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Cleveland Cavaliers: Larry Nance Jr.’s success is no fluke

By Nathan Beighle

MEMPHIS, TN - FEBRUARY 23: Larry Nance Jr. #24 of the Cleveland Cavaliers high fives Rodney Hood #1 of the Cleveland Cavaliers during the game against the Memphis Grizzlies on February 23, 2018 at FedExForum in Memphis, Tennessee. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images)
MEMPHIS, TN - FEBRUARY 23: Larry Nance Jr. #24 of the Cleveland Cavaliers high fives Rodney Hood #1 of the Cleveland Cavaliers during the game against the Memphis Grizzlies on February 23, 2018 at FedExForum in Memphis, Tennessee. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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The Cleveland Cavaliers needed someone to step in and give them productive minutes at center. Larry Nance Jr. has done exactly that, and it’s not a fluke.

Seemingly a throw in to a deal made in order to clear cap space, the Cleveland Cavaliers may have opened up a new door for Larry Nance Jr. The 25-year-old has found success in Cleveland that seems unmatched by the other three Cavalier additions.

Nance Jr. played his twelfth game as a Cavalier last night, playing against his former team the Los Angeles Lakers. The 6-foot-9 center has scored double figures in nine of first twelve games with the team.

Nance was the backup center for Cleveland until Tristan Thompson, the Cavs longtime starting center, went down with a right ankle sprain. Nance has been everything that the Cavaliers wish they could get from Thompson. Thompson, who has yet to develop any type of steady offensive game, has scored double figures in just eight games this season, playing in 42.

In his first start, Nance put up a phenomenal 22 points and 15 rebounds on 9-for-15 from the field. Nance Jr.’s 20+ point game was the first by a Cavs tradition center this season, excluding the games in which Kevin Love, who plays more like a power forward, has scored 20+.

In his most recent outing, Nance, who, in one play, got the ball at the elbow and dished it to Korver for a three, has proven he can be a trusted passer offensively.

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Albeit still not a volume passer, Nance has averaged 1.5 assists per game, which, while not an eye-popping number, is more than Thompson’s 0.6. Since his arrival in Cleveland, Nance Jr. has a team-best 5.33 assists-to-turnover ratio.

Nance Jr.’s passing is an additional, yet underrated, aspect of his game; however, his rebounding and low-post scoring is where Nance Jr. has shown his efficiency. Nance Jr. has four double-doubles in his twelve games in Cleveland, playing 25+ minutes in seven of them. He did three of these double-doubles in back-to-back games once given the starting role.

If he keeps it up, his 8.5 rebounds per game in Cleveland would make 7.1 rebounds per game (season average) go down as the best in his three-year career. With 2.6 offensive rebounds per game, Nance Jr. is also the Cavs best player on the offensive glass.

Scoring-wise, it gets even better. Nance Jr. has a 64.2% true shooting percentage which tops Kyle Korver’s. True shooting percentage is a stat that also adds more value to three-point. Nance Jr. leading the team speaks volume to his efficiency since arriving in Cleveland.

However, he isn’t just efficient because he doesn’t shoot often like many players in the NBA. Nance has averaged a career-high 8.0 field goal attempts and is shooting a career-high 61.4%. While his time in Cleveland has been a small sample size, there’s no reason to think his success will drop off anytime soon, especially given the way he plays the game.

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Larry Nance Jr. might not be the future face of the Cleveland Cavaliers, but he could certainly be putting up these type of numbers for quite some time. For a rotational player like Nance, that’s all you ask for.