Cleveland Cavaliers: 5 adjustments for Game 2 of 2017 NBA Finals
5. Unearth Channing Frye
You know what they say about desperate times.
Channing Frye‘s playing time has decreased the further Cleveland has advanced in the postseason. In Game 1 Thursday night, he was a DNP-CD. For a team whose offense is probably its best defense, it might be time to make some drastic lineup changes and call Frye’s number.
You remember him, right? The guy who averaged 9.1 points in 18.9 minutes per game during the regular season and shot 40.9 percent from three-point range?
To be fair, the concerns about his defense are warranted. Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love are badly needed for their offense, but they’re massive defensive liabilities. The same goes for Frye, except without the potential to erupt for 20-40 points on any given night.
Reminder that the Cavs had a LeBron, Korver, RJ, D-Will, Frye lineup with a +40(!!) Net Rating over 7+ games. Small, shelved by injury. https://t.co/6LhvORzJ9X
— FearTheSword (@FearTheSword) June 1, 2017
That being said, his three-point shooting would be a much-needed boon for a team that went 11-for-31 from deep in Game 1.
The Cavaliers’ offense becomes another animal when it surrounds LeBron with four shooters, and that might have to be the approach moving forward. Golden State can respond better than anyone by going small, but the rotation in Game 1 clearly wasn’t getting it done.
Frye would be yet another defensive liability, but Cleveland’s best defense might be a strong offense at this point. With the team’s other sharpshooters failing to step up in the series opener, a lineup change — hell, let’s not rule Derrick Williams out at this point — might inject some life into the Cavs’ long range attack.