Cavs Need to Use Their Bench

Cavaliers’ coach Mike Brown drives everyone crazy.  He won 50 games in each of his first two games as head coach, and guided the wine and gold to the Eastern Conference Championship last year for the first time in franchise history.  Yet, he drives people nuts with his substitution patterns during the regular season.  After only four games this season, he’s doing it again.  I guess this means he’s a better playoff coach than he is guiding a team over the 82 game regular season.

The first thing that is bothering me is the extra minutes being played by Zydrunas Ilgauskas.  At 32 years old, the big man’s days of playing 33-35 minutes per game are over.  He’s best served by getting 28-30 minutes per night.  Ilgauskas is playing very well right now; averaging in double figures in both points and rebounds, but how these extra minutes will effect Z later in the season is the bigger concern.  For a team who looks to go deep in the playoffs, having your best offensive big man getting tired down the stretch isn’t a good idea.

This leads me to my real problem with Brown, his lack of use for the non-starters.  In last night’s 108-104 victory over Golden State, all five starters played over 30 minutes.  Yes, I realize Larry Hughes did not play in the contest, but the only substitute who received over 20 minutes was Damon Jones.  Sasha Pavlovic, who just joined the team on Friday, played over 30 minutes as a starter for Hughes.  It’s like the chicken and the egg, if you don’t play your bench, they won’t be able to contribute when needed.

Take Dwayne Jones, for example.  The young big man played very well against the Knicks last Friday night, and was singled out by his coach after the game.  In the next game at Phoenix on Sunday night, he didn’t get off the bench.  Why?  It’s not like he’s a plodding, slow big man who didn’t match up well against the run and gun Suns.  He should be rewarded for playing well.  Last night, he got in the game and played two minutes.  With Anderson Varajao still holding out and Donyell Marshall injured, the coaching staff has to develop another big man or Ilgauskas and Drew Gooden will be exhausted by the all star break.

On another topic, the Cavaliers need to start acting like a team who went to The Finals last year.  They are only missing Varajao from that team, and although I would like to see the Brazilian start, he’s a defender/rebounder only.  It’s not like the wine and gold is missing a player of LeBron James’ ilk.  They should expect to win each and every night, not be satisfied with a 3-3 road trip. 

Also, Larry Hughes has gotten off to a very poor start, and if he doesn’t pick it up soon, Brown will be faced with a difficult decision.  Hughes is a good defender, which is important for the head coach, but what has happened to his shot.  When he came here, he was a pretty good mid range jump shooter, but his shot has abandoned him.  If he can’t make that shot on a regular basis, he’s a liability on offense and his minutes should be cut.

Marshall’s injury should give Brown an opportunity to take a look at Jones and Cedric Simmons at the 4 and 5 spots.  This is the biggest area of need for this team with Ilgauskas getting older, yet it continues to be ignored.  The Cavaliers have to have a better defense at these spots to win in both the regular season and the playoffs.

JK