Slide LBJ back to PF and Love to C - Open Lanes again

[retaxis]

IF we look at how Lebron and Love are playing...they are not being fully utilized. At this stage Lebron is driving in multiple situations against 2 bigs (PF/C) with Love looking lost out there. If Lebron played at the PF position and drove by his man there would likely be no C even there as Love will have stretched him to the 3pt line. If the C is there, Love can stroke it and shoot it better than Bosh. Lebron technically should have more open lanes to the basket compared to his Miami Days with Love being a better 3pt shooter than Bosh and Miller/Irving/Waiters being capable shooters.

Primary issue? Love can not defend quality centres and will suffer similarly as Bosh has. Cleveland must double the weak side on big men when they catch the ball inside when Love is playing C.

Ideas? Suggestions? Thoughts?

[Tim_Hardawayy]

In general I agree that LeBron at the 4 is what lead to Miami's success and something Cleveland is lacking right now. However, I don't think Love can do what Bosh did, and that is stick with opposing centers and still help double/trap amazingly well on the pick and roll.

That to me was the whole key to Miami's defense, being able to blow up other teams pick and roll game.

Bosh got pushed around at times, but he was never lost on defense, and he was an amazing help defender. You can't say the same for Love at all. Also Bosh provided at least a small bit of shot blocking presence, he averaged around 1 a game with Miami.

[BKing10]

Why did he drop all that weight again?

[DoubleLintendre]

Love is a bad defender at PF, putting him at C would make an already bad defense THE WORST defense you could possibly have. I mean having Lebron at the 4 is good and all, except for Love is a turnstile that will become a welcome mat if you made him a permanent Center. You could run this lineup for sure for certain matchups or for short periods of time but championship teams are built off of great defense. And great defenses are built around great defensive anchors.

I really think next year will be Cleveland's year if no moves are made right now. Honestly, I think that is acceptable. It takes time to build a championship team. And there are quite a few things that need to be fixed at the moment.

[SlobbaN]

They will be the worst D and Reb team in the league with Love and Bron at C and PF.

[IrishBeatdown]

They will be the worst D and Reb team in the league with Love and Bron at C and PF.

I think that they would rebound better than you think.

I also think they would be worse on defense than you can imagine.

OP is obviously Don Nelson circa 1999.

[SlobbaN]

They will be the worst D and Reb team in the league with Love and Bron at C and PF.

I think that they would rebound better than you think.

I also think they would be worse on defense than you can imagine.

OP is obviously Don Nelson circa 1999.

Varejao is easily an above average rebounder. Also James has lost quite a bit of weight, PFs will bully him in the paint for a board.

[Dez]

Lanes will be open on defense as well and that's a big problem.

[76ersfan]

Less defense with that change. The defense is already bad enough.


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[contract]

I'll ask again ... where did this nonsense about Lebron ever having been a PF start???

I keep hearing this even from people who get paid to watch and comment on NBA games, and I have to wonder what the hell they were watching when Miami was playing?

[reapaman]

As long as Love is the one guarding the guy that's is staying near the paint, they acquire a better defensive SG and put Marion at PF instead of Lebron ..... then I think this would work well. Love is not as bad on defensive when he's near the paint and not moving much, but at PF he's often drawn away from the paint and forced to guard mobile players with a lot of space around him which usually leads to disaster. Plus the less that Love is trying to guard the pick and roll near the top of the key the better.

I think this could work better then people think with the right adjustments.

[Damon_3388]

They could just sign Emeka Okafor already, and have a genuine back-up centre instead of 6'8", 225lb Tristan Thompson being ruined by forever being played out of position and overmatched (just like J.J. Hickson has been throughout his career, including his time in Cleveland). Wouldn't solve everything, but it'd go a long way to helping their defensive woes and providing some more balance to the roster.

[dockingsched]

I'll ask again ... where did this nonsense about Lebron ever having been a PF start???

I keep hearing this even from people who get paid to watch and comment on NBA games, and I have to wonder what the hell they were watching when Miami was playing?

Cause Shane Battier and ray allen were the pf? Call it whatever u want, the heat's three most used Lebron lineups included Battier and Lebron at the forward postions last yr. yr before 8 of the 9 most used Lebron lineups included either Allen or Battier at the other forward position.

[IrishBeatdown]

As long as Love is the one guarding the guy that's is staying near the paint, they acquire a better defensive SG and put Marion at PF instead of Lebron ..... then I think this would work well. Love is not as bad on defensive when he's near the paint and not moving much, but at PF he's often drawn away from the paint and forced to guard mobile players with a lot of space around him which usually leads to disaster. Plus the less that Love is trying to guard the pick and roll near the top of the key the better.

I think this could work better then people think with the right adjustments.

He's a pretty bad defender in the paint as well, bud. In fact, league worst % at the rim last year. He's not very athletic, and not long at all. Doesn't help when you are trying to defend at the rim. You can't even start to play him at C for this reason, which also invalidates this whole thread.

[contract]

I'll ask again ... where did this nonsense about Lebron ever having been a PF start???

I keep hearing this even from people who get paid to watch and comment on NBA games, and I have to wonder what the hell they were watching when Miami was playing?

Cause Shane Battier and ray allen were the pf? Call it whatever u want, the heat's three most used Lebron lineups included Battier and Lebron at the forward postions last yr. yr before 8 of the 9 most used Lebron lineups included either Allen or Battier at the other forward position.

Yes, Shane Battier and Rashard Lewis were our PFs. People seem to have come to the conclusion that Lebron was the 4 simply because he's physically larger than the other forward. The reality is that a stronger case could be made that Lebron was Miami's PG.

[jwise44]

Lanes will be open on defense as well and that's a big problem.

Came in to say this, but in a much snarkier, annoying way

Kudos to you for saying it respectfully

[chuckdevlin]

Varajao is not the right C for the team at all

[nitetrain8603]

They need someone like Samuel Dalembert at C or Larry Sanders. An athletic defensive big who can also run the floor and flush it down. Most importantly, they can't get lost on defense. They also need to change their defensive identity. They can't be a cheat and play the passing lanes type defense like the Heat were, because the Heat's 3 best players could recover in time as well as cover large areas on the floor.

Cleveland would be best suited playing Thibs' defense, using Varejao at C. Overload the strong side, and keep the ball in front of you, because you will eventually make a mistake.

[old rem]

Love's D is just bad. Alas.. Waiters and Irving ain't very good on D. AV is okay but not a shot blocker. They will improve.. but need polishing

[34_fifty]

Didn't realize how terrible tristan is...guess I didn't watch enough cleveland games.