After a four-day layoff, the Cleveland Cavaliers were back in action on Friday against the Washington Wizards. The NBA’s best record against the NBA’s worst record, yet the game was tight throughout. It was the Cavs’ worst shooting night of the year, but they prevailed in large part due to Isaac Okoro. Head coach Kenny Atkinson praised his wing postgame.
Cavs Coach Kenny Atkinson Praises Defensive Ace Isaac Okoro in Win Over Wizards
“He’s one of those guys you take for granted that you shouldn’t,” Atkinson said in a postgame press conference. “I don’t know what his three-point percentage is this year, he’s shooting the heck out of it. I feel like it’s going in all the time and then he gives you great defense on the other end. If you’re going to give a ‘star of the game’ tonight, I think you give it to him, he was fantastic.”
Okoro has taken the shooting leap that the team needed him to take this season. Okoro is shooting a staggering 48.3% from behind the arc, not only a career-high but it ranks third in the NBA. The former fifth overall pick, shot 39.1% from three last season. His jump this season has made him one of the best 3&D players in the league.
Okoro guards all positions and predominantly takes on the assignment of the opposing team’s best scorer. For him to be shooting nearly 50% from three and play at an All-Defensive team level, makes him extremely valuable to the Cavs’ potential playoff run in the Spring.
The Next Step
The next step for Okoro is volume shooting. This season, he has only shot five or more threes in a game four times. But in those games he is 11-22 (50%), showcasing his ability to be a volume shooter on any given night. Okoro is not on the court for the Cavs to score, but he will do so when he is confident. The wing is shooting 2.6 3PA’s per game this season, which ranks 8th in a Cavs lineup, however, is he comfortably first in 3P%.
Against the Wizards, the Cavs had their worst shooting night of the year. They shot 39.6% from the floor and 30% from behind the arc. However, Okoro still shot 3-4 from three and was the Cavs most efficient player on the night. The Cavs rotation is subject to change during the next week with the return of Max Strus imminent. That could impact Okoro’s minutes, though he will still be a vital part of the Cavs rotation all season.
The Last Word
This is Okoro’s fifth season; it’s rare to see a player find his footing the way he has in the middle of his career. Okoro resigned in Cleveland on a three-year $33 million deal, despite rumors that his time in Northeast Ohio was over. Since his new deal, Okoro has been everything fans, coaches, and players want. He is steadily improving every year and shows no signs of stopping now. The way he is shooting the ball right now and the increased volume of his attempts would certainly make him crucial not only on defense but on offense as well.
The post Cavs Coach Praises Defensive Ace in Win Over Wizards appeared first on Last Word On Basketball.