It’s March 2023 and the Cleveland Cavaliers are down in the closing seconds to the Brooklyn Nets after battling all game long. With six seconds to go, in the chaos of a missed Donovan Mitchell free throw, Cavs swingman Caris LeVert recovers the ball and drives to the basket, going for the win.
But with Brooklyn’s defense collapsing on him, LeVert kicks the ball out to the corner, where Cleveland’s Isaac Okoro is wide open. Okoro takes and makes the game-winning three-pointer and is swarmed by his teammates after hitting the first game-winner in his NBA career.
When Okoro hit that shot, his confidence on offense was sky-high and he was showing the elite two-way potential that could decide a game or two come playoff time for the Cavs. Unfortunately, Okoro suffered a knee injury against the Houston Rockets soon after, which sidelined him for nearly a month.
When Okoro returned to the floor in Cleveland’s first-round matchup against the New York Knicks, he was rusty on defense and lacked the confidence he had built on offense. Instead of being a factor on the floor, Okoro became a liability and the Cavs soon found themselves going home much sooner than expected.
Isaac Okoro injured again
Fast forward to March 2024 and midway into the third quarter of Cleveland’s 110-100 victory over the Detroit Pistons. Okoro checked out of the game and never returned, with what J.B. Bickerstaff said was due to Okoro’s back tightening up. When asked about Okoro’s availability going forward, Bickertaff simply said, “We’ll see.”
While Bickerstaff typically never reveals his hand when it comes to player availability due to keeping his player’s safety his top priority and in the spirit of gamesmanship if Okoro’s back is something that keeps him sidelined, the Cavs could be in trouble.
Cavs are a much better team with Isaac Okoro on the floor
In 50 games this season, Okoro is averaging 9.3 points, 3.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists while shooting 50% from the field and 40.1% from beyond the arc. More impressively, despite not finishing the game against the Pistons in Detroit, Okoro finished with 12 points on 4 of 9 shooting and 2 of 5 from 3-point range to go with four assists, one steal and one block in 25 minutes of action.
Okoro’s limited action still marked the fifth time in the last seven games that he had reached double figures in scoring. With him on the court, Cleveland outscored Detroit by 13 points, showing his continued evolution and growing confidence and momentum on offense.
“We know what Isaac does,” Bickerstaff said. “He works his tail off to be a better basketball player. I think us having the experience we had last year in the playoffs, he learned from that, and he wanted to help this team. He came back ready to be a two-way player, not just a guy who defends his tail off and sits in the corners. He can make plays and shoot the ball from all levels. So, we wanted him to take this step forward. But he wanted it more than anybody.”
Okoro is Cavs’ best point-of-attack defender
But, if Okoro is sidelined for a while due to his back, it could be the second verse, the same as the first in how he performs come playoff time for the Cavs. Okoro’s defensive upside will always be there for Cleveland – he’s the team’s best point-of-attack defender and relishes the role. But, Okoro also needs offensive consistency and rhythm to be effective on the floor, something he’s continually showcased as of late. If he sits out for too long, slowing down that rhythm he’s built, he could be an offensive liability for Cleveland and limit their options rotation-wise.
Granted, this could be throwing out the baby before the bath water if Okoro is available for the Cavs’ upcoming matchup with the Knicks at home and his back isn’t an issue. But, again, with Bickerstaff being cryptic on Okoro’s status going forward, it’s worth keeping an eye on since, like last year, Okoro could make or break a playoff game or two for Cleveland.
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