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Cleveland Cavaliers: 3 adjustments for Game 2 vs. Warriors

By Simon Smith

CLEVELAND, OH - May 31: LeBron James #23 of the Cleveland Cavaliers on the team bus before Game One of the 2018 NBA Finals against the Golden State Warriors on May 31, 2018 at ORACLE Arena in Oakland, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images)
CLEVELAND, OH - May 31: LeBron James #23 of the Cleveland Cavaliers on the team bus before Game One of the 2018 NBA Finals against the Golden State Warriors on May 31, 2018 at ORACLE Arena in Oakland, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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(Photo by David Dow/NBAE via Getty Images)
(Photo by David Dow/NBAE via Getty Images) /

1. More Kyle Korver

On the flip side, at times this postseason, Kyle Korver has been seemingly underutilized.

In these playoffs, the 37-year-old sharpshooter has been his ever-reliable self, shooting at a 44.6 percent clip from long range in averaging 9.4 points in 24.0 minutes per game. In Game 1, Korver played just 16 minutes while scoring just three points on 1-of-3 shooting from the field.

As a result, the Cavaliers are now 3-6 in the postseason when Korver plays 23 minutes or less. In contrast, when Korver has played 25 minutes or more, the Cavaliers are 9-1.

At his age, the natural inclination is that Korver is going to be exposed at the defensive end of the floor when considering the amount of high-end offensive talent at the Warriors’ disposal. However, the numbers don’t back this up, with the Cavaliers being 12.3 points per 100 possessions better off in the postseason with Korver on the floor, including 5.9 points per 100 possessions better on the defensive end.

While he scored just three points in Game 1, it’s no accident that Korver was team-high +12 while on the floor. With the attention that he draws from the opposition, Korver can only assist the Cavaliers moving forward, as Kevin O’Conner of The Ringer tweeted during Game 1:

Considering J.R. Smith’s complete inconsistency over the postseason, and the aforementioned lack of production from Clarkson, finding extra minutes for the former All-Star should not only be possible, but a priority.

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While the Warriors’ lineups will certainly be an influencing factor, Korver’s elite abilities from long distance should be utilized to their maximum capacity.

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