Cleveland's offense and defense, with Kyrie Irving

[Real Deal]

Since the Lakers are playing Cleveland tonight, I decided to pull up a few numbers from the ten games they had Kyrie in...

 

Cleveland w/ Kyrie Irving (2-8)

Cleveland w/out Kyrie Irving (2-9)

 

Offensive Stats w/ Irving: 95.7 PPG, 358/846 FG (42.3%), 78/220 3PT (35.5%), 15.5 TO/G

Offensive Stats w/out Irving: 93.1 PPG, 384/954 FG (40.3%), 85/256 3PT (33.2%), 16.4 TO/G

 

Defensive Stats (Allowed) w/ Irving: 102.7 PPG, 390/775 FG (50.3%), 72/206 3PT (35.0%), 16.7 TO/G

Defensive Stats (Allowed) w/out Irving: 98.5 PPG, 396/858 FG (46.2%), 76/197 3PT (38.6%), 14.9 TO/G

 

I expected the offensive numbers to decline across the board, but I was shocked to see a couple of defensive numbers improving.

 

Seems like Cleveland has more to worry about than I had initially thought. I didn't think they'd be a good team, and knew that they had started off bad, but I was thinking their numbers without Irving would be five times worse...but, yet, they really aren't.

[Nitro]

Too many variables.

 

In games he played, they had an Ortg that was 10pts better when he was on the court, and a Drtg only 1pt worse.

 

I highly doubt there is much coorelation. Teams play different without their #1 guy on both ends of the floor. On a team like Cleveland, I'm sure they knew they weren't going to score like they would with him, so the entire team raised their intensity level defensively to compensate. Can't say for sure, though, I don't follow Cleveland.

[Cleveland's Finest]

I don't think Kyrie's absence affects this team as much because he still hasn't even played 82 games. He's still got work to do. Also, he isn't even the best player on our team. Andy is right now, which is why we stayed in games, and probably should have won, against the likes of Memphis, Miami, etc.

 

Now in the future, when the Cavs have a team assembled and Kyrie is fully developed, he'll be more vital to the team. Right now, he just makes us less bad, and also more entertaining to watch.

 

Keep in mind, we basically did nothing to make the team better this year. All we did was add more young players who still have one of two years before they can improve.

 

The only good pickup in the offseason was Jeremy Pargo, who handled Kyrie's absence quite well. CJ Miles has been a complete disappointment.

 

After next season, the clock begins ticking. We'll have another lottery pick, Waiters and Zeller will be in year 2, and Kyrie and Tristan will be in year 3. Factor in whatever we get for Varejao, unless we keep him. That's the time when I expect us to do something major in free agency. By major I mean beginning to fill holes that we need to help in.

 

Until next offseason, I expect the Cavs to keep this team constructed the way it is, with a horrendous bench (Luke Walton is still finding ways to play in games), so I won't make anything of Kyrie's defensive deficiencies yet, even though I know he needs to improve on that end of the court.

Edited December 11, 2012 by Cleveland's Finest

[Check my Stats]

Stat ON Court OFF Court Net

Minutes 351 666 34%

Offense: Pts per 100 Poss. 109.5 99.2 10.3

Defense: Pts per 100 Poss. 109.8 110.1 -0.4

Net Points per 100 Possessions -0.3 -10.9 10.6

 

I see a player who is a big plus here in his limited time.