Jaylon Tyson blasts Cavs for lack of effort: ‘Other teams want it more than us’

Jaylon Tyson didn’t hold back on venting his frustrations after the Cleveland Cavaliers lost their third straight game tonight against the Boston Celtics.

“We’re not hungry enough. What happened to us last year it’s a similar thing that’s happening this year; it’s a common theme, ultimately, it’s on us to fix it,” Tyson said. “The young guys, the role players, it shouldn’t be us having to bring energy every time, right? Everyone has to bring energy, everyone has to pour into this thing.”

It’s hard not to agree with anything that was said. There’s a noticeable shift in energy whenever the Cavaliers’ younger prospects like Tyson, Nae’Qwan Tomlin, or Tyrese Proctor are on the floor. While these guys naturally have more at stake, considering their place on the fringe of the rotation, there’s no reason they should be consistently playing harder than the stars ahead of them.

“Come together as a team, and do your job,” Tyson said when asked how to fix Cleveland’s problems. “I feel like teams want it more than us, there’s a target on a lot of our guys’ backs, and it’s everyone’s job to say, ‘you wanna come at us, let’s go.‘”

It’s true that each Cavalier has a target on their back. Go down the list and tell me which member of the roster should feel proven at this point. The answer is no one. Taking the regular season as casually as this team currently is is inexcusable, and I’m glad that Tyson said it. I’m sure you are too.

Tyson wasn’t the only Cavalier who was ticked off. Evan Mobley was also candid in his post-game interview, admitting that the entire roster is growing frustrated with how the season has started. Mobley himself said that his own personal struggles at the start of the year made him feel impatient.

“Yes,” Mobley said when asked if the team is frustrated. “That’s natural, everyone wants to win, everyone wants to be the best we can be, but right now we’re not, and so we gotta find a way to fix this.”

Adversity can build character. But at a certain point, you have to get up off the mat and start fighting back. The Cavs have taken more than their fair share of lumps. The breaking point doesn’t feel far away. This team will need to prove itself before it’s too late.