Until Kevin Love returns for the Cleveland Cavaliers they will need Rodney Hood to step up and become a consistent scorer next to LeBron James.
The Cleveland Cavaliers currently lack a consistent second scorer behind LeBron James with the injury to All-Star Kevin Love.
Once Isaiah Thomas returned to the lineup in January for the Cavaliers, Love’s production took a hit.
Starting on Jan. 2 the day Thomas returned to the Cavaliers lineup against Portland and up until Jan. 28 the game before Love’s injury, Love was not getting the same amount of shots. In that time Love scored just 12.6 points per game on 9.6 shots. Prior to the return of Thomas, Love was playing extremely well for the Cavaliers.
From the start of the season until Jan. 31, Love was averaging 20.2 points on 13.9 shots per game. He was shooting 47.1 percent from the field and 40.9 percent from three. He was able to give them that second scoring threat to go along with James.
But now since the four new additions joined the team the Cavaliers are 3-1 with them in the lineup, including road wins over the Celtics and Thunder.
As for Hood, he is currently coming off the bench for the Cavaliers. In the four games, he is averaging 11.8 points per game on 9.8 shots. Hood is shooting a healthy number of threes for the Cavaliers since he was acquired, and he’s been cashing in on them. He is taking 6 threes per game and hitting them at a 45.8 percent clip.
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It would be nice for Hood to get more shot attempts for the Cavs. Prior to coming to Cleveland, Hood was averaging 16.8 points per game in Utah this season on 14.2 shots a game.
Hood has the ability to make catch-and-shoot jumpers as well as create for himself. Prior to coming to Cleveland, Hood was in the 78 percentile in isolation scoring.
He was also a 39.9 percent three-point shooter on catch and shoot. This variety of scoring should give him the opportunity especially on this team with LeBron James the ability to score often and efficiently.
The Cavaliers are currently employing a ten-man rotation. Hood is getting the fourth most minutes on the team in this four-game start for the Cavaliers, but he is playing just over 23 minutes per game.
The Cavaliers have been better with Hood on the court compared to him off in this stretch. The offense is at 116.1 per 100 possessions with Hood on the court compared to 111.7 with him off. The defense has also been better with 98.0 points per 100 possessions with him on and 104.4 with him off the court.
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The Cavaliers have 24 games left and that should hopefully give James and Hood sometime together to learn to play off each other. Also, Kevin Love should be back sometime in March hopefully.