Lessons the Cavaliers can learn from the 4 NBA Conference Finals teams

Denver Nuggets

Let’s make this apparent. Three. Point. Shooting. Wins. Games.

The Cavs do not have many shooters outside of Garland and Mitchell. How does Denver open up the floor for their shooters? Ball movement. Making the extra pass. Confidence.

The Nuggets and Heat are first and second in three-point shooting at 38.6% and 38.0% in the NBA Playoffs thus far. This is not coming just from last second attempts where Jamal Murray or Nikola Jokic dart a pass to a corner shooter with three seconds left on the shot clock.

Watching the Nuggets play shows fluidity in their offense. Shooters are open because everybody moves with or without the ball in their hands. Players are setting screens for off the ball movement as well as setting up isolation plays.

The Nuggets are set up for success through their frontcourt duo in Jokic and Aaron Gordon in unison with a star-studded backcourt with Jamal Murray. The Cavaliers are built for success through their frontcourt duo of Mobley and Allen next to Garland and Mitchell in the backcourt.

Against the Knicks, the Cavaliers ran their offense through high pick-and-roll actions setting up Garland or Mitchell either to break down defenders in isolation or pass to the post to Mobley or Allen. If those options didn’t work, then they passed it out to Okoro or LeVert and prayed for a panicked three-point shot to go in.

Conversely, Denver plays through each and every member of the roster. Jokic might center himself around the offense by holding the ball with his back to the basket at the top of the key. He watches his teammates set themselves up and launches the ball to the open guy.

That is what the Cavaliers need to become. Mobley might not be Jokic, but he has the developing court vision to run the offense when needed. Trusting Mobley to control the offensive flow allows Garland and Mitchell to utilize their speed and elusive nature to get themselves open for a barrage of three-pointers by two of the league’s best long range shooting guards.

This type of post-oriented playmaking is what vaulted the Golden State Warriors to success for over half a decade, and it can absolutely be what moves the needle for the Cavaliers.