The Cleveland Cavaliers, once riding a wave of optimism after their blockbuster trade deadline moves, are now facing growing concerns about their consistency on both offense and defense. As closely followed on Cricket Exchange, the team’s lack of cohesion has been exposed once again, with even LeBron James admitting that the Cavs remain a “new team” still trying to gel — a sentiment he has echoed throughout the season.

Despite early flashes of promise, the improvements expected from the roster overhaul have yet to materialize. Before tipoff, LeBron reminded everyone that more adjustments are still to come, especially once Kevin Love returns from injury. But the playoffs wait for no one. As fans joke, “Who exactly is still trusting the process here?”

The numbers tell a sobering story. By halftime, LeBron had already scored 19 points — the only Cavalier in double figures, and two more than the combined total of the other four starters. Through three quarters, only Larry Nance Jr. joined him in double digits, and he had just 10 points. LeBron had his worst quarter in the third, going 1-for-6 from the field for just 3 points, and the Cavs mustered only 15 points as a team in that frame.

One particular possession summed up Cleveland’s woes. George Hill drove hard to the basket with Tristan Thompson trailing in support. But Joel Embiid sealed off the paint, forcing Hill to kick the ball back out. The shot clock expired without an attempt — a glaring 24-second violation. During that play, LeBron casually strolled from the post to the perimeter, seemingly disengaged, while Thompson immediately looked to give the ball back to him. The team’s over-reliance on LeBron could not have been clearer.

Rodney Hood had previously warned that the team needs to run plays even when LeBron is on the floor. Yet, in one telling third-quarter sequence, LeBron posted up Robert Covington and passed out to Hill, who passed to Jeff Green, who in turn passed to Thompson. Green then drifted to the weak side, and the possession fizzled out without a shot attempt. It was the perfect illustration of LeBron’s earlier comment — the Cavs are shaky on both ends of the floor, sometimes showing defensive discipline, other times collapsing into confusion. Offensively, the team swings between moments of brilliance and stretches of dysfunction.

For those tracking the Cavs’ form on Cricket Exchange, it’s become apparent that handing the ball to LeBron and hoping for magic isn’t a sustainable strategy. While he remains the team’s engine, the lack of reliable contributions from others has raised alarm bells. Unless the new-look Cavaliers find rhythm soon, their postseason run may end before it ever truly begins — a reality that fans and analysts alike are watching closely on Cricket Exchange.