3 Cavaliers who have earned a larger role in the playoffs

Cavaliers who earned a larger role No.1: Danny Green

The Cavaliers were good enough this season to become an enticing landing spot for veterans on the buyout market, and accordingly, they signed three-time NBA champion Danny Green. It wasn’t obvious what Green would be able to contribute, coming off of a torn ACL in the playoffs last season, and a bout of illness further reduced Green’s chances of seeing the court during the regular season. He played just eight games for the Cavs during the regular season.

It wasn’t clear if Green would be used in the playoffs at all, but it took only until Game 2 for Bickerstaff to toss him onto the court. The need was stark; the Cavaliers didn’t have a forward they trusted, with Dean Wade not looking right after a knee injury earlier in the season and Lamar Stevens such a non-shooter. Could Green’s shooting open up the offense without sacrificing too much on defense?

One game in, the answer thus far is a solid “yes.” Dean Wade and Isaac Okoro went 0-for-5 in limited minutes in the first 51 minutes of the series; Green then came in for 20 minutes and immediately had to be guarded. He went 1-for-2 from deep, with another shot waved off because he stepped on the sideline.

Defensively, the onetime shooting guard was deployed most often as a power forward, and he held his own against Obi Toppin and Julius Randle. He has lost a lot of lateral mobility, which may or may come back as he recovers from the ACL tear, but he has gained enough strength over the course of his career to hold up.

Dean Wade should still be considered for a role in the rotation, but right now Danny Green looks like a must-play option for Bickerstaff. His shooting stroke is incredibly valuable for a frontcourt that lacks shooting, and he knows how to handle the playoff stage from 166 career playoff games. He should be a lock to stick in the rotation moving forward.