This Cavs Starting Five

[Real Deal]

is the best starting five of any era in Cavaliers basketball. Not only because it involves LeBron James either, but its a well oiled machine. The perfect storm.

If i did everything right these current starters are 23-3!!! 23-3!!! They all have pretty insane per 36 numbers as a unit. ITs amazing how from a day one loss to PHX you'd think they wont turn it around instantly. But they did in prime fashion. From talent, shooting, spacing, defense, ball handling, we are the best starting 5 in the NBA today.

I really think they could push the Bulls 72 win record next year, thats how good this team is when healthy of course and think were going too add more parts and gain a part.

When you watch the Cavs play you'd think they been together for years.

So with this mind, add some stats that involves this starting 5 and compare them with others if you would. Whatever you find.

 

[Crosby_Cavs]

Take it easy man

 

[Helium filament]

Just imagine this group next year with even more chemistry... Would be really amazing! Every time our starters play to their potential, I realize just how lucky we are.

 

[Scar4343]

Just imagine this group next year with even more chemistry... Would be really amazing! Every time our starters play to their potential, I realize just how lucky we are.

Even better, just imagine this group with Anderson Varejao as the 4th big instead of Kendrick Perkins.

As for the OP's point, I think this starting 5 has been great and I'm sick of hearing about our "bench scoring". When do we ever play without 2 of the starting 5 on the floor? It seems like people think this is hockey with line changes. We don't NEED scoring off the bench because we have guys in our starting lineup that come back in the game and score when some of our starters go to the bench. For example, here's last night's first half...

3:00 left in 1st - LeBron goes to bench, all 4 other starters still out there, Shumpert in (We don't need Shumpert to come in and score when we still have Kyrie, Love, JR and Moz out there)

2:31 left in 1st - Thompson comes in for Mozgov, 3 starters still out there all of whom can score

1:00 left in 1st - Delly comes in for Kyrie, Love and JR still out there as starters

:20 left in 1st - Jones comes in for Love, leaves only JR out there but this is essentially just for a defensive possession and was to match the CJ Miles for Mahinimi substitution

Start of 2nd - Lineup is Delly, Shump, LBJ, Jones, Thompson.... This is the most "scoring deficient lineup but essentially gives LeBron a rebounder and 3 3 point shooters. They score 5 points in the 2:24 they're on the floor together and extend the lead to 8.

9:36 left in 2nd - Mozgov comes in for Thompson, giving us LeBron and Moz as starters out there.

7:43 left in 2nd - Love and Kyrie come back in for Delly and Jones, 4 of the starting 5 are out there

4:56 left in 2nd - JR comes in for Shump, starting 5 is back on the floor

4:00 left in 2nd - Shump comes back in for LBJ, 4 of 5 starters on the floor

2:38 left in 2nd - LBJ back in for Shump, starting 5 back out there

Then there's an offense/defense exchange at the end of the half of Shump/Kyrie.

So, other than 2:24 to start the 2nd half where we had LeBron, TT and shooters... we had at least 2 scorers from our starting 5 out there at all times and had at least 3 for all but 4:17 of the 1st half. I don't see the need to take shots away from our starters just so we can say we have bench scoring. Guys like LeBron and Kyrie often get a bulk of their shots while playing with reserves and these guys are high efficiency players. I heard Brian Windbag go on and on about this on the radio the other day and it's nothing but a molehill that they're tying to make into a mountain.

Most teams need bench scoring because they have 1 or 2 guys in their starting lineup that can't score. When we had Eric Snow and Ira Newble starting or Andy and Ben Wallace as our bigs or whatever lineup, we needed guys that could come off the bench and score. We now have 5 guys that you can run plays for in the starting lineup and by keeping some of them out there with bench players, that gives you the opportunity to do that for them.

 

[nikolajz1]

Getting way a head of myself, but next years regular season should be pretty crazy. Might get to make a run at 70 wins.

 

[kookoo]

Let's just take it one season at a time...

 

[NasstyNate]

Yet they can't finish games for some reason...

 

[Man Called X]

74 wins next year boys. 74 wins.

 

[Huber.]

74 wins next year boys. 74 wins.

Won't be possible after Love and JR Smith leave.

 

[Man Called X]

Won't be possible after Love and JR Smith leave.

Yeah I'll believe that when both of leave the team after winning their first championship.

 

[Stark]

This team isn't breaking any regular season win records if we don't get Kevin Love comfortable, consistent, and integrated into the system. We're on game 60-whatever now, and he still looks like he's making his Cavs debut most nights.

 

[Mott the Hoople]

Some of you guys just need to slow your roll.
​

First, the op wanted to know if this was the best starting unit in Cavs history. Well, I do think it's the most talented. But maybe not the best. The 88-89 Cavs won 57 games. They featured Daugherty, Nance, Williams, Price, and Harper. Coached by Lenny Wilkens. It's a different game now, of course. But I think the old Cavs could play with these guys very well. Everybody knew their role, and played VERY well as a team. No stanky leg allowed.

As for how these Cavs will do next season. Who knows? The roster could be better or it could be worse. But it won't be the same.
But I applaud your enthusiasm.

 

[Mdog1]

This is the worst team we will have, given Love returns.

Next year the MLE, Andy coming back, and the Haywood contract will effectively net us 3 or 4 useful players.

No more James Jones, or small ball line ups (with any luck).

I think it's important to get a back up SF with the Haywood contract, unless JR leaves.

A Wilson Chandler, or Aminu (no way he signs for MLE though) would go a long way to improving this team. What do we think the chances Charlotte rids themselves of Stephenson, and would be willing to part with MKG to do so?

Then it's a matter of finding a third team for Lance, and hopefully netting us a PG in return. Anyways not a trade thread, but I fully believe the team next year will break the Cavs record for wins, and keep LeBron around 30 minutes.

 

[Rick Astley]

I get that this isn't your typical lovefest thread but I really don't have to be reminded of the Ira Newble-Eric Snow era.

You will have more chances to put it in an Asian ladyboy unknowingly than those guys can with a ball into the bucket.

 

[MoFlo]

2006-2007 Cavs Finals roster:
Gooden/Marshall
LeBron/Newble
Z/Andy/Pollard/Dwayne Jones
Hughes/Sasha/Boobie/Shannon Brown
Snow/Jones/Wesley

2014-2015 Cavs roster:
Love/Tristan/Andy
LeBron/Jones/Marion
Mozgov/Perk/Haywood
Smith/Shump/Miller/Harris
Kyrie/Delly