1. Kevin Love will be the starting center
We have been speculating over this one for weeks, but Lue made the official announcement post-game: Kevin Love will be the starting center, and Tristan Thompson will come off the bench.
Last season was the first year that Thompson was a starter for the entire year. Love was in the starting unit for the wine team on Monday night with Derrick Rose, Jae Crowder, Dwyane Wade and J.R. Smith. Given Crowder’s defensive prowess and shooting ability, manufacturing a way to get him into the first unit has been debated ever since the Cavs acquired him in the Kyrie Irving trade.
With Love’s shooting ability, there are obvious benefits to the move.
“Just gives us spacing on the floor,” Lue said. “He’s a great passer, 5s have to try and get out and try to guard him on the pick and roll with LeBron and D-Rose and those guys. Making plays, so it’s going to be tough for those guys. We liked it.”
Other than making the actual decision, it’s clear the hardest part for Lue was having to break the news to Thompson, who for all intents and purposes seems to be taking his new position in stride.
“The biggest thing is, Tristan has been a big part of what we do, I hated having that conversation but it was great,” Lue said. “He was phenomenal, and that’s what it’s all about. He was like ‘Man, whatever you need me to do coach. I’ll just go for sixth man of the year.'”
Wade seconded Lue’s comments about spreading the floor, but also brought up the new defensive options the team has with Crowder starting.
“Kevin Love at the 5 just spreads the floor and puts other 5 men in uncomfortable positions on the defensive end of the floor,” Wade said. “He’s one of the better shooters in this game. And then it also gives Jae Crowder an opportunity to guard other teams’ better defender and gives LeBron James a rest, where he don’t have to guard those guys all game. I think coach is going to play with different lineups all year, and he has the ability to do that with how much talent we have on this roster.”
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