I’ll be clear here in saying that the Cleveland Cavaliers have not been good defensively for the vast majority of the 2019-20 season, and when you’re a 13-36 rebuilding team playing a bunch of young pieces big minutes, that’s to be expected.
The Cavs’ starting backcourt of Darius Garland and Collin Sexton consists of 20 and 21 year olds, and both are 6-foot-1 and are inherently going to be in tough matchups a bunch of the time.
Not just pointing fingers at those two, the Cavs are not stockpiled with plus defenders, and outside of Tristan Thompson, Larry Nance Jr.