The Cleveland Cavaliers desperately need the old Dennis Schroder back. He was an energy catalyst off the bench when he first arrived in Northeast Ohio, but he's been the opposite for the past couple of months now.
Unfortunately, it was also the case in the Game 1 win over the Toronto Raptors. Despite the lopsided score and the dominant performance, Kenny Atkinson's team wasn't nearly as proficient when he was on the court.
Schroder was only out there for 12 minutes, but he had a box plus-minus of -2 in a 13-point win, and while those numbers don't always tell the whole picture, it was actually a reflection of how he's fared recently.
Dennis Schroder can't be in the Cavs' playoff rotation
The Cavs traded for Schroder, hoping that his extensive playoff experience and offensive skill set would give this team a boost in the second unit. That hasn't been the case thus far, and given the way the roster is constructed, it's perhaps not far-fetched to think he shouldn't play at all right now. Finally, this team has a deep rotation.
Donovan Mitchell isn't a true point guard, but he can handle those responsibilities during brief stretches when James Harden is on the bench. Jaylon Tyson can also create for others, and there's also Craig Porter Jr.
Schroder is a streaky guy. He can get red-hot as quickly as he turns polar cold, and while he might be just a couple of buckets away from finally breaking through again, the Cavs can't afford to have him shoot his way out of a slump in the postseason.
Kenny Atkinson should give him a couple of opportunities to prove that he can make a positive impact when he's on the court. If he doesn't get it together against a somewhat lesser opponent like the Toronto Raptors, it will be time to think about other options.
The Cavs have been through way too much over the past few years. They need to do plenty of heavy lifting to turn the narrative around them about their postseason shortcomings, and this might be this group's final opportunity to do so.
Schroder's vocal leadership can still be a positive addition to this team, but he doesn't necessarily have to be on the court for that. He doesn't like being benched and hasn't always been the most coachable guy, which might be why Atkinson hasn't moved on from him; no one needs that kind of distraction or energy around the team in the playoffs. Still, he's a veteran and should be mature and professional enough to realize when he's not helping the team, and be willing to contribute in different ways.
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