2016 NBA Finals Preview: Warriors vs. Cavaliers

Center

Andrew Bogut (GSW) vs. Tristan Thompson (CLE)

As mentioned in the last slide, the Cavs would be wise to play Love at center and switch Tristan Thompson onto Draymond Green. Not only would that put their better defender on one of Golden State’s deadliest playmakers, but it’d also allow the Cavs to hide Love on a less threatening offensive player like Andrew Bogut for as long as Kerr leaves him in.

In any case, Thompson has long been Cleveland’s small-ball 5, and that will only change if Frye becomes the necessary alternative.

This is one area the the Cavs will actually have an advantage, since Bogut is no longer as important to the Warriors on either end of the floor. The Dubs will want him to pull down rebounds and keep Thompson off the glass while he’s in there, but for a player who’s only reached the 30-minute threshold once in these playoffs, his impact may be limited.

Don’t forget, in last year’s Finals Bogut played a grand total of three minutes over the series’ final three games — all Warriors wins.

Having a rebounder like Bogut to keep Thompson — who is averaging 4.2 offensive rebounds per game in the playoffs — is helpful, but spreading the Cavs’ defense apart on the other end with the Lineup of Death has proven to be effective in the past.

By default, Thompson gets the nod here, especially against a Warriors team that bled offensive rebounds against the Thunder in the last round. That being said, that was the NBA’s top rebounding team, which should have prepared them well for Thompson’s presence on the offensive glass.

Bogut may once again be relegated to bench duty in the Finals, so the advantage at center is in Thompson’s favor…until the moment Kerr rolls out the Lineup of Death again, since Cleveland’s bigs are nowhere near as well suited to contain Curry and Thompson on the perimeter the way that OKC’s big men did.

Advantage: Cleveland Cavaliers

Next: Bench Matchup