The Cleveland Cavaliers crashed and burned in this year's NBA Cup, inadvertently creating an early-season break for themselves. The timing of it could not be any better for a team that desperately needs to rest and reassess.
Cleveland went 2-2 in NBA Cup play. They picked up wins against the lowly Indiana Pacers and Washington Wizards. When tasked with real competition, in the Toronto Raptors and Atlanta Hawks, they lost both games.
The Cavaliers played their last contest before this mini-break on Saturday, losing a disappointing 99-94 matchup against the Golden State Warriors. That was their fifth loss in the last seven games.