Perhaps this is an issue. Built for endurance--not. Other than Nick and a few on the bench, this team physically is simply too lanky. Early season, a team like that will have abundant energy and quicks but not so as the late days of February come howling.
Heavy weight boxers will tell you that leaning on the opponent before the ref can split you zaps energy as fast as body blows--get a slightly taller boxer to corner the shorter guy and drape himself over the guy and let the shorter guy hold up the two, even for a second or two and legs that have already gone 8-10 rounds simply become wobbly.
Smith and N'dour and TJ have no meat on them. When McCrae and Tree and a host of other guys are working them over game after game it simply must take a toll. The quickness cannot be maintained for the full game, resulting in mistimed passes, dribbling off your foot, missed shots and opponents getting numerous second chance points.
No Washington's, VK's, Big Reg or even an Ivo to push back with body mass vs pushing using all energy burning muscle.
When the Bobcats are hitting their threes than those games may result in the wins but down in the trenches the OHIO bigs keep getting worked over and are running low on the type of energy it would take to sweep in Cleveland.
Time to adapt to a strategy now that lives by the three and preach to box out down low to avoid the second chance points-maybe all zone and pray the opponent is cold on the three's that game?.