jbk1234 wrote:JujitsuFlip wrote:JonFromVA wrote:
I think part of the secret to our success has been our ability to keep everyone (in the rotation) engaged and trying to do everything they can do rather than the bare minimum to "cause no harm". In other words, sometimes we'll see the harm, but in exchange we see 5 men playing on a string on both ends of the floor and finding other ways to contribute even when their shot isn't going in.
Garland is still playing his way back in to form and the good news has been that even when his unit falters and gives up a lead, they've been able to counter-punch and build it back.
Regardless, Don has been the ultimate safety blanket of late and that let's us get away with almost anything. It's that kind of consistent excellence which we desperately missed from Mitchell and Garland in the playoffs.
Garland sacrificing stats for the greater good of the team has been huge and was a must because when Jb plays 10 deep, it can't just be the core 4 show.
I want to be clear about what I'm critiquing, I don't believe LeVert over dribbling, driving into a crowded paint, and taking questionable shots every other possession, is better than Garland running the offense. He's still playing as though he should be the primary ball handler when Mitchell sits. He shouldn't be.
This isn't about a ball and player movement offense versus Garland finding the weak spots in the defense (the Cavs would be very foolish to just jettison the latter). LeVert isn't keeping the ball moving.
Yet it is. The ball moves, it gets to LeVert, LeVert knows his job is to attack/create/shoot open shots, so when he sees a chance to do so, he takes it. He feels enabled so he's playing his game.
His game as we know all too well can become inefficient, but my point here is that this isn't anywhere near the same kind of problem as when a player who's only asked to do one thing well fails to deliver.
For instance, Max Strus is currently shooting 33.8% on his 3pters which is right on par with other guys we brought in to shoot but were considered disappointments like Donyell Marshall and Antawn Jamison. But while Max is busy missing more 3's than those guys even attempted, you don't hear the gasps of disgust every time he misses one because that's not the only way he contributes.
Seems like after all the injuries, JBB has stopped trying to fit everyone on his roster in to pre-defined roles. So, if we do run in to a playoff team that manages to frustrate both Mitchell and Garland with their wing defenders/scheme ... Caris is going to be next man up and he should be ready.
I'd like to have CPJ ready to go too, and maybe we will if we end up signing him to a contract. He is right up against the number of games he can be active for the season.
Finally, keeping Garland healthy and on the floor has got to be an imperative. So, just think every time LeVert (or anyone else) drives in to the thick of the defense trying to create a shot that's one less opportunity for DG to get smacked in the eye, jaw, or who knows what's next.