Cavs News: Twin towers, trade target, December preview

The NBA spent a decade shifting smaller, spurred on by the Miami Heat and Golden State Warriors finding such success without traditional hulking centers in their best lineups. The Cleveland Cavaliers have bucked that trend, picking two virtual seven-footers to both start in the frontcourt.

ESPN’s Tim McMahon went in depth on how the pairing was put together and why it works, focusing on one important quote. From head coach J.B. Bickerstaff: “Size and skill will beat small and skill every day.” It’s the ability for Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley to both guard the paint and defend on the perimeter that will help both thrive when the games matter most.

More Cavs news

Trade rumors continue to fly, and recently Bleacher Report took a look at one trade target for each team. Picked for the Cavaliers? Malik Beasley, a wing on the Utah Jazz who shoots a lot of 3-pointers at a decent clip. If the Utah Jazz decide to start moving players for draft capital rather than pushing for a playoff berth he is certainly a name to keep an eye on; the Cavs can use wings and shooters.

Tonight is the Cavs’ first game in December, the first of 15 the team will play this month. Josh Cornelissen goes in deep on this month’s schedule for King James Gospel, highlighting some key storylines along the way. Check out the article and his prediction for Cleveland’s record this month.

NBA news

Last season the Dallas Mavericks made the Western Conference Finals, and with a team built around a sublime superstar in Luka Doncic they were expected to be in the mix again this year. Yet, despite all of Luka’s brilliance, they continue to stumble out of the gates, losing games to teams with key stars out. That happened again last night in, strangely, the only game on the schedule, as the Detroit Pistons (without Cade Cunningham) knocked off Dallas in overtime.

Coming up: The Cavs take on the Orlando Magic at home tonight