Should Channing Frye Start?

Should Channing Frye step into the Cleveland Cavaliers starting lineup for Game 5?

Tristan Thompson has done his job as the Cavaliers starting center, but for the sake of adjustments against a particular team in a tied Eastern Conference Finals match up, should he continue to be for this series?

Bismack Biyombo has looked better than some might have expected and has been a key to the Toronto Raptors’ resurgence in the Eastern Conference with his rebounding, confidence, and overall defensive ability. The Cleveland Cavaliers have seen just how good he is and can’t underestimate his ability to impact a game. As the athletic rebounder guards Thompson in the paint he’s allowed to cover a shorter area of space to contain the rim or crash the glass, when he’s a bit far away he can recover. When he’s on the perimeter he makes impact plays against shorter players and similar sized players with his great mobility and

As the athletic rebounder guards Thompson in the paint he’s allowed to cover a shorter area of space to contain the rim or crash the glass, when he’s a bit far away he can recover. When he’s on the perimeter he makes impact plays against shorter players and similar sized players with his great mobility and 7’6″ wingspan.

If he was further away from the rim he couldn’t clog the paint as much or be so unconcerned with his opposing center. Exacerbating the lack of space is Thompson’s lack of post moves, allowing Biyombo to focus on the others because his man isn’t an offensive threat. There has to be a solution on the Cavs balanced roster right?

May 6, 2016; Atlanta, GA, USA; The Cleveland Cavaliers bench reacts with forward Channing Frye (9) after a basket against the Atlanta Hawks during the second half in game three of the second round of the NBA Playoffs at Philips Arena. The Cavaliers defeated the Hawks 121-108. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports /

While David Griffin and Channing Frye were with the Suns, Frye started 246 out of 304 possible games in the regular season. 41 as the teams starting center, the year he posted his second highest career PER of 15.0, which is quoted as average but is higher than the regular season PERs of every player outside of the Big Three and Thompson of his current Cavaliers team. This postseason, Channing Frye’s PER of 24.9 is defined as average but is only being bested by LeBron’s PER of 28.1 in their regular rotation of players. Per 100 possessions, Channing Frye has the highest offensive rating of any offensive player in this series with 161 points per 100 possessions. Many of those possessions have been alongside LeBron, who is scoring 134 points per 100 possessions. For the Cavaliers, he’s again primarily playing center like his for the Phoenix Suns. He could be the Cavaliers counter to Biyombo by being the team’s starting center.

Frye has better moves in the post than Thompson though he’s better known as a perimeter threat. Another part of his game that doesn’t get enough attention is how he looks to make an assist. The offensive talents of Frye force Biyombo to watch the perimeter and the rim to the point where it stretches him to the limits of his physical ability on every play. No matter who he switches onto from the starting lineup all members of the starting five show a penchant for making the assist or scoring themselves. In addition, for as much as the Cavaliers shoot the three they also might as well get their most consistent shooter out there.

Defensively, Frye is more intuitive in his awareness and purposeful in his awareness than Love and the most athletic big they have after Thompson. Though not necessarily athletic he generally moves well for his side and better than Kevin Love. When the Raptors attack he won’t be intimidating as rim protector but with his long arms and by playing smart angles his can deter shots from being taken by the rim. In the pick and roll, he moves his feet well. On the perimeter, his length allows him to contest shots though he’s not as fleet-footed as Thompson. However, with the way the Cavaliers trap the ball up top, Frye will often be in position to use his length to make a play on a pass or help bottle up the ball handler and allow the others to intercept the eventual pass. This is what we’ve seen LeBron have to do in the Cavaliers defense. For a player like LeBron, having him play to trap often takes him out of the rest of the defensive sequence should the pass be made, and that’s a reason the Raps have been so effective inside. The Cavaliers best rim protector is LeBron, and he’s often 30 feet away from the rim.

As far as defensive rebounding Frye boxes out Biyombo well specifically. Offensive rebounding is where things are interesting because the average shot distance will lengthen with the switch to Frye from Thompson. This could take Biyombo out of his game some. The switch could also be beneficial for Thompson’s scoring, screening, and rebounding by putting him in a different situation to make impact plays in those areas. The emotions and the scoring binges matter in this series and Thompson will energize the Cavaliers off the bench and turn the same plays that have been unimpactful in the starting lineup to impact plays. Simply by playing with the second unit that includes the other defensive stalwarts like Iman Shumpert and his favorite quarterback in Matthew Dellavedova against the Raptors’ second unit, his play could inspire his team. The bench, including Richard “Benjamin Button” Jefferson, who is older than you could tell from his athletic and energetic playing style, could make all the difference at home.

Frye, in summary, would move the ball, space the floor, and make it harder for Biyombo to rebound and protect the rim. Frye would also play purposeful team defense and smart individual defense on a player in Biyombo who lacks post moves. Lastly, Frye would box out Biyombo consistently and he would provide Thompson a different but familiar opportunity; to impact the game from off the bench.

According to Josh Lewenberg of TSN, when asked if he fears LeBron, Biyombo replied “I always joke with Kyle, I’m afraid of lions”.

While a member of the Heat in Miami, Nike made LeBron’s first tattoo, that of a lion, the logo of his brand. LeBron, who says this is the best he’s physically felt since he was in his 20s due to a high-tech training and rehabilitation regimen, needs to play as beastly now as he did then. At the Miami Heat’s best, they started a power forward and center who could both space the floor. Shane Battier, Udonis Haslem, and Chris Bosh were the usual frontcourt trio that provided those opportunities. The player who usually played center was Chris Bosh. Frye, like Bosh, is lengthy, smart, can defend the pick and roll well, closes out hard on the shooter, and shoots like a Marine sniper himself.

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Frye starting gives the Cavs their best chance to win. With more space for James, Irving, and the rest of the Cavaliers they can attack the rim more, keeping the team balanced in terms of who scores where. If he takes the three, then a player like LeBron or Kevin Love can take a couple less. If Biyombo meets them at the rim, better it just be him alone than with multiple defenders. If it is Biyombo and especially him plus another defender, the man he left behind the arc to protect the rim is a sharpshooter from three. This seems like an all-around win for the Cavaliers much like replacing Timofey Mozgov with Tristan Thompson at the end of the regular season seemed like an all-around win. Though Thompson shouldn’t lose too much playing time, I don’t see the point in letting Biyombo stay in his groove early or often.

Does Tyronn Lue need to make a change to the Cavaliers starting lineup?

He may already be alluding to it.