When the Cleveland Cavaliers signed extended Kyrie Irving, signed LeBron James and traded for Kevin Love they created the Cavs Big Three. James hasn’t liked being called that, saying they are a full team, but the reality is that those three players together are near the top of their positions in the NBA. For Cavs fans, a far cry from the slop that was brought in around LeBron his first time around. James made Mo Williams an All Star, had Delonte West as a productive starter and made due with Damon Jones, etc as his supporting cast.
This year hasn’t started out as good as most would expect with that kind of talent. Many thought that the new Big Three fit much better than the Big Three that James joined in Miami. In 2010 Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh were not great shooters, Wade still isn’t while Bosh has done a great job of extending his range out to the 3 point line. Irving won the 3 point shoot out in 2014 and Love is considered the best stretch big man in the business.
Yet somehow the team struggled. Coach David Blatt couldn’t find the right rotations, they couldn’t figure out how to play together and attitudes started to show. Once the Cavs Big Three were joined by the New Three (Timofey Mozgov, J.R. Smith and Iman Shumpert) and LeBron took a two week hiatus, things have started to click.
How much have things changed? Fear the Sword’s former editor, and now NBA employee, Conrad shot this out last night:
You guys might enjoy this…The Cavs Big 3 on-court numbers by month. IT’S LEARNING. pic.twitter.com/jQjlNd6aif
— conrad kaz (@conradkaz) March 4, 2015
Thos are some crazy interesting numbers. In November and December the Cavs Big Three were playing over 26 minutes together but had less than 13 Net Rating, comparing offensive rating and defensive rating. Yet, as January and the New Three rolled around, the three of them are playing less together, down to 20 minutes in February, but are putting up big numbers when they are on the floor, 26.4 Net Rating. They have doubled their rating with 6 less minutes on the floor than just two months prior.
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That means a couple things. First, Blatt has found versions of the rotations that are working well. Second, the Cavs are playing well when the starting unit is on the floor, beginning of the 1st and 3rd quarters, which are very important times of the game. Third, when on the floor together the three of them have figured out how to make things work. And fourth, the Cavs are still playing well when the three are not together but each is able to pick their spots.
The Cavs still have a lot of learning to do but the good news, as Conrad said, is that the Cavs Big Three “It’s Learning.” That is a scary thought for the rest of the NBA.
How do you feel about the Cavs Big Three playing less together but being so productive?