[bobsandersParticipant]

 Long story short, are these cavs going to be able to play the kind of hyper-aggressive trapping defense Miami has been playing, or will they have to turn to some other wrinkle to compensate for a dearth of rim protection and wing stoppers on their roster? As it currently stands I find it hard to see them competing with teams like the Spurs and Thunder, who are elite at both ends of the floor.

[ExumInfernoParticipant]

 If Marion and a large center arrive, they have no problems.

Irving and Waiters don’t stop people, Love rebounds but can’t block shots, LeBron needs to avoid using his energy on the defensive end, Varejao is active but maybe undersized, Haywood is large but slow.  Maybe they should just try to outscore the opposition, just run and score and don’t worry about defending.

Hawes and Bynum did block some shots last year, while Zeller was a tall body too, so defending on the perimeter and blocking shots at the rim are two places where the Cavs may not be great.

Waiters and Irving may be inspired to pressure the ball, they will have more energy to use with James and Love being the big parts of the offense.  Varejao will help with trapping, and switching on pick-and-rolls.  

An interesting question, maybe free agents are the answer.  Marion would be great, while cheap players like E Okafor, R Brewer, Stiemsma or even Camby might be useful for small bench minutes.  E Udoh would seem to be a great fit for a team with lots of scorers, that needs some blocks.

 

 

 

 

[ExumInfernoParticipant]

 If Marion and a large center arrive, they have no problems.

Irving and Waiters don’t stop people, Love rebounds but can’t block shots, LeBron needs to avoid using his energy on the defensive end, Varejao is active but maybe undersized, Haywood is large but slow.  Maybe they should just try to outscore the opposition, just run and score and don’t worry about defending.

Hawes and Bynum did block some shots last year, while Zeller was a tall body too, so defending on the perimeter and blocking shots at the rim are two places where the Cavs may not be great.

Waiters and Irving may be inspired to pressure the ball, they will have more energy to use with James and Love being the big parts of the offense.  Varejao will help with trapping, and switching on pick-and-rolls.  

An interesting question, maybe free agents are the answer.  Marion would be great, while cheap players like E Okafor, R Brewer, Stiemsma or even Camby might be useful for small bench minutes.  E Udoh would seem to be a great fit for a team with lots of scorers, that needs some blocks.

 

 

 

 

[littleteapotParticipant]

I can’t imagine they would. I think last year was the first time Lebron started to slow down and you could see on defense he was still an awesome individual and pnr defender (I’m assuming because no one put him in pnr), but he could just charge across half the floor on the weakside any more.

Also, I don’t think the Cav’s have any other guys who can make it work. You really need the Chris Bosh-esque mobile big to make it work IMO.

I honestly think they’re just gonna sink back and not give up easy buckets a la San Antonio. I think it’ll be tough to really do a lot of hard shows and rotate/recover. It also allows them to keep all the offensive players on the floor, because I think Blatt looks at this team and thinks motion offense and push it in transition to try to win a shootout.

[littleteapotParticipant]

I can’t imagine they would. I think last year was the first time Lebron started to slow down and you could see on defense he was still an awesome individual and pnr defender (I’m assuming because no one put him in pnr), but he could just charge across half the floor on the weakside any more.

Also, I don’t think the Cav’s have any other guys who can make it work. You really need the Chris Bosh-esque mobile big to make it work IMO.

I honestly think they’re just gonna sink back and not give up easy buckets a la San Antonio. I think it’ll be tough to really do a lot of hard shows and rotate/recover. It also allows them to keep all the offensive players on the floor, because I think Blatt looks at this team and thinks motion offense and push it in transition to try to win a shootout.

[Magic JordanParticipant]

 Matador

[Magic JordanParticipant]

 Matador

[joecheck88Participant]

 Their defense will be scoring so they can get back and set up. Have Lebron guard the best wing player and hope Andy and Love take charges. 

[joecheck88Participant]

 Their defense will be scoring so they can get back and set up. Have Lebron guard the best wing player and hope Andy and Love take charges. 

[HitsterParticipant]

 Will they try a Miami type system I wonder with LBJ playing more as a PF with K-Love as a Bosh type C on occasion I wonder. If Vajerao stays fit and they make use Thompson plus they have Haywood as a big body to bring in. K-Love and LBJ should play 35mpg plus so the Cavs maybe have to find 70 to 75 minutes across SF to C. With Vajaero, Thompson, Haywood and Miller already in situ and if they get Shawn Marion in as seems likely it will surely give them the required depth across SF to C around LBJ and K-Love.

I’ll be interested to see if Ray Allen fancies one more run as he would be an excellent person to assit with Waiters development.

 

 

 

 

 

[HitsterParticipant]

 Will they try a Miami type system I wonder with LBJ playing more as a PF with K-Love as a Bosh type C on occasion I wonder. If Vajerao stays fit and they make use Thompson plus they have Haywood as a big body to bring in. K-Love and LBJ should play 35mpg plus so the Cavs maybe have to find 70 to 75 minutes across SF to C. With Vajaero, Thompson, Haywood and Miller already in situ and if they get Shawn Marion in as seems likely it will surely give them the required depth across SF to C around LBJ and K-Love.

I’ll be interested to see if Ray Allen fancies one more run as he would be an excellent person to assit with Waiters development.

 

 

 

 

 

[Author]

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