. @cavs second half defense thread starts here:

Garland overmatched (as is basically the entire league vs Trae off the dribble) but notice Nance step to Capela as soon as Trae crosses the 3pt line, Drummond coming over to protect. NBA defense is 2% individual success and 98% team success

Nance is pretty handsy on the switch with no call, but stays LOW, contests high

great action by ATL to pull Nance so far away from Collins, Capela walks to the weakside dunkers box as Drummond has to stay strongside to step up on Collins. Just a great play, tough to defend

This was inexcusable to have all 5 guys in the half court logo off an inbounds pass

In NBA parlance: you have to give something up. Here @cavs will give up a Collins corner three (30% on catch and shoot threes) to corral Trae screaming downhill. Garland still has a ways to go in PNR defense

Trae drills this, but this is what @cavs fans have to love to see. Starting with Sexton getting over the screen and attached to Trae w/o fouling, Nance gameplan sound coming off Collins to help high then contesting the reset without fouling.

Drummond slow here to recognize, likely because he hadn't seen many lobs from Trae since the break

Reddish is pretty awful (Coack K guy!!) but Exum on the switch initially gets beat and ends up just swallowing him up with that length and second effort

Cedi can't be getting held up on screens like that for that long especially when @Cavs and Nance are in drop

Garland great recognition to get planted outside the restricted area and great hands on the block

Second unit had a lot of luck with Hawks misses, because defensively not sound. McGee lookin like Gobert out there (not a good thing)

If you were wondering why McGee was unplayable in the playoffs for the lakers, this should give you a good basis to work from

@cavs get lucky again as dotson helps one pass away unnecessarily. They do a great job loading the weakside (boxes and elbows) as Cedi once again gets hung up badly on a ball screen (ugh). Dotson doesn't need to come off his man w/McGee there and backside prepared for a lob

Honestly one of the few times Sexton was off balance and or made the wrong read (did both) as he goes UNDER on bogdanovic after the jab

. @cavs guards getting blown up on screens is going to need to be a focus going forward, this time Exum

I've always though Exum was overrated as an on ball defender, but he plays hard and his length gives almost everyone fits (Utah's bloggers loved to gush about how good he was vs Harden)

Cedi and McGee in PNR is.... suboptimal

Garland in over his skis on Trae (good news is not many better or more crafty in the league) and Nance is all over the place, but just sticking with a play is much more valuable big picture than jumping into the stands for a ball or trying to save one under your own hoop

Ultimately, @Cavs got some incredible shooting luck from ATL. First unit defensively is coming along. Simple scheme (drop cover with weakside corner shrinking down). Second unit is very shaky, but the absolute bright spot in it all is Sexton making strides.

He has all the physical tools to be a really good defender, now its putting all those together CONSISTENTLY. Garland is still learning and he's not as physically impressive as Sexton. Exum is a nice ace in the hole with his length and being able to switch