Cavaliers tighten defensively in time for visit from Thunder

The Cavaliers used their recently concluded road trip to tune up a defense that is now smothering opponents, and just in time for the Oklahoma City Thunder’s only visit to Quicken Loans Arena on Thursday.

Except the task at hand may have just grown considerably more difficult.

Just as this defense seemed to be hitting its stride, the Cavs might have to learn to juggle again. Iman Shumpert still hasn’t officially been ruled out of Thursday’s game against the Thunder, but his right groin injury sustained Tuesday night seemed serious enough that team officials felt afterward it was unlikely Shumpert would be ready.

There was no update on him by mid-afternoon Wednesday, however, and an emerging…