The Cleveland Cavaliers, now 3rd in the Central Division standings with a 6-7 record, have been dealing with several injuries through the early stages of the 2017-18 NBA season. On Monday night, when they face off against the New York Knicks inside Madison Square Garden, they’ll be without the services of Tristan Thompson (left calf strain), Isaiah Thomas (hip), and Derrick Rose (ankle). That means guys like Jose Calderón and Channing Frye could (finally) see their usage rate increase.
According to a report from Joe Vardon of cleveland.com, several members of the Cavaliers, including Calderón and Frye, were in the gym running sets with the coaching staff early Monday morning.
While there was no clear indication as to whether or not Cavs head coach Tyronn Lue will insert Calderón or Frye into the rotation against the Knicks, it certainly sounds like they’re being primed for in-game action.
Earlier this season, Cavs newcomers Ante Zizic and Cedi Osman went through a similar process in practice, which resulted in playing time for both players.
Calderón, now 36 years of age, was signed by the Cavs during the 2017 offseason. For a number of reasons, his minutes have been limited. In his six appearances this season, the Spanish-born ball-handler has turned in averages of 1.2 points on 43 percent shooting, 0.7 assists, and 0.5 rebounds.
With so many new faces on the team, Frye, 34, saw his role diminish. In fact, at the beginning of the season, coach Lue told Frye that he might not play much at all. However, injuries happen, and Cleveland’s “next man up” mentality is in full effect. In 11 games for the Cavs this season, the former Arizona Wildcats standout has posted averages of 2.9 points on 50 percent shooting from the field and 1.3 rebounds in 6.5 minutes.
Monday night’s game is scheduled to tip at 7:30 p.m. EST with Fox Sports Ohio and the Madison Square Garden Networks having live broadcast coverage. Let’s see if Frye and Calderón are called on.