How Cavs helped inspire Mavericks trading Luka Doncic for Anthony Davis
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The Cleveland Cavaliers boast a formidable frontcourt with elite defenders Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen, setting a high standard for defensive play each night. This successful blueprint seems to have influenced the Dallas Mavericks, who traded Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for Anthony Davis.
Despite their defensive struggles during their recent game against the Cavs, the Mavericks have shown promise this season. They entered that matchup with the 11th-best defensive rating at 113.6. The acquisition of Davis could potentially bolster their defense even further.
It's tough to justify trading a superstar like Dončić at this stage in his career. However, before this trade, few teams had the talent to emulate the Cavs’ successful strategy of pairing two defensive-minded bigs. Now, the Mavericks find themselves with that capability.
"I think if you look at the Cavaliers, that's what you're going to see," Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison said. "Anthony's probably going to finish games at the five, but you're going to see those guys play together. When the Lakers won, he played the four."
Envision a front line featuring Davis, Dereck Lively II, and Daniel Gafford. It can potentially create a strong defensive wall, especially with solid defenders flanking the perimeter. Whether they can maintain offensive productivity without Dončić is another matter entirely.
The league is gradually emphasizing defense more and more. The Cavs have traditionally favored a defensive-first approach—though they have shifted somewhat this season—and currently hold the most wins in the conference. Meanwhile, the Oklahoma City Thunder, Houston Rockets, and Memphis Grizzlies lead the Western Conference, primarily due to their defensive prowess.
The Cavs have set the standard for two-bigs to dominate on defense
Previously, some critics questioned the Cavs' two-big strategy, suggesting the front office should break up the seemingly mismatched Mobley and Allen to better align with today's spacing-focused game.
However, in response to these concerns during last May’s end-of-season review, Cavs President of Basketball Operations Koby Altman presented data that advocated for keeping them together. Now that the Cavs own the league’s best record, Altman’s belief in what Cleveland has built around Mobley and Allen shows that the numbers didn’t lie.
"They said it wouldn't work," Mobley quipped. "I feel like we figured out a way each year and got better playing with each other. Now, it's clearly working. I feel like, a lot of teams are just — the copycat league and trying to figure out the new wave of how to play basketball.
"That might be the new wave."
The Cavs have logged 645 minutes with Allen and Mobley on the court together this season. In that time, they achieved an impressive offensive rating of 123.2, a defensive rating of 108.8, and a net rating of 14.4. This combination has become one of Cleveland's most effective and reliable strategies.
"Willingness is first," Allen said. "You can look at another big man and think, 'Oh, he's taking up my space.' But we don't do that. We have been willing to adapt every single thing and have found a system that works for both of us."
While the Mavericks’ trading Doncic will still raise eyebrows, it undeniably highlights the remarkable progress of the Cavs’ frontcourt and the growing significance of defense in today’s game. What many initially viewed as a risky experiment has transformed into a blueprint other teams are eager to follow. It will be interesting to see if the Mavericks can mirror any of the Cavs’ success in the coming months as they navigate the season, especially now that Davis is in Dallas.
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