What Is Cavs Focus Ahead Of Four-Game Road Trip?

The Cleveland Cavaliers plan to prioritize defensive identity during their four-game road trip.

The Cleveland Cavaliers have been playing some of their best basketball over the last month. They're 11-3 even in the absence of Darius Garland and Evan Mobley. One saving grace for this team is that a lot of their games (outside of a trip to Paris) have been at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. 

Cleveland is about to be tested in a new way as they're hitting the road for a four-game trip where they'll play the Atlanta Hawks, Orlando Magic, and Milwaukee Bucks twice. 

Dec 16, 2023; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Max Strus (1) drives to the basket against Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young (11) during the second half at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports / © Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports

J.B. Bickerstaff outlined what the team is focused on as they get ready for this challenging stretch of games. 

"Our focus is, like defensively, we know it travels and as long as you can defend you give you give yourself a chance to win anywhere," said Bickerstaff. "So, as long as we continue with that mindset that we're a defensive team first and then offensively we go out and get our objectives that we're aiming for as far as our shot quality and those types of things, our assist numbers, we'll be just fine."

The Bucks are current playoff teams and the Magic are a Play-In team in the Eastern Conference while the Hawks, at the center of a number of trade rumors, are still a talented team that shouldn't be slept on.

Cleveland has won both of their matchups against the Hawks this season, are 1-1 with the Magic, and just beat the Giannis Antetokounmpo-less Bucks by 40 points. 

Garland and Mobley are inching their way closer to returning to the floor. However, Cleveland will need to take what Bickerstaff said to heart if they want to keep their season-high six-game win streak alive.