The Cavs have no choice: they must continue to play Jeff Green
The Cleveland Cavaliers have no choice but to play Jeff Green. Here’s why.
Despite all visual evidence to the contrary, LeBron James is slowing down. He does not want you to think that.
Neither do we.
However, the reality is we have enough metrics, data, and other statistical analyses to decide who should play when, where, and how in the rotation.
Now, Tyronn Lue doesn’t always go by the data but if he did, he would know that Jeff Green should get fewer minutes and Kyle Korver should get more. We’ve seen this play out over and over, and the most recent Western Conference Finals game indicated further that teams can survive with limited rotations. So what can the Cleveland Cavaliers do to improve their rotation while also limiting it?
Going Big
I believe that the Cavaliers best rotation features three frontcourt players: Tristan Thompson, Larry Nance, and Kevin Love; three wings: LeBron James, JR Smith, and Kyle Korver; and two point guards: Jordan Clarkson and George Hill. This is an eight-man rotation but does it make sense?
With an aging team that is the oldest in the playoffs, it is important that some of the younger guys, like Clarkson and Nance, get a few minutes per game. That is because Clarkson, Nance and Thompson can offer high energy in limited minutes while maintaining effectiveness.
On the other hand, guys like Korver and Smith are more effective as their minutes increase because they need to get in a groove. So, what’s the problem? Jeff Green.
The Green Problem
Green does not offer the kind of scoring, rebounding or consistency that a championship caliber team needs to win. However, Green can play three positions and he can guard four positions. The question becomes whether Green’s veteran presence and occasional displays of athleticism equate to playing time.
It never made sense for Green to get more than 10-12 minutes a night.
I would rather see those minutes go to a guy like Nance, who provides a real difference off the bench in terms of defense and athletic scoring ability off of alley-oops.
Green is a terrible three-point shooter and he doesn’t pass the ball. Green has some athleticism but it’s limited. He often gets lost on defense.
Size Matters
But what kind of lineup can you run out without Green in the rotation while LeBron sits?
The Smith – Korver – Hill – Love – Thompson lineup can do just fine but what about when Hill sits and Clarkson plays? That lineup has even less facilitation and defense. The Clarkson – Smith – Korver – Love – Thompson/Nance lineup is just too deficient in many ways. It was a bit too small and not athletic enough. This is why Green must play.
Green provides James with a natural backup in terms of size and strength, something that Smith is close to but can’t quite emulate. Besides, Smith thrives with James on the court.
So it does make sense for Green to get some minutes but not a ton.
Lue’s rotation in the last three games of the series against Boston will shine light on whether he’s the kind of coach that is a championship caliber coach or if he’s the kind a coach that rides superstars to championships.
We will see soon enough what kind of coach he really is.