The Cleveland Cavaliers' defensive performance in their 130-120 loss to the Dallas Mavericks has raised concerns about their ability to control the defense. Head coach Kenny Atkinson described the team's performance as "permissive". The Mavericks, who had the 27th worst offense in the NBA, managed 35 assists on 46 makes against a team that could not make them pay. The team's reliance on Jarrett Allen, who was unavailable for the game, is also considered concerning due to the potential matchups where Allen cannot play due to matchup issues. The full episode of the Wine and Gold Talk podcast is available now.