Cleveland Cavaliers: 5 ways they could use screens this year

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Cleveland Cavaliers Larry Nance Jr. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) /

#3: Screens for cutters

When the opposition is too focused on staying attached to the perimeter shooters, the slip will be opened up for a split second. With Osman and Love’s passing acumen, the Cavs should have some easy buckets in that realm.

Cleveland has a number of rim runners this year, and that starts at the top with Nance and Thompson at the starting or second unit 5, depending on the matchup. We’ve noted that before at KJG, but the movement of those two going toward the basket is essential for Cleveland to cause defenses to react.

If that threat is there throughout games, even if it doesn’t always lead to scores, it can cause defenders to cheat up to take away the momentum of the 5’s or Love/Dekker.

When that’s the case, it could eventually open up the back door cutting element of the offense.

Korver is one of the better cutters in the league still at 37, and a few times per game, he’ll catch the opposition cheating up to get over the top of pin-downs, and go back door. That will still be there, and with Nance’s, Love’s, and Hill’s passing instincts, they’ll take advantage.

Nwaba, as past co-expert Quenton Albertie has explained before, is also an instinctive cutter, and Cleveland should utilize his great timing in the off-ball screen game, too.

At 219 pounds and with a seven-foot wingspan, he has the ability to finish through contact after cuts well, too, which somewhat negates him being a bit undersized as a 6-foot-4 two guard. In transition, you’ll see him get plenty of layups and free throw chances as well.

He and Jordan Clarkson developed some chemistry in Nwaba’s stint with the Los Angeles Lakers near the end of the 2016-17 season, which could bode well for Cleveland. In some lineups with Nance (a huge lob threat) as a cross screener or with Korver faking to curl around Nwaba on the wing, Nwaba could get some lobs of his own from Clarkson like before.

For the next screening method in Cleveland’s arsenal this year, look for plenty of pinch post plays.