once again.”

While Wade was a central figure in containing Durant, this was all part of the game plan Atkinson and his staff devised to slow down Phoenix’s top-ten offense in most metrics. Cleveland wanted to make sure that no matter who was on the court, Phoenix couldn’t find a rhythm.

With that in mind, it’s even easier to understand how the Cavs shut down the Suns and how Cleveland was able to dominate in Phoenix at home.

Breaking down how the Cavs obliterated the Suns

Of course, Durant, top ten player by scoregot his points. However, no matter who Cleveland relied on to defend Durant, they only allowed the sharpshooter to connect on one 3-pointer, his lone attempt from the perimeter.

The Cavs would constantly drive Durant to the basket, but would repeatedly fence him before he could get to the paint. That would lead to ineffective mid-range attempts, which is an easy two points for Durant.

But despite Durant’s every mid-range attempt, Cleveland responded with a quick and efficient 3-pointer. After that, the Cavs’ defensive calculation was safe, allowing Cleveland to cruise to one of their easier wins of the season.

“We knew they were a great mid-range shooting team,” Atkinson told ClutchPoints. “It’s not against a lot of teams that we say, ‘Oh, you know, hey, they shoot from mid-range!’ So our emphasis was, of course, to get them to the mid-range, but keep competing. We usually say that about three-point shooting, but this team was different.

“It caused a couple of fouls with such strong competition that we fouled them a couple of times, which you don’t want. But (if) we really emphasize (that if) they’re going to shoot a ton of midrange, continue to compete at a high level and live with that approach.

The effect Cleveland’s defense had on Phoenix’s offense

The Cavs significantly disrupted the Suns’ offensive flow by effectively limiting Kevin Durant’s impact, forcing him to rely on mid-range shots. This strategy resulted in poor performance from Devin Bookerwho scored just 15 points on a 42.9% shooting average. Similarly, Bradley Beal contributed just five points on 2-for-4 shooting despite spending nearly 25 minutes on the court, leaving his impact on the game minimal.

Cleveland’s defense excelled at neutralizing Phoenix’s key players, suffocating a team that averages 112.7 points per game to 92 points. This is in stark contrast to the Cavs, who typically score an impressive 122.0 points per game. Had Atkinson not decided to rest his starters with seven minutes left in the fourth quarter, the final score and point difference could have been even more awkward.

Usually, wins like this fade into the background during an 82-game NBA season. However, considering the Cavs were undermanned against a star-studded Suns team, it’s amazing that they were able to turn this matchup into what looked like a routine win.

Cleveland has consistently relied on its depth this season, but in high-pressure situations, this Cavs team possesses more resilience and skill than meets the eye.