Cavaliers Had Air-It-Out Team Meeting to Start Tuesday Practice Amid Struggles

Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Tyronn Lue told reporters the Cavs had an "air-it-out" meeting before Tuesday's practice to address their ongoing struggles to start the season. 

Lue did not divulge much in the way of details, but he said getting in better game shape was discussed.

The Cavaliers are 3-4 with three straight losses heading into Wednesday night's game against the Indiana Pacers. Their last two losses, to the New Orleans Pelicans and New York Knicks, have come by a combined 41 points.

"Tonight's loss and the last couple are unacceptable, and the only way we're going to be able to get out of it is to put the work in—as players, as coaches," Lue told reporters after Cleveland's 114-95 loss to the Knicks. "And we're going to do that...When you lose to teams the way we've been getting beat, it's unacceptable."

Cleveland currently ranks 27th in defensive efficiency and has been outscored by 5.4 points per 100 possessions, per NBA.com. The Pelicans and Knicks outscored the Cavs by 23 points combined in the first quarter, and they've been one of the slowest-starting teams in the league.

"What is this? October? I'm not about to go crazy over it right now," LeBron James said. "It's too long of a season, and I've been a part of this too many times, so I'm the wrong guy to ask. I'm too positive right now.

"All it takes is a win. That's all it takes. All it takes is a win, and then things will start feeling better, and we'll start feeling better about ourselves. So we just need a win."

The Cavs do remain in a state of roster flux, with Lue having already shuffled his starting lineup once and more changes likely. Isaiah Thomas is out until at least January with a hip injury, while new additions Derrick Rose, Dwyane Wade and Jae Crowder have struggled to acclimate.