Cavaliers, Scott focus on defense

Akron Beacon Journal

INDEPENDENCE

The Cleveland Cavaliers’ offense is one of the most intricate and complicated styles used in the NBA, but coach Byron Scott hasn’t even mentioned it through the first two days of camp. He likely won’t for another few days, either.

The Cavaliers were so dreadful defensively last season that Scott is making it his emphasis early in camp.

“If you really want to get my attention, this is the way to get it,” Scott told his players. “We’ve got enough guys who can put the ball in the basket, but it doesn’t matter if you can’t stop anybody. We’re going to emphasize the defensive end big time this year.”

With many of the same players on the roster, the Cavaliers allowed almost 10 more points per game last year than they did during Mike Brown’s final season as coach. The Cavs ranked fifth during the 2009-10 season under Brown (95.6 per game).

They tumbled to 23rd in the league last year (104.5).

“We had defensive philosophies that were different. I like to do certain things that they weren’t used to doing,” Scott said. “A lot of it is probably my fault as far as [getting] guys to understand what we want to do on that side of the floor.”