Throughout much of the latter part of the season, Cleveland Cavaliers veteran guard Kyle Korver has been dealing with an ailing foot problem. These lingering issues have forced him to miss action in parts of the last couple of weeks.
Korver may be once again dealing with these foot problems as he has been limited to just four minutes in Game 1 of the first-round playoff series against the Indiana Pacers. This has led Jason Lloyd of the Athletic to speculate that the 37-year-old may potentially have something seriously wrong with his foot.
This could quickly become a concerning situation as Korver is a key reserve off the bench. His presence on the floor significantly helps open up the floor for players like LeBron James to get to the rim with more effectiveness. It also gives the team a viable threat from 3-point range that has shown he can have a huge impact on the course of a game.
That said, Korver had been out of the lineup for eight games in the final few weeks of the season that includes seven straight contests because of a bruise on his right foot. His absence creates a large hole off the bench as he has fit quite well in the Cavaliers’ offensive game plan as a legitimate 3-point asset.
Despite playing in a reserve role, Korver has proven that he is still a huge asset with shooting as he is still hitting from beyond the arc at an efficient rate this season shooting 43.6 percent. He has particularly a major asset in the fourth quarter drilling 72 three-pointers this season, which was second-most in the league behind only Miami Heat guard Wayne Ellington. Korver also made a team-high 164 three-pointers, which also ranked third in the NBA in that category with 153 made from beyond the arc for players coming off the bench.
There should be more clarity on his decreased playing time in Game 1 and his availability moving forward in the playoffs with the next game being on Tuesday night.