What does each role player on the Cavaliers need to prove to lock up a spot in the playoff rotation?

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Welcome into an early morning edition of Caves and Coffee.

The ultimate Cavaliers show joining me as always is Jason Lloyd.

I'm Mikey McNuggets.

And Jason, before we dive into some Cavs topics, bam at a bio scored 83 points last night.

The second most points ever scored in an NBA game.

He surpassed Kobe Bryant with 81.

It now goes well Chamberlain with 100 and bam at a bio with 83, bam's previous career

high was just 41 points.

He doubled that last night against the Wizards.

And I have some thoughts Jason, but I would like you to start.

Well, 43 points are bam at a bio 43 free throws.

I think I'm right.

And that's not where I think it was 43 free throws.

You I saw a little bit like listen.

Okay, they played the Wizards.

I don't care.

They put the wizard play 82 games here.

Ain't nobody scoring eight points on them.

So that part is irrelevant.

It's pretty incredible.

Yes, of course, they were hunting him late.

They were trying to he poor guy was so exhausted by the end of the game.

No, I thought it was incredible.

It's one of those out of nowhere, you know, Tom Hamilton says all the time that, of course,

a great Hall of Fame guardians broadcaster, you come to the ballpark every night excited

because you never know what can happen.

And you can see something you've never seen before.

And last night with bam certainly applies that.

I think about the Donovan game at home, the 70 game that he had.

There's just once in a while, there's just remarkable feats that come completely out of

nowhere.

And that was that was wild to see I don't care about the opponent, I don't care about

any of that.

That's an unbelievable feat.

So it's incredible.

And all the credit to BAM, I want to take nothing away from BAM here comes a butt.

He had 30 points in the first quarter was incredible.

I don't know if you saw any of the highlights yet Jason, but yeah, in the first quarter,

it was threes.

It was pole ups.

He was finishing an incredible first quarter.

We had 40 at the half.

I have a slight issue with in the record book, it's going to say he scored 83 points and

they were intentional fouling up 25 in the fourth quarter to get him like you disrespected

the game of basketball to set a record.

Now, I want to make it clear.

I don't have an issue with what Miami did.

I would have done the same thing in Miami shoes as just a basketball purist.

It's corny.

And once again, I don't BAM incredible night.

I don't even, I'm not even a Kobe guy like we could argue, we could do a whole show

on why I think Kobe is slightly overrated in the grand scheme of things.

Like I think he's the 12th best player ever, not the eighth best player.

Sue me, whatever.

They were they were fouling up 25 Jason just to get in the ball back and get him more shots.

So it's just it's corny like they disrespected the game of basketball.

I say that as a hypocrite because if I was his teammate, I would have done the damn same thing.

Disrespecting the game of basketball is Ricky Davis shooting at the wrong basket trying to get a triple double.

That to me is disrespecting.

What was different than this where they're intentional fouling up 25 just to get him the ball back.

Well, you intentionally followed to get the ball back at the end of games too.

It's the same thing.

There were 30 points at some points.

Yeah, I get it.

But I mean, is it disrespecting the game that teams chased after Shaq to get him to the free throw line

and and followed him 40 feet from the basket?

I don't love that either, but at least it's a competitive thing.

This was not competitive.

This was we want to get our guy a record thing.

Yeah, I don't have an issue with it.

I think it's I just think it's respected band.

I just think it's corny how they won about it.

And you know what?

For the rest of the time when you're going to say BAM out of bio scored 83 points.

Yeah, no one's going to remember how we got there.

Kobe took a good Jillian shots in the game.

He scored 81 for what it's worth.

I see it's the first time a player's ever scored 70 points Jason

while shooting less than 50% from the floor.

You did take a ton of shots.

So, you know, the efficiency thing does play a little historical factor in this.

Do you think now will we ever see a hundred point game?

I know there's a lot of controversy around the world if it did or did not happen.

There's no footage of it or whatever.

I think I think we could.

It is proof.

If they want a bio can score in the 80s.

Yeah.

You can have a hundred point game, especially with the way team shoot three is now.

He didn't go crazy from three.

He was crazy efficient inside the arc and took 43 free throws.

But he's like he was, you know, had a 16, three game where they were feeding in the rock.

If Steph Curry wanted to and was feeling it one night, I think Steph could get them.

I mean.

Con Caniple.

I think it scored 100 with the way he's shooting shooting three is right now, Jason.

Like, yeah, I think it's certainly in play.

And it happens.

I just hope they're not intentionally fouling to get him shot.

I hope it's within the.

Not even I say the flow of the game.

The intentional fouling up 25 is just that that's just dirty work.

I hear you.

But it's not a different than to me.

I mean, the Lakers the night Kobe Woody of 81.

One.

Yeah.

It was just give it to Kobe get out of the way every time down.

Every time.

At least that was with it.

I don't know.

Whatever.

You know, I do think it's funny that if.

I don't know.

I don't know.

A month ago, Jason, we had a draft of who will be the next NBA player to break Kobe's record.

Oh.

Man would probably have been the.

70 first pick.

Like, series like.

I'm just being genuinely see yeah, no, I know.

In the 70s, 60s.

Like he's certainly not a top 50 pick.

But kudos to bam.

It is in the history books as an 83 point performance.

It was incredible to the first quarter highlights.

And you know what Jason, you know, in Donovan scored 71, it was 11 accomplishment. It took over time to do that all those points matter because the game was as highly contested.

I go balls on a random. That was the tomorrow hamlin night. I don't even remember that.

Yeah. I would actually get to say that. Yeah.

Where were we sitting together watching tomorrow die on the field where we sit. No, I was ironically on a first date with my ex at the time.

And we put the game on and then he died basically and she's a nurse and she's just happened all the time and football is like, no, it doesn't.

This is this is quite unique. And yeah, that was an interesting night.

I remember Donovan's going nuts and I'm sitting there in the arena like we're supposed to tweet about this.

We still have an obligation. Back then, I still tweeted more and was like, we saw an obligation to talk about the news, even though all this was going on with hamlin. It was a wild night.

Well, let's talk a little calves Jason, because this is the ultimate Cavalier show. We are not the ultimate Miami heat or the ultimate band met a bio show. And we have a couple things I want to cover.

First is the pick and roll connection between Evan Mobile and James Harden. Second is what some of these roll guys and the cats have to do to solidify a spot in the playoff rotation.

Let's start though with the hard and mobile pick and roll combo. As soon as James Harden was acquired by Cleveland, him and Jared Allen connected like that.

I mean, it was peanut butter and jelly from day one, Jason. And that was called by everybody. Everybody said we all saw coming.

Jared Allen fits the traditional mold of the room running big that has thrived. And I used the word thrived intentionally thrive playing alongside James Harden.

Evan Mobile has never been a dominant pick and roll player, whether it was with Donovan or Darius or Ty Jerome.

He's been an efficient and effective offensive player, but he didn't get a lot of his points via the pick and roll. And now with Allen out, the Cavaliers offense is looked a little bit more stagnant.

And I think a big reason for that is the continuing chemistry development between Harden and mobile in that particular set.

Today Kenny Ackinson likes his motion. He likes his cutting. He likes his screening. He likes his movement. But a lot of that is all window dressing to get to some sort of dominant matchup or predetermined matchup with the pick and roll to utilize the Cav's best assets, which is a dominant ball handler and a skill big around the rim.

He doesn't look great between mobile and Harden Jason. Are you selling the fact that that combination can ever become a consistent offensive option for Cleveland or do you think it's just something that needs a little bit more time.

I don't think it'll ever be what Harden and Allen are because I think Allen, as we said, is sort of the perfect compliment to Harden, but it doesn't mean it can't improve and get better.

I just don't think we've kind of touched on this a little bit the past. I don't think screening is really a selling point of Evans game. He's not a guy who's going to set hard physical screens and roll to the basket.

It's just fundamentally, if you have the choice of a pick and roll part, when they're on the same team, as long as their teammates, if you have the option of doing it with Jared or doing with Evan, you're probably going to take Jared.

I still, you know, we can go back and forth. I know Jared's played better of late. I still think the Cav's best lineup is Evan at the five and four shooters around him.

So it better get better and it has to improve. And I think I don't know that Evan has ever paid much attention to the timing. If that makes sense, the timing of a pick and roll aspect.

So I just think that and plus he missed time when when James first got here, he was out. So they just don't have a ton of reps together. So I definitely think it can get better. I think it will get better. I don't think it will ever be as good as it is with Jared.

But I think Evan brings enough other things to the table that it doesn't have to be.

It is a unique pairing of players with certain skills that I'm not sure 100% fit together like peanut butter and jelly.

And you could have a peanut butter and honey sandwich Jason. It could be good. You make peanut butter banana sandwiches.

But there's nothing better than peanut butter jelly, right? The classic is the classic for a reason and Jared Allen and James Hardener peanut butter and jelly.

And James hard and Evan mobile or some other variation of a peanut butter sandwich that is certainly good and can be a tasty lunchtime snack, but it's never going to beat the OG.

Evan, mobile, historically speaking, and we have talked about this at length at different times is more of a ghost screener and a slip screener that he is someone who actually stands there sets the screen takes on the contact and gives his garden advantage.

That's always always played. And we've argued at times is Evan tough enough. I don't think it's a toughness thing. Well, frankly, Mike, I don't want to cut you off, but do you want him taking that physicality of setting those screens like he just not be doesn't have the same frame is Jared.

When you're playing with James Hardener, you kind of have to and that's another part of the issue here. James and in the last couple of games, the offense has got super stagnant.

I think part of the reason it's looks so wonky at times and grand the competition has been raised and they played a team like Boston, who's much better than some of the teams they played earlier.

Is when Evan doesn't set that screen Jason, James can't turn the corner and get downhill in the same capacity. And when he's not getting downhill, he ends up settling for a bunch of threes.

The offense isn't collapsing, which cuts out some of the kickoffs to the open kickouts to the open threes.

And you just get to a more stagnant offense where you have guys cutting, but because the actual pick and roll isn't happening in the way it needs to happen where the weak side defenders coming into collapse against the rim runner.

Well, now he's out there. So that passes eliminated for Harden, mobile, instead of rolling to the rim likes to get into that high paint high post area, which changes the whole angle for James. Now he's making a sideways pass instead of a diagonal pass, which means the back big, who's retreating in the pick and roll doesn't have to retreat nearly as far.

So it takes out the in between game for James Harden. So do you want James taking an 18 foot floater. He certainly can make those shots, but it's not a high percentage shot.

Now for him to get to the rim with the broken thumb, where I think his handle has been negated just slightly now he's having to break a guy down from even further out.

It just the geometry doesn't necessarily work as well as it does with a Jared Allen. And when you're playing with James Harden as the lone big, if they're going through in the offense, the James Harden wants to run. He said in the past, I don't play a system. I am the system.

Evan has to play alongside James in the way James wants him to play or else Kenny has to recreate an entire offense.

And in a 20 game sample size Jason, I think it's a lot easier to get Evan to play a specific style in certain minutes when he's the lone big with James Harden.

Then it is to get everybody else around those two to learn a complete new system. So I have my concerns, but I want to say this to, I guess, wrap it up.

Evan is coordinated enough. Evan is athletic enough. He has good enough hands to play more of that room running style that is thrived with James Harden.

It is not that he can't do it. It's that he's not comfortable doing it. And he has to get comfortable. Easier said than done because working back from multiple calf injuries at doing that Jason.

So I think for Cleveland to withstand a deep playoff from.

And you got what you got about a month left. Yeah, before it really starts to matter. So I don't always guys stay healthy. Number one, obviously.

And I still think like as you look at specific playoff matchups, I just think Evan is too good against the team like Boston that you just got figured out.

I think he can provide enough problems and mismatches for Boston.

I think it'll get better. It will never be what it is with with Jared. But I just, I still, I mean, if you're asking me right now, who am I taking on the floor, Evan or Jared?

I'm still taking Evan and I don't think it's particularly close, even though I know Jared has played better. I know you like Jared a lot and like the fit.

I just I still think Evan is the significantly better player.

Right now if I had to choose a closing lineup, I think both bigs have to be in it Jason. I think everyone healthy like right now I know some of the spacing issues are a little wonky.

But I think they're advantage over some of these teams is.

Always a matchup nightmare when he wants to be in put in the right positions.

And I still think push come to shove your closing up playoff games.

Damn, you need your best players out there. And Evan is certainly unquestionably undoubtedly one of their four best players.

Rather or less one of their five best players. He's got to be out there. They just got to make the fit work.

And the last thing on this little pivot to some of the roll guys.

And I wish I had a I wish I had a drawing board. Maybe I'll do the iPad thing tomorrow on the show. You're back in tomorrow, right?

What's tomorrow? Yeah, yeah.

Yeah, the third day of Friday, because Evan's not playing. Evan's playing tonight. Jared's not. I'll try to drop what I mean by the geometry of how you have to guard it.

If he's not actually sending that screen. So James can get down hill. So everyone can see what I'm saying.

James is also a smart enough and good enough passer.

Do I think make that work?

Well, without completely taking away what he does best, like it's going to be a compromise from both ends to get the maximum value here.

I'm just not sure the maximum value of that going back to my peanut butter and jelly reference earlier, like I'll take a PB and J over a peanut butter Nutella any day.

But don't get me wrong. If you're off from your PB Nutella.

Going to town. So like you know, saying like I think both can work. Yeah, one just more traditional than the other.

Do you need Evan to be more aggressive attacking the basket off rolls because the one thing that you said that I absolutely agree with.

I think resonates is when Jared is rolling to the basket.

The backside defense is have to sort of tag him and it creates so many more opportunities for corner shooters that doesn't really apply with Evan.

So just from concept and scheme.

I just think that Evan needs to start attacking the basket more in those situations.

Yes. Yeah. And give people for a football example.

Sometimes you send Isaiah Bond deep just to clear out the defense. So you get an underneath route. Jerry Judy on some sort of in breaking 18 yard dig, right.

Sometimes you need the big to run straight to the basket. So the defense has to react. So you can make the skip pass to the corner for an open three.

Yeah, same concept. If Evan's kind of sitting in that middle area and the defense, which based off it's it's small sample size tiny tiny sample size.

Based off how they've guarded them in the last couple of games. They're saying Evan, you want to take 18 foot jump shots. Please.

Like we will get we're not going to we're not helping off anything.

We're giving you that jump shot. If he wants to make seven mid range jumpers a game and so be it.

Yeah. But right now they are begging you to take that and it's just making the calves offense incredibly predictable.

And when they switched against Boston. One or two times they put Evan against Derek white in the post and he dominated right.

But if he's switching on the perimeter.

Does Derek white can guard Evan mobility from 28 feet. Yeah.

Derek white can't guard Evan mobility six feet away from the basket. Do not you get closer to the basket.

You roll and you roll hard and you force them to switch. So big picture.

I'll draw this up either tomorrow or Friday on a on a on a illustrator. So everyone can kind of see the geometry.

I'm talking about hopefully it makes sense how I'm explaining it, but I know sometimes visuals really hammer at home.

Yeah, I just think that is something the calves at Evan mobility kind of has to do over the next three four weeks and the regular season to kind of maximize their playoff potential.

Jason real quick. We got one more topic before we head out here quick reminder the charge home on Friday.

It's their Harry Potter night Jason on Friday. You get a free Harry Potter scarves and t-shirts to make sure you head out there.

The charge won last night. Another big win for the charge and they just signed Malachi brand on former Ohio State Buck guys they want to see him in action.

Head down to public all check them out.

All right, Jason. Let's talk about some of the roll guys here.

The Cavaliers and Kenny Akkinson have said over the last 20 games. It's basically going to be a night in night out fight guys like King on Ellis max true.

When he returns Craig Porter Jr. Shruder Sam Merrill Tyson fighting for playoff minutes. The core four is going to play.

It's who's going to play alongside the core four. So let's run down the gauntlet real quick Jason and just give you know a minute each on some of these guys for what they have to do over the final month of the season to kind of solidify their spot in the playoff rotation.

Let's start with Dennis Schruder and you can go first. What is Dennis have to do over the next five weeks to make sure he has one of those elusive spots and Kenny's shorter playoff rotation.

I could make this really simple and answer the same for every one of them and it's make shots.

That is a good starting point for all these guys.

Yeah, like you got to make shots stay on the floor in a playoff series and I think that applies to Schruder as well.

I think he's better defensively. I know it's not a high bar.

Then I'm sorry what's going on here.

Sorry. I think he's better defensively than some of the other back court options. So if he guards well I actually think Schruder is the one one of the guys that may get squeezed out of the rotation.

I know he's a veteran with postseason experience, but when you look at the other tools, the other options they have.

I don't see a lot of minutes for him. Am I wrong?

I think Dennis could be a guy that can win you a playoff game with the second record, second quarter.

He also could lose you a playoff game with a six minute stretch in the second quarter.

His inability to consistently knock down threes is an issue in the playoffs.

The teams just will simply go under screens, not guard him, but his ability to change the tempo pace and energy of a game.

Jason both offensively and defensively is something from the backup true backup point guard spot that I'm not sure they have.

I think he's still trying to figure out how to play best with James and with Donovan.

I'm not sure Kenny knows which one of those parents he fits best with yet and that's what the next 20 games are kind of for.

But he is the ability to single handedly and scoring droughts and the ability to single handedly put you into a scoring drought if he's not making shots.

So I think Dennis to solidify a shot spot is a make some more threes and then to be able to be an old school traditional point guard in the sense of we couldn't get the ball over half court against Indiana in game two.

Dennis we need someone to control the rock and give Donovan a few minutes on the court rest from the primary ball handling duties.

We trust you more than Craig Porter junior and that comes with a lot of doing the dirty things rebounding defending the flesh et cetera.

What about Keon Ellis here Jason other than just shot making I know that's probably the main thing for most of these guys but other than the easy answer of make threes.

What does Keon Ellis have to do to solidify his spot in this playoff rotation be the best perimeter defender on the roster.

And make shots sort of what they beg for years for Isaac a corro to give him in a playoff series and Isaac just couldn't deliver in the playoffs teams in respect him and teams made the catch play four on five on offense.

You can't you can't win that way and Keon has to be the best perimeter defender on the floor and if he is that and he's making shots.

You'll you'll find minutes for him.

Yeah simple make the right decisions and be an absolute freaking men is defensively.

It's as simple as that don't if you're open shoot and hopefully make it don't try to force and be something you're not offensively easier said than done by the way especially when teams are playing off you in playoff situations and they're begging you to shoot.

Sometimes the self control and discipline not to play into what the defense wants is a harder skill than just chuck him up six threes in a game and praying you make three of them you know what I mean.

Yeah but he has to be by far hands down unquestionably the best defender and best point of attack defender they have to solidify that spot because he's going up against a couple guys who will talk about in a second.

I mean who also do a lot of the same things he does when you talk about the matchup problems that boss to presents.

The Cavs have always struggled with Tatum and in Jalen Brown and figuring out how to guard that tandem and Keon Alice could open with that but he's got to make shots to stay on the floor.

Yeah it's also a tough matchup for him because he weighs about a buck 80.

Yeah I know and those dudes are huge.

But I mean how many times did we see Tatum on Garland.

Yeah.

So I would take Keon in that instance every time you guys know I love Sam we'll talk about Sam here next.

I like Keon's chances on those guys better than Sam's too which is what Boston tried to work to a number of times as far as Sam goes.

It is as simple for him as he's got to make shots.

Now his gravity even if he's missing shots his gravity is bigger than everyone else teams are not going to just leave Sam Merrill open Jason I mentioned on the show yesterday.

I think Sam's finger maybe bothered him again or his wrist I saw him at halftime on the game was the home game Monday.

Yeah he went 10 at 22 on open three is warming up before the second half at halftime Sam Merrill never should miss 12 open threes.

During a halftime shoot around situation he's I mean the dude should be making 20 of 22 if not even more that's how good of a shooter Sam Merrill is so I think maybe the fingers bothering a little bit.

So for Sam it's a make shots and then be.

They are going to isolate you defensively they're going to call you out there going to say Sam you have to guard as the rain starts to down poor here in downtown Cleveland yeah.

You are going to have to prove you can make shots and defend to stand the court because we're going to call you out in these situations time after time and Sam's body has to hold up to me that's more than anything else is.

Can Sam's body take the physical toll it will require to make it through 16 hopefully 16 wins in a playoff playoff run to be able to make shots at the level that he has all season up until the last couple weeks.

Max Truce can he says he could be back within the week I don't know exactly what day that means yet Jason but within the week for struse to come back with about 18 19 games to ramp himself up for a playoff run what is true Saturday to crack into this rotation.

Be healthy get his wind get his legs and find his rhythm and I think you know I talked a few people this year who felt like this before the heart and trade who felt like they really missed max just in terms of being sort of a glue guy I talked a couple of scouts are like something just feels off with that team and I think it's max not being there so I do think he's got a role.

I don't know if you want to different rounds different matchups will require different minutes from each guy but I think max this is about as late as he could come back and you still feel okay like he's got enough time.

So because we kept saying all year like not going to worry not going to worry yet not going to worry he's got time now the thing with these injuries with these Jones fractures we talked about before they can be very finicky and you hope because the calves have been so conservative with them that there's not going to be any sort of step back when he makes back on the floor he doesn't have to have a massive role obviously with James and with Donovan here you're not asking him to shoulder a huge load which helps but I think if he's healthy and if he's got his wind he's got his legs under him.

And he can find a rhythm he can play because he can do a little bit of everything and he just sort of sort of holds this together in a lot of different ways I don't know if he starts.

Yeah I think it's kind of matchup dependent but I'm going to use him as a starter just for this the sake of this when you have Dean out there as you fist starter it's a defensive bump it's a rebounding bump and offensively you take a hit when you have Sam in the starting lineup it's an offensive bump because you have more spacing more gravity but you don't have any playmaking same with Dean.

Same with Dean not really much playmaking that this but not really a ton of playmaking from Sam rebounding goes down defensively Sam's not Dean wait when Jalen Tyson's in the lineup Tyson has been a really good shooter this year he is a plus defender.

He can do more than I think he's allowed to do in those starting lineup situations just because of how structure of an offense they play.

And then you bring Maxson who's more of a movement shooter than Tyson is gives you a little more playmaking than a Sam Merrill more defense than a Merrill more rebounding than both those two Merrill and Tyson better offensive player than Dean Wade not as good of a defender as Dean Wade but he kind of feels like the middle of all grounds like you have your more offensive lineup in Sam you kind of your young middle guy in Jalen wasn't proven in a playoff series you have your defensive side in Dean Wade.

And then Max Truce is kind of your veteran middle fifth starter if you want to go in that route Jason it's got to stay healthy he's got to make shots and he's got to bring that F you energy that he's played was in the past to the starting five because we know James is kind of Liza fair we know Jared we know Evan their mentalities still kind of Liza fair and I'll go back to that Boston game very specifically.

They've started slow way too many times even the gaming against Philly on Monday they started the game slow now Boston they started red hot Boston came back in the energy was low until the third quarter when they kind of got it back.

Max plays at this hair on fire he plays at F you energy he plays like I've called him an asshole before in the court and I mean that in the best way possible like they need a little bit of the infusion of that kind of energy to I think negate some of these slower low energy starts and that's where I think Truce other than the obvious make shots and played defense.

That's the kind of thing he brings to this Cavaliers lineup that they have it certain stretches but don't have nearly consistent enough in my opinion to win four separate playoff series over a six week stretch in the summer and I think that's where Max could have his biggest impact other than the obvious make shots when James whips it to you in the corner yeah.

Last one Jalen Tyson.

Be himself.

Do exactly what he's been doing and he's in.

I think it's really simple is that he's been so impressive this year.

I don't get overwhelmed by the moment like a lot of these guys when the pressure of the playoffs how are they going to respond to it but if Jalen can do a little bit of everything and he's done all your long there's no reason that he's not on the he's not in the playoff rotation.

Yeah for me it's just don't be scared of the moment yeah right now that you would be all right.

Man Jalen said some things this year with the LeBron I fear no man.

Yeah one of it like to me he doesn't seem like a guy that's going to be shy and scared of the moment in any capacity so I say that with the expectation of it not truly impacting him the way it may impact others but it is still true until we see him in a playoff series.

Or in a playoff scenario that is a small concern that you have to have in the back of your head but Jalen to your point.

Do what you've done all season shoot the ball like you shot the ball all season I was going back Jason through his game logs.

Shoot almost 50% one of the five most efficient and effective and accurate three point shooters in the entire league he said one pro long stretch.

Like one that's it.

I've been a 50% shooter this year he went through like a 10 day stretch where he couldn't really buy a three other than that he's been damn near 50% the entire time and it is impressive and my hope.

The cab soap is he can just be that guy in the playoffs just like he's been all regular season are we missing anybody yeah you missed Dean.

He's got to make shots for him as a simple as don't piss down your leg Dean and I don't mean to be mean like a route about it but it.

He has not been able to stay on the court in playoffs scenarios because he has wilted under some of the pressure yeah and I think Dean's coming off a maybe his best game of the entire season I think he's had overall a really good offensive season for Dean standards.

Just they're going to leave you wide open making pay and Dean that we thought about making the right decision with Keon earlier.

Dean's in like the 97% type of decision making like he very rarely turns the ball over very rarely 9 out of 10 times if not more he's making the right basketball play.

But in the playoffs when you're being left that open the right basketball play a lot of times is you got to make a few of those shots force the defense that come out even if it's just one step further that opens up some of the other things for James Donovan.

Evan Jared etc.

We've got to be able to make a shot got it got it got to be able to make a shot.

I'll be curious to see what the start line up is.

Once we get to that point if if Max is back in for the playoffs by then if they stick with Dean because of the defense and rebound that he brings make two threes a game dude.

Make two make now and they're going to come early because you're they're going to leave you open early and if you make them early if that first one goes in man.

It changes everything it changes everything.

Jason that's going to wrap it up for this edition of the ultimate Cavaliers show appreciate you joining us this early Cavs take on the magic tonight on ESPN.

It's not a 730 game on national television at least it's not a 1 p.m. game Jason because the Cavaliers have stumped since acquiring Donovan Mitchell at the 1 p.m. ABC game.

So no more of those tonight's a regular 730 tip.

We will see you in exactly one hour and 57 minutes for the ultimate Cleveland Sports so Jason Lloyd Mike McNuggets peace.

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