As the playoffs quickly approach, now is the time for teams to figure out their rotation. While figuring it out, teams must also think about which lineups best matchup against specific opponents. For the Cleveland Cavaliers, it is important for them to decide which lineups work best for them when playing against bigger teams, smaller teams, and teams they can spread out and shoot the lights out against. Let’s take a look at the best playoff lineups for the Cavs.
1) Big lineup
The Cavs have been preparing all year for what could be an NBA Finals rematch against the Golden State Warriors by worrying about a small ball lineup. But, they should not get ahead of themselves. They still need to defeat their Eastern Conference foes and to do that, they will need to have an effective big lineup. If the Cavs need to go super big against a team like maybe Chicago or Detroit in the playoffs, they could effectively use a lineup that consists of LeBron at the point, JR Smith, Richard Jefferson, Kevin Love/Tristan Thompson, and Timofey Mozgov. This is their most effective big lineup because they have a six foot 9 inch LeBron James playing point guard which is a huge advantage. LeBron has the ability to guard any position even good scoring point guards. The Detroit Pistons have arguably the best rebounder in the NBA in Andre Drummond and if the Cavs are going to match his intensity on the boards, they could use this lineup. If the Bulls are able to slide into the playoff picture as an 8 seed, the Cavs could end up playing them also. If this happens, the big lineup might prove useful against a Bulls team that has an overabundance of size.
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2) Surround LeBron With Shooters Lineup
The Cavs have the luxury of, LeBron James. Obviously he is an incredible player but he also offers the ability to draw a lot of double teams. Not only that, but when he slashes to the rim he draws a lot of attention which opens up opportunities for shooters around him to knock down shots. This is why a lineup that consists of LeBron surrounded by a bunch of shooters could work well in the playoffs. The lineup would consist of Kyrie Irving, Matthew Dellavedova, LeBron James, JR Smith, and Kevin Love. With these four snipers spotting up around the three point line, LeBron slashing to the rim and using his ability to find the open man could make this lineup lethal, especially if these guys are knocking down their shots. This lineup could also use a different combination that includes either Channing Frye, James Jones, or Richard Jefferson because they all have good 3 point shooting percentages. This lineup could be very effective against a team like Toronto who does not have a specific wing defender to guard LeBron, making their defense vulnerable. There is a chance that Demarre Carroll will be able to defend LeBron but after suffering from an injury, it is uncertain he could do the job effectively.
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3) Three point shooting lineup from the bench
Similar to the last lineup, this one includes the best three point shooters on the Cavs but none of whom are starting. But, this one if based purely off of 3 point percentage and playing time. This lineup would include Matthew Dellavedova, Mo Williams, Richard Jefferson, James Jones, and Channing Frye. Including only bench players gives the Cavs the opportunity to use this lineup when the starters are taking their rest. This would be a useful lineup in just about any matchup. Tyronn Lue could give it a shot to put in all sniper 3 point shooters in order to give the opposing defense a different look and bigger headache.
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4) Best Lineup to Compliment Kevin Love
This lineup will consist of players (other than the Big 3) that would compliment Kevin Love’s game the best. The coaching staff may try to get Love in by himself for a few minutes during the game to let him go to work while LeBron and Kyrie are resting. This lineup would consist of Matthew Dellavedova, Iman Shumpert, JR Smith, Kevin Love, and Channing Frye. The reason this best compliments Love is because none of these players are ball dominant, they are shooters, none of them clog up the lane, and they like to move the ball around the perimeter. This group would give Kevin the opportunity to go to work in the post with minimal helpside defense and allow him to have more touches and take more shots. This lineup would be beneficial against any playoff opponent given that other team’s second unit do not contain a talent like Kevin Love.
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5) Best lineup to compliment Kyrie Irving
Similar to the Love lineup, the Cavs could use this when the other Stars are taking a rest. This would give Kyrie the opportunity to go to work and score. The lineup that would best compliment Kyrie is himself, Iman Shumpert, Richard Jefferson, Tristan Thompson, and Timofey Mozgov. This is because him and Shumpert are close friends and show good synergy on the court, RJ is good at playing off the ball and is always making cuts, and the two big men TT and Mozzy are the two best pick and roll players the Cavs have and have the ability to catch lobs at the rim. Kyrie is going to be a pivotal member of the Cavs playoff run and if the Cavs want to maximize their potential, they should use this lineup to give Irving time to go to work.
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6) Small Ball Lineup
Finally, the most important lineup of all, the small ball lineup. If the Cavs and Warriors both make it back to the NBA Finals this will be the biggest topic of discussion. Who is the Cavs best small ball lineup? A topic that has been argued since the end of last years NBA Finals. If the Cavs want to give themselves the best opportunity to win against the Warriors, their lineup should be Kyrie Irving, Iman Shumpert, JR Smith, LeBron James, and Tristan Thompson. This will prove controversial because of the absence of Kevin Love, but against the Warriors, the Cavs can not continue to hide Love and his defensive deficiencies. Thompson is a more active defender and gives the Cavs a distinct advantage on the boards whenever he is on the court. Although Kyrie is also a poor defender, he will not have to guard Stephen Curry and Iman Shumpert will have the task of shutting down the inevitable MVP. In this lineup the Cavs will have their shutdown wing defender in Shumpert, best scorer in Kyrie Irving, best overall player in LeBron James, a lights out shooter with JR Smith, and an active rim protector, defender, and rebounder in Tristan Thompson. The NBA Finals is all about adjustments and if the Cavs are able to match the Warriors small ball lineup, they will force the hand of Steve Kerr to make a change.
