Cleveland Cavaliers Must Improve Before Playoffs Start

Well, there are only 10 games to go until the playoffs start and it's pretty apparent that the Cavs must make some improvements before the first game of the playoffs.

The first thing that the Cavs need is for everyone to get healthy.

It's questionable whether Ben Wallace will be 100 percent for the playoffs. They will need him as a force on the defensive end, as he provides good help defense, and blocks shots.

Zydrunas Ilgauskas seems to be healthy right now, and it seems that they should give him as much rest as he needs before the playoffs begin. For example, he played 30 minutes against Toronto, but that should probably be cut to 25 minutes because they don't want to lose Z for the playoffs.

For Daniel Gibson, he is almost ready to come back.  They will need him as another threat from beyond the three-point line.

Wally Szczerbiak hasn't gotten his stroke yet so they will need another guy who can make threes—someone other than Damon Jones.

Anderson Varejao still hasn't been back to the form he was before the injury. Hopefully, he will come back and remember why he's in Cleveland: defense and hustle points. 

The next thing the Cavs will need is for everyone to return to form.

Szczerbiak needs to do what he was brought here to do: hit open shots. He's gotten many open looks and needs to knock down those shots.

His defense has been a pleasant surprise though. He has hustled, played solid man-to-man defense, and forced turnovers. His defense was supposedly his Achilles heel, but it has been fine.

I have no doubt that Wally will be ready for the playoffs.

Anderson Varejao is another guy that has to return to what he was.

Since he has gotten back from injury, he has had one good game. He needs to get back what he does best.

He has tried to become an offensive player, where he's not at his best. He's taken contested jump shots and tried to beat guys to the hole and usually ends up turning it over or throwing up a wild shot.

He needs to play defense, crash the offensive glass, and only score when he has an open layup.

That's what I like about Ben Wallace. He knows where he stands on the offensive end. He doesn't force anything and just plays defense.

The final thing the Cavs must do to improve is use the new players like they're supposed to be used.

For example, Delonte West is a point guard, and he shouldn't be just bringing the ball up the court and handing it off to LeBron. Any of the combo guards they've had before could do that.

He needs to penetrate through the defense and finish or kick it out to LeBron. That opens up everything for LeBron. Now he has a one-on-one and can easily beat it.

That is what a point guard is for.

As for Joe Smith, he needs more touches. He has one of the best baseline jumpers I have ever seen. In fact, I've only seen him miss a couple baseline jumpers since he's been in Cleveland. He needs more looks, and either he or Z has to be on the floor at all times because they can hit the open jumper.

Szczerbiak has been used like he should, he just needs to hit his open jumpers.

While the playoffs are about a month away, the Cavs have to make these changes in order to make a run in the playoffs. Hopefully all this can happen and they can bring a championship to Cleveland.