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Who Have Been The Biggest X-Factors For The Cleveland Cavaliers In The Playoffs?

By Quenton S. Albertie

Apr 17, 2017; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Tyronn Lue calls out a play during the first half in game two of the first round of the 2017 NBA Playoffs at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 17, 2017; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Tyronn Lue calls out a play during the first half in game two of the first round of the 2017 NBA Playoffs at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports /
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Apr 17, 2017; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers center Tristan Thompson (13) and guard Iman Shumpert (4) react to a call as Indiana Pacers forward Paul George (13) complains from the floor during the second half in game two of the first round of the 2017 NBA Playoffs at Quicken Loans Arena. The Cavs won 117-111. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 17, 2017; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers center Tristan Thompson (13) and guard Iman Shumpert (4) react to a call as Indiana Pacers forward Paul George (13) complains from the floor during the second half in game two of the first round of the 2017 NBA Playoffs at Quicken Loans Arena. The Cavs won 117-111. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports /

Iman Shumpert

I’ll be the first to say that during the last trimester of the regular season I was thoroughly displeased with Iman Shumpert’s play on both ends of the court.

Part of it was due to a personal irritation that DeAndre Liggins went from being a tour de force on the defensive end to a paperweight on the bench in the blink of an eye and Shumpert took his place in the rotation. Part of it was due to Shumpert seeming like he was trying too hard to look good on the court.

He would be so intent on stopping his primary assignment from scoring he wouldn’t be on time during rotations or he would fall asleep on backdoor cuts watching someone else’s man. He would senselessly spin around screens. On offense, his three-point shot wasn’t falling anymore. Based on his benching in Game 1, I’m not the only one who lost confidence in him.

He was a surprisingly good facilitator and before the acquisition of Deron Williams, I felt like he should get more of a run as the backup point guard. However, in these playoffs, he’s shown me what he’s best as. A glue guy.

A glue guy is a player who doesn’t need to take a shot to be effective on offense but will take the right shot and make the right pass. On defense, a glue guy will do whatever his coach tells him to. If it’s guarding the best player or guarding the quickest player, he’ll do it. He’ll hustle, he’ll show passion and provide boosts to the team’s energy. He’ll come in for an injured player and provide a spark. That’s what Shumpert is best at.

In the playoffs, the Cleveland Cavaliers defense has been better with him focusing on that end of the ball and letting the offense go through other players.

The offense has been better with him choosing to move the ball or around or attack the paint rather than be a catch-and-shoot player (which the Cleveland Cavaliers have enough of between J.R. Smith, Kevin Love, Channing Frye and Kyle Korver).

Shumpert now takes 1.7 three-point attempts per game in the playoffs, literally half of the 3.4 three-point attempts per game he was taking in the regular season. He’s averaging 2.7 points and 0.0 assists per game in the playoffs after averaging 7.5 points and 1.4 assists per game in the regular season.