It's not just a simple eye test that makes you think things are going better for the Cavaliers these days.

The players seem to be having more fun, too.

What's changed? Well, the coach, for starters. The Cavs are 3-4 since J.B. Bickerstaff took over for John Beilein immediately after the All-Star break.

More than their record, though, is the fact they seem to be playing with more fire. What they lack in experience and overall talent (and lately, healthy bodies), they are making up for with some good, old-fashioned elbow grease.

“I would say the energy is totally different,” Cavs guard Collin Sexton told reporters at shootaround. “Everybody is just happy. We’re all trying to play for something now.”

The Cavs (17-44) host Boston on Wednesday in the third of a five-game homestand (7 p.m., FOX Sports Ohio).

Sexton leads the team in scoring at 20.2 points and has appeared in every since game since coming to the Cavs. That's 143 straight games to start his pro career.

He has been particularly good under Bickerstaff -- averaging 26.8 points over the last four games. That includes a 31-point outing against New Orleans and a career-high 32 on Monday vs. Utah.

Sexton is among the players who said the coaching change made a real impact, as he asked himself some important questions when it was learned Beilein was moving on.

“Was I as coachable as I could have been? Could I have been more coachable? Could I have received information and criticism better?" Sexton said last week. "Let me step back and survey. Was I as good of a player to coach when he was here? I had to just look myself in the mirror and ask those things.”

Several others indicated similar sentiments, including Kevin Love.

Now, before we all get too excited, it's pretty evident that the Cavs are approaching an offseason of really needing to figure out what's next.

Tristan Thompson has an expiring contract. Andre Drummond has a player option that he may or may not exercise. Love has been at the center of trade rumors since the day when he was drafted by Memphis (and immediately traded) back in 2008.

But for once, all of that stuff can wait.

Today, all of the focus is on the present, and Bickerstaff and his coaching style are apparently the rock that's holding it all together.

“I would say we’re a lot closer and there’s more freedom for everyone to talk and for everyone to get their point across,” Sexton said. “If you feel like a coverage isn’t going to work, we’re able to tell coach and just have that discussion, which is really cool.”