Key Points
Bullet point summary by AI
- The Cleveland Cavaliers face pivotal decisions with their wing rotation as the playoffs approach.
- Coach Kenny Atkinson leans towards closing games with veteran sharpshooter Max Strus despite strong performances from second-year Jaylon Tyson.
- This strategic choice could critically impact the team's defensive stability and clutch execution in high-stakes games.
Max Strus has only been back with the Cleveland Cavaliers for three games following a foot injury. With a deep wing rotation, the Cavs have managed Strus' absence perfectly fine. However, no player has stepped up more than second-year wing Jaylon Tyson. Despite this, Kenny Atkinson seems primed to close games (and perhaps start games too with Strus), a decision that would come at the expense of Tyson.
“I have such a comfort level with him [Strus],” Atkinson said. “I could see it going any way with him. Maybe starting lineup. Maybe sixth man. We will see how that plays out. But it’s hard not to finish with the guy because he is such a clutch player. We’ll see where it ends up. He has a way of imposing his will and makes you put him in the lineup.”
I'm not saying the Cavs should never close with Strus; he's a fantastic movement shooter, and to Atkinson's point, his playoff experience with the Miami Heat is valuable. Nevertheless, Tyson has proven he is too impactful not to be a regular closer or starter.
Jaylon Tyson is more impactful than Max Strus
On the season, Tyson is averaging 13.1 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 2.2 assists on 49.6/45.4/74.3 shooting splits. As you can see, the Cavs wouldn't be losing much shooting with Tyson. Furthermore, Tyson offers more self-creation and defense than Strus does.
The defensive gap is the most important thing to note. Tyson is both a solid on-ball stopper and a disruptive off-ball defender. Impressively, per Basketball Index, Tyson ranks in the 92nd percentile for perimeter isolation defense. Strus isn't a defensive liability like his reputation might suggest (he actually ranked within the 82nd percentile for this same stat). Nevertheless, Tyson's superior size and length make him better suited to taking on difficult matchups.
For a Cavs team that lacks a clear on-ball stopper, Tyson's presence is especially vital. People too often focus on clutch-time offense, but getting stops down the stretch of games is just as important. And to put together a championship run, the Cavs will need to play Tyson in high-leverage situations.
I'm an advocate for coaches adjusting their closing lineups based on specific games and matchups. If Strus has the hot hand, by all means, close with him, including over Tyson. Regardless, I also believe that most of the time it will benefit the Cavs to close with Tyson, and that Atkinson's stubbornness could hurt the team, especially in the playoffs.
Kenny Atkinson is already showing that he's committed to closing games with Max Strus
While the quote mentioned above was from Wednesday, during Thursday's game, Atkinson proved he is a man of his word. The Cavs found themselves in a surprisingly close game with the Chicago Bulls, and they pulled off a 115-110 win. Nevertheless, Tyson found himself glued to the bench in all of the game's clutch-time minutes with Strus playing for the entire duration of clutch-time.
But wait, it gets worse with more context: Tyson had 18 points (on 8-of-14 shooting), 11 rebounds, and three assists, while Strus was scoreless on 0-of-5 shooting. Furthermore, Donovan Mitchell and Jarrett Allen were hurt, thus closing with Tyson would have been even easier.
I understand playing Keon Ellis due to his elite defense. Regardless, playing Strus and to a lesser extent Sam Merrill (13 points, 3-of-8 3-point shooting) over Tyson is a questionable call. In a March game against a tanking Bulls team, this didn't hurt them, and it might seem like small potatoes.
Once the playoffs roll around, though, Atkinson must put his best five on the court to close games and not remain overly loyal to Strus. Otherwise, the Cavs could be in for another early playoff exit.