With so many injuries hitting the Cleveland roster this season, fans have gotten a good look at the secondary unit. They seem to play well, but how do they actually stack up? Here’s a look at how good Cleveland’s bench actually is.
Cleveland’s standout player off the bench is Caris LeVert. Averaging 15.9 points, 3.5 rebounds, four assists and a steal per game in 28.6 minutes, LeVert is a consistent threat off the bench.
Georges Niang has also been a reliable backup. In his 21.8 minutes averaged per game off the bench, he’s averaging 8.6 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game. His ability to stretch the floor has also come into play recently, giving opposing backup frontcourts trouble.
Sam Merrill has also been a recent standout in the secondary. Although he’s averaging only 7.6 points, two rebounds and 1.3 assists per game, his numbers are deceiving. He can be deadly from deep, averaging more than five three attempts per game, and his quick trigger has given him the third most points off the bench this season.
Another player whose numbers are deceptive, Craig Porter Jr is the steal of the season for Cleveland. Although he’s averaging 6.2 points, 1.8 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game, his roster position has affected his stats. Nine of his 25 appearances this season have been for less than ten minutes, and six of those were less than five minutes. This means a third of his appearances has been for 10 minutes or less, and a quarter has been for five or less. Despite this he’s scored the fourth most points for Cleveland off the bench. If he gets more playing time, expect much higher numbers.
Consistency has certainly been an issue for Cleveland this season. With all the injuries that have popped up, it’s been difficult for Cleveland to get their ideal starting lineup on the court. So far this season the Cavs have deployed 11 different unique starting lineups. Although this places them just above middle of the pack (and well away from Dallas who’s used more than 20) it still isn’t the best indicator of success.
In fact, when looking at which teams have the highest difference in win percentage compared to their initially projected percentage (i.e. which teams are playing better than expected) it’s Minnesota, Oklahoma City and Houston leading the league. Each of these teams have started a total of five or less unique starting lineups. Whether correlation or causation, it’s a fact that higher consistency in the starting five tends to trend towards more wins.
Although Cleveland’s bench is solid, the inability to keep their starting five on the floor will play a major factor if it continues.
Although Cleveland’s bench places just above middle of the pack, this is impressive considering their situation. Because of the multitude of injuries this season, Cleveland’s starting lineup has been ever-changing. This means the bench is also constantly changing, and thus is being pumped with G-League players. Despite this they’re playing better than most of the rest of the league.
With their bench performing as well as they are, the Cavs can certainly keep their head above water. That’s not what this team wants, though, and neither do the fans.
If Cleveland can stay healthy, and keep a consistent starting five on the court, all signs point to a successful season.
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