In a Playoff series defined by gritty, physical games and standout role player performances, the Cleveland Cavaliers found an unlikely hero in game five to take a momentum-stealing 3-2 series lead.
Veteran point guard Dennis Schröder had struggled to find his groove since joining Cleveland at the trade deadline. The Cavs acquired Schröder from the Sacramento Kings alongside Keon Ellis in exchange for De'Andre Hunter. In 30 games with Cleveland during the regular season, Schröder averaged 8.2 points and 4.3 assists while shooting an abysmal 29 percent on three-pointers.
Needless to say, his Cavs tenure was an underwhelming experience to start. When the Playoffs arose, Schröder's standing as Cleveland's only reliable backup point guard pushed head coach Kenny Atkinson to keep him in the rotation, trusting that the battle-tested veteran would figure it out.
Through four games, Schröder got worse. He averaged 4.5 points on horrible efficiency and averaged just as many turnovers as he did assists. It got to the point that Aktinson's willingness to keep Dennis in the second unit seemed like coaching malfeasance.
Enter game five, specifically quarter four. Donovan Mitchell was inconsistent, putting on a roller coaster performance. James Harden was hitting clutch shots, but whenever Cleveland got momentum, another vintage Harden turnover lobbed the Toronto Raptors an easy run back to a respectable lead.
Dennis Schröder just vindicated the Cavaliers' faith in him
Schröder was seemingly unstoppable all night, but his fourth-quarter heroics may have just stolen the entire series. In the first half, Schröder collected six points on 2-of-3 from deep in just five minutes played. His short burst of offensive assistance was enough to keep the Cavs alive.
In the fourth quarter, Schröder tallied 11 points, two assists and showed the blueprint to beat the Raptors in game six. He shot just 1-of-3 from three in the fourth, but his constant dribble penetration got defenders on his hip, allowing him to scoop the ball high off the backboard into the hoop. He attacked every Raptor, using the interior presence of Evan Mobley or Jarrett Allen to force defenders to hesitate fully committing to stopping him.
Neither of the Cavs' star guards connected on a field goal in the final period, going a collective 0-for-5 between Mitchell and Harden. Mobley and Jaylon Tyson were Schröder's supporting cast, adding nine total points to his efforts.
When the Cavaliers couldn't find consistent offensive production anywhere, Schröder carried the burden and reminded the league why he was worth the trade. Initially, the discourse surrounding the trade only mentioned Ellis, viewing the Schröder addition as a salary filler. In game five, Schröder saved the day while Ellis watched from the sideline. The young wing is still a promising piece, but Schroder's decade-plus experience shined with his basketball IQ and poise.
Schröder masterfully controlled the pace of every possessions in the final minutes. His pesky defense dared referees to call a foul and forced just enough pressure to keep Toronto out of their rhythm.
The more that the Cavaliers can activate role players, the better their opportunities to win game six and the follow series will be. Harden and Mitchell are some of the best guards a team can employ in the postseason, but without other creators impacting the game, they can only carry a team so far. Schröder could potentially be the connective tissue the Cavs need for the deep Playoff run they so desperately want.
Add us as a preferred source on Google