Cavs starting lineup set outside small forward spot
CLEVELAND — Four of the Cavs’ five spots in the starting lineup are set in stone, as Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland, Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley represent the franchise’s long-term cornerstones.
But the question of who joins them in the starting lineup is one that has undergone a few changes, as injuries and a search for the best fit within the rotation has led to some fluidity.
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Injuries aside, Caris LeVert was up first, but he was moved to the bench to better take advantage of his skillset and to allow him to have the ball in his hands when he’s on the floor. LeVert will still often finish games with the rest of the starting lineup, but the Cavs liked allowing him to run with the second group, which also meant he could play the 2 instead of the 3, which is where he’s most comfortable.
That bumped Lamar Stevens into the starting lineup as a more defensive minded option who didn’t need to be as much of an offensive focus behind Mitchell, Garland, Mobley and Allen. But a knee injury has forced Stevens to the sidelines the last few games, leading to Isaac Okoro seeing a major bump in playing time as well as a ticket to the starting lineup.
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In the three games as a starter entering Friday night, Okoro saw at least 25 minutes a game while averaging 10 points per game, including at least three assists in the last two. While he has generally struggled shooting on the offensive end, Cavs coach J.B. Bickerstaff does think the more consistent playing time has had a benefit. At times, injuries to a starter can have a small silver lining of allowing someone off the bench to find more of a rhythm. Bickerstaff thinks that’s the case with Okoro, who can have an impact within the Cavs’ offensive sets either without the ball or slashing to the hoop.
“I think this is the best we’ve seen of him and I understand, too, that that’s on me because a lot of that comes with his minutes and being on the floor, because that’s the kind of player he is,” Bickerstaff said. “The longer he’s on the floor, the more good things happen, and the more impactful he can be. So we’ve just got to continue to find a way for him. But he’s defended well, he helps us get out in transition and finish in the open floor, he’s rebounding, he’s sharing the ball. So there’s a lot of things he’s doing that’s been helpful.”
Whether it’s Okoro or Stevens, whoever joins the cornerstone four players in the starting lineup won’t be the focal point on the offensive end. But the Cavs also don’t want to entirely sell out with that spot, in that whoever plays 3 just needs to be impactful enough, in some way, to garner at least a little attention.
“He needs to be able to give those threats room, but then also be accounted for offensively so that guys have to guard him,” Bickerstaff said of Stevens earlier this season. “This is one of the things that — Lamar should be the all-time leading scorer at Penn State, right? I think he’s like seven points shy and they cut the season off because of COVID. You don’t lead a Power 5 Conference school in scoring if you don’t know how to play offense. … So his job is to find his spots around his teammates.”
For Okoro, who often makes his presence felt in other ways if his shot isn’t falling, the Cavs’ hope is he can be enough of a threat from the corner to provide some spacing issues for opposing defenses. Okoro and Stevens’ defense is the first priority. Offensively, the Cavs have continued to try to find the right fit to maximize the starting lineup’s potential.
“Well, I mean, it obviously helps your spacing,” Bickerstaff said of Okoro when he does hit some 3s from the corner. “But Isaac’s a really good basketball player. And I think we’ve asked him to be in a specific role, but Isaac is good with the ball in his hands. He’s good at attacking close outs. He’s a really good passer. I think it’s just he’s accepted a role for the greater good of the team, where the ball is not in his hands as much, obviously because of the guys that we have around him.”
Ryan Lewis can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter at @ByRyanLewis.
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