The Cavs have identified a specific type of team giving them problems

CLEVELAND — The Cavaliers have had a difficult time really evaluating their play through the first 23 games considering the series of injuries to the roster. But one pattern is emerging and, although they know they have time to fix it, they also know they'll have to figure it out eventually.

The Cavs lost 122-110 to the Portland Trail Blazers Dec. 3, dropping their record to 13-10. In a vacuum, the loss wouldn't appear to be a big deal, but some frustration with a particular type of defeat is beginning to build.

All-Star guard Darius Garland still isn't 100 percent. Center Jarrett Allen is out. Guard Sam Merrill, signed to a long-term deal this offseason, is also sidelined. Small forward Max Strus has yet to play this season. The list goes on. Losing a game in early December won't raise many alarms for any team.

Rather, it's the type of team profile of Portland that represents a potential problem. To date, although the Cavs have dealt with players in and out of the rotation, they've had a particular problem handling teams that are athletic, great in transition and above-average in crashing the offensive boards.

There are five teams in the NBA, entering Dec. 3, that were top 12 in both transition offense and offensive rebounds per game — the Orlando Magic, Philadelphia 76ers, New York Knicks, Houston Rockets and, yes, the Trail Blazers.

In four games against that group of five, the Cavs are 1-3. And although none of them have been played with Cleveland at full strength, a pattern emerging of that profile of team being a particular problem might add a bit of urgency considering the Knicks, their top competition in the East, are among the group.

"They're the type of team that's given us trouble all year," Cavs coach Kenny Atkinson said before the Trail Blazers game, which further exposed the issue. "Group them into that, like, crazy offensive rebounding, athleticism, super-fast-paced [team]. We've had trouble with them."

In addition to the Cavs being 1-3 against those five teams in the top 12 in both categories, Cleveland is also just 7-9 against the remaining teams that are top 12 in one or the other — Chicago, Miami, Toronto, Atlanta, Detroit, Boston, Indiana. That style of athleticism, pushing the tempo in transition and crashing the boards has created the Cavs' No. 1 problem.

And despite having nearly 60 games left before the playoffs, and despite the severe injury situation with which they've dealt, the Cavs are beginning to grow tired of the idea that they have plenty of time to figure things out. It's true, but at a certain point, they're looking for results.

"We have time to fix it," All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell said. "That's the upside of this. We have time to fix it, and we will. But it's just frustrating because it's like, hey, mentally, just gotta push through."

That has become the story of the Cavs' season thus far — injuries, and plenty of time, but also a disappointment with the results, regardless of any other context. For Atkinson, he's trying to view it all from 30,000 feet.

"I'm not disappointed in the guys, I'm not down on the guys," Atkinson said postgame. "I think my job is to understand the big picture and have perspective. … I think we just got some things we're dealing with, and I kind of knew coming into the season there were going to be some struggles until we get everybody in their slots."

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: The Cavs have a disturbing pattern against one style of team emerging