3 potential closing lineups the Cavs could deploy in rest of season

The Cleveland Cavaliers have had their moments this season, and there’s plenty for fans to be excited about still for what should be to come for the Wine and Gold. This team is still a largely young group, so there’s still areas where they have to improve.

Cleveland is in the thick of things in the Eastern Conference in the fifth seed at 31-22, but the East is loaded, and the Cavaliers do have to clean some things up. In the past month, the Wine and Gold did have some quality games, in fairness, and the Cavs have still shown they can compete with the best in the NBA, and can comeback if they need to.

Nonetheless, this still is a team that is learning how to win and how to close, such as with their issues in the Cavs’ last 100-97 loss against the Miami Heat on Tuesday in mind. The same could be said in Cleveland’s loss 105-103 loss at the New York Knicks last Tuesday as well, and in some other instances last month, particularly on the road, where Cleveland has to shore up their inconsistencies.

So with that said, let’s take a closer look at three closing lineups the Cavs could deploy to aid them in closing stretches.

The first is a group that could feasibly be Cleveland’s starting lineup.

No. 1: Darius Garland-Donovan Mitchell-Dean Wade-Evan Mobley-Jarrett Allen

This lineup features the young core for the Cavaliers, and Cleveland’s four best players, with Dean Wade being inserted at the 3 as a three-and-D presence.

The shot creation and playmaking of Darius Garland and Donovan Mitchell will again take foothold here, with a volume roller in Allen at the 5, and Mobley serves as an additional creator/the third option, as he often is throughout contests.

If Evan Mobley has it rolling, as he has a bunch lately, the Cavaliers could feed him more if the matchups call for that, and between him and Allen, the Cavs play through their bigs here and there in these late stages. That could aid Wade on the weak side wing, for example, or periodically, with Mitchell’s shooting gravity, Cleveland could manufacture cutting opportunities for him off-ball, where Mobley or Allen could feed him.

Other options here could also consist of Garland-Allen/Mobley pick-and-roll play leading to possible off-ball two-man screening games involving Mitchell and Wade, leading to deep looks, or the Cavs could isolate Mobley in the mid-post. There, his decision-making has improved as the year has progressed, and he can make a variety of passes with his length and elite feel for a 21-year-old.

When examining the defensive outlook here, the Wade-Mobley-Allen trio are a versatile group, and all three have the length and IQ to apply pressure in passing lanes, and with them as the primary rotators, that could aid in deterring penetration.

Plus, with Wade and Mobley as defensive forwards and being switchable, mixed in with Garland and Mitchell having the requisite off-ball intuition, and Allen’s activity in the paint, this could be a group that can generate some crucial run-out opportunities from turnovers forced. And all of this fivesome are viable transition players, with Mobley and Allen being rim runners, and Wade being an avid cutter in those scenarios, and a capable trailer.