OKLAHOMA CITY -- During Monday night's loss against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Jordan Clarkson saw something he hadn't before: A hard blitz from an opponent.

Sure, Clarkson watched as the Cavaliers used the blitz during last season's postseason run -- a tactic designed to force the ball out of the primary scorer's hands. He had seen those defensive looks, usually reserved for star players, on film over the years. But he never felt it to that level. He was never the target.

"It's a sign of respect, being able to cause that much attention," Clarkson said. "But in those times, (helping) my teammates make plays, I was drawing a lot of attention, kicking it, passing it.

"This is my first time I've really seen a hard blitz like that, where they were really trying to get the ball out of my hands. Even when I was pulling back, they were still coming. It's part of the game. I was trying to read it, see it, figure it out."

In simple terms, the blitz involves two defenders hawking the ball-handler in the pick-and-roll. With the Timberwolves throwing an extra guy at him, usually a big that left the screen-setter, Clarkson finished with a season-low four points on 1-of-5 from the field and 0-of-4 from 3-point range. He also committed as many turnovers (two) as assists.

Clarkson admitted he would usually be perturbed after getting just five shots. But he feels this new-look Cavs team is built on sacrifice -- a team-first mentality. As long as the guys are playing together and striving to make the right plays, he can live with poor scoring nights.

The team's leading scorer in Kevin Love's absence, Clarkson will likely continue to get extra attention from opponents so adjusting will be crucial.

Head coach Larry Drew said the next step for the microwave scorer is learning his reads and not trying to do too much. Drew commended Clarkson during Tuesday morning's film session for his ability to play through the defense's aggressiveness while trying to keep teammates involved.

"We need him to score the basketball, but we also need him to make plays," Drew said. "Making plays may be just getting off the basketball when you do get a double team because if you are being double-teamed that means somebody else is open. We will adapt, adjust and make sure when teams are defending him like that we will can do things a little differently.

"I don't want him to lose his aggressiveness, but I want him to continue to make the right plays. He's got the talent, the speed and ability to beat a double team. But we don't want that to be a constant because that turns into forcing a lot of shots."

In the first meeting against the Thunder, Clarkson started to show flashes of his evolution as a playmaker. It was a night his shot wasn't falling, missing 12 of his 17 attempts.

Being hounded by Oklahoma City, Clarkson finished with just 11 points -- his second-worst night before Monday's clunker.

Still, he found other ways to help. He dished out eight assists and grabbed nine rebounds. He attacked the rim relentlessly and forced the defense to collapse. That's the best way to approach those off-shooting nights. Clarkson will have a chance to bounce back Wednesday.

The NBA is a copycat league. The Timberwolves pestered Clarkson, showed other opponents the best way to contain him. Because of that, the 26-year-old shooting guard who is still getting accustomed to this bigger responsibility, will be better prepared for whatever the Thunder throw his way -- even if it's a blitz.

"Know my reads off it now," Clarkson said. "I know how to manipulate the rest of the game in terms of what I want to do when teams are blitzing me. It's part of the game. Going to have nights like that where teams do different things. Just got to figure it out."