LeBron James and Kyle Korver are the new 1-2 punch for Cleveland

The keys to Korver’s effectiveness

Korver’s ability to spread the floor and be a legitimate distraction for the defense is key. Once Korver hits a couple three-point shots, those defenders are less likely to help when LeBron put his head down and drives. This, in turn, gives James an easier path to the hoop.

Albeit they are two totally different players, but that in a way is what Kyrie Irving used to do for Cleveland. His ability to score the ball left defenders hesitant to leave him to help.

Korver can be instant offense. Even at 37-years-old, he can still nail long-range shots.  In Game 4 Korver began 0-4 from beyond the arc, but fought through his early struggles and came up big in the second half.

His four made three-point shots in the second half kept Cleveland afloat and ultimately helped them even the highly competitive series at 2.

Korver, whose basketball IQ is quite high, knows how to get open and James knows how to find him. It’s not your typical basketball duo, but it works quite often.

In addition, Korver is 13-26 (50 percent) from long distance in the three Cavalier wins, but 0-5 in the two losses.

Translation: Kyle Korver needs to make shots in order for Cleveland as a whole to perform well.