Cleveland Cavaliers: Getting to the foul line will be essential in 2018-19

The Cleveland Cavaliers will be at their best when they are not settling for highly contested perimeter shots and getting to the foul line, which opens up the uncontested perimeter shots.

The Cleveland Cavaliers should place more of an emphasis on driving this season, and with that comes more free throws. Outside of Kevin Love, Cleveland will be getting those chances mostly from its regular rotation two guards in Rodney Hood and David Nwaba, wing Cedi Osman and 2018 eighth overall pick Collin Sexton. Those are the players that will be attacking the paint on a regular basis, with their combination of handle, quickness, athleticism, and cutting acumen.

With the Cavaliers likely not having as many open perimeter shots next season, they’ll need to create space throughout games by driving more often. Last season, the Cavs didn’t need to do that as often to keep defenses honest. They had the second-fewest drives per game, per Second Spectrum’s NBA Tracking Data.

Nonetheless, they had the highest driving points percentage, so they were efficient when they did go to the basket (with LeBron James‘ strength and explosiveness mostly). That threat set up the perimeter game, which was open in most instances for either quick shots or eventual ball-reversals after undisciplined close-outs.

Cleveland had the fourth-highest open three-point field goal frequency, per NBA.com. That’s defined as the nearest defender being between four and six feet away from the shooter. Cleveland responded to that room by making the fifth-most open threes per game in the Association. For a player such as Kyle Korver, Channing Frye or George Hill spotting-up or after they get room from off-ball screens, that’s a lot of room to catch, set your feet and fire it. Jordan Clarkson (and potentially two-way big Billy Preston) could fit into that catch-and-shoot role from the corners, too.

With Osman’s better pick-and-roll game and already established spot-up accuracy, he should get a few trips to the charity stripe every night (especially if he starts), and that would help the Cavs dictate to the opposing defense more. Although Osman struggled mightily at the line (at just 56.5 percent), he has an ever-improving jump shot, and did shoot 36.8 percent from three, which is a good sign for Osman improving his free throw shooting with more volume.

CLEVELAND, OH – MAY 4: Rodney Hood #1 of the Cleveland Cavaliers shoots the ball during practice as his team prepares for Game Three of the NBA Eastern Conference Semi-finals against the Toronto Raptors on May 5, 2018 at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. 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 David Liam Kyle/NBAE via Getty Images /

In the case with Hood and Sexton, their pull-up shots in the midrange area and speed in the open floor and in the halfcourt (in regards to Sexton) will warrant free throws if they are consistently aggressive. Sexton drives inside (even if he’s not particularly efficient early on) will collapse defenses and get whistles. As he’s grows as a passer, he’ll eventually find lobs and corner threes to his teammates out of that play type, and it’ll make him more dangerous as time goes on.

With Nwaba, it’s not as if he’ll be dancing on defenders in isolation and hitting stepbacks. When he attacks, he’ll either be decisive with using post-up moves against less physical guards near the baseline, or he’s getting down the floor with bad intentions in transition.

As we’ve touched on here at KJG, Nwaba is not a great foul shooter (just 65.3 percent for his young career), or shooter other than at the rim in general, but he does get into the paint with his strength and athleticism. A career free throw rate of 48.0 percent demonstrates that ability.

With Love’s shot attempts increasing by likely around three shots per game, and with the spacing he provides, his free throws will come in much higher volume this year, and that will provide stability for a Cleveland offense that could change potentially mid-season if there are trades involving Hill, Smith, Korver or Thompson.

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The Cavs aren’t going to be able to live and die by threes as much in the near future, so getting confidence for their young pieces will often come at the foul line and seeing the ball go through the net there. If they are willing enough to take it into the paint on a regular basis, they’ll be rewarded with more wins.