If Iman Shumpert Has Taken Richard Jefferson’s Spot In Tyronn Lue’s Playoff Rotation, That’s OK
If Iman Shumpert has taken Richard Jefferson’s spot in Tyronn Lue’s shortened playoff rotation, that’s okay. The Cleveland Cavaliers could use someone with his skillset going forward.
It seems as if Iman Shumpert has taken Richard Jefferson’s spot in the Cleveland Cavaliers playoff rotation and that’s okay. For a team with a rotation that lacked spectacular individual defense on the perimeter from any player not named LeBron James or J.R Smith during the first two games, Shumpert’s ability to put the clamps on players is a breath of fresh air.
The primary reason that it’s fine for Shumpert to usurp Richard Jefferson, specifically, in the rotation is that their games are astonishingly similar.
Both are three-point threats but neither are consistent from three-point range. Both like to drive to the basket in straight line drives and finish above-the-rim if possible. Both try to make the smart pass on offense and play heady defense on the other end.
But the truth is Shumpert is better than Jefferson at all of those areas.
Despite a deep drop-off in his three-point percentage after the All-Star break (40.3 percent compared to 25.3 percent), and a surge in Jefferson’s three-point percentage (28.9 percent compared to 41.5 percent), Shumpert still finished with a higher three-point percentage for the season (36.0 percent compared to 33.3 percent).
Shumpert, the younger and more athletic player, is more explosive in every way than Jefferson (laterally, vertically, straight-line speed). His ability to handle the ball is also better than Jefferson’s, so he’s more of a threat to attack the rim off-the-dribble and succeed.
A combo guard at Georgia Tech and a point guard in his rookie year with the New York Knicks, Shumpert has played the role of a lead guard before and it shows in some of the passes he’s able to complete.
Since April, he’s also made a drastic change in his decision-making on offense. Where he used to be a catch-and-shoot player, he now passes or takes a step inside the arc to shoot.
He’s averaging 1.6 three-point attempts per game in April and 1.7 three-point attempts per game in the playoffs. He averaged 3.4 three-point attempts per game in the regular season.
Considering the drop-off in his three-point percentage, him playing to what are the consistent strengths of his game is a smart move.
Defensively, Shumpert’s youth and athleticism play a part in why he’s the better defender than Jefferson but Shumpert’s height at 6-foot-5 and wingspan of nearly 6-foot-10 gives him the ability to guard three positions well as well. Shumpert plays his man tight, moves his feet well and is intent on stopping his defender from getting a shot off, or the ball if he can help it.
When he’s locked in, he can be one of the best on-ball defenders in the NBA.
The way he played against Paul George, with LeBron James taking the defensive challenge of guarding the opposing team’s best player most of the time, is something that the Cleveland Cavaliers could use more of throughout the playoffs.
Up next for the Cleveland Cavaliers will be either the Milwaukee Bucks or the Toronto Raptors.
Against the Milwaukee Bucks, quite frankly he’s the only player outside of James who’s athletic enough to have a chance of slowing down Giannis Antetokounmpo. With the two having a bit of history from Shumpert’s days with the Knicks, there should be some fire and real intent to lock down the Greek Freak in the halfcourt.
In the fullcourt there’s not much anyone can do against Antetokounmpo but Shumpert is definitely not the type of guy to give the rail thin point-forward a good playoff foul.
If the Cleveland Cavaliers should face the Toronto Raptors, Shumpert will be able to guard both Kyle Lowry, who averaged 20.5 points per game against the Cavs in four meetings this season, and DeMar Derozan, who averaged 29.7 points per game against the Cavs in three meetings this season.
James, who will fare better defending Derozan, wouldn’t have to worry about Kyrie Irving’s ability to defend Lowry all game with Shumpert potentially locking up Lowry for around 10-15 minutes per game.
Whether the Cleveland Cavaliers played the Boston Celtics (Isaiah Thomas), Chicago Bulls (Jimmy Butler), Washington Wizards (John Wall, Bradley Beal) or Atlanta Hawks (Dennis Schroder, Tim Hardaway Jr., Kent Bazemore) in the Eastern Conference Finals, there is a player that the Cleveland Cavaliers would like Shumpert to defend.
In the NBA Finals, the top dogs in the Western Conference are the San Antonio Spurs (Kawhi Leonard), Houston Rockets (James Harden) and the Golden State Warriors (Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry Klay Thompson) and they all have players that Shumpert could slow down.
Quite simply, Shumpert will help no matter who the next opponent is.
The shortened rotation is both an effect of the best players staying on the court longer and a way to simplify what the players roles on the court. Filling in for Jefferson, Shumpert needs only to defend at his absolute best and make the smart play on offense. He doesn’t have to be a catch-and-shoot player anymore, though he can knock down the three-point shot.
In this role, I love Shumpert’s ability to help the Cleveland Cavaliers on their way to another NBA title.
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What do you think of Iman Shumpert being in the playoff rotation instead of Richard Jefferson? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section or Twitter @KJG_NBA.