Chris Fedor: 'It’s time to swap out rugged young swingman Isaac Okoro and replace him with the more versatile LeVert – even though Bickerstaff said publicly following Thursday’s practice he wasn’t considering any changes.'
Numbers can be noisy this time of year. These are such small sample sizes. And matchups can change in a blink based on an adjustment or two. But in 15 total minutes -- 13 of which came in Tuesday’s series-tying triumph -- Cleveland is outscoring New York by 60.7 points per 100 possessions with those five players on the court together.
Tuesday night encapsulated why the Cavs were once so intrigued by the “death lineup,” seeing it as the best startingThat fivesome brings a little bit of everything. Spacing. Shooting. Multiple creators. Five offensive threats. Pressure on the paint. Passing. Finishing. Defense. Versatility. Perimeter feistiness. Rim protection. Length. Athleticism. Speed. Quickness. Toughness.The Knicks’ defense can’t ignore LeVert. His defender can’t roam, helping clog the paint.
The other part of the game plan is hounding Brunson all 94 feet when he has the ball. Sometimes there was another defender when Brunson crossed halfcourt as well, giving the Knicks a taste of their blitz-heavy medicine.“Our guys have just done a good job of accepting the challenge,” Bickerstaff said. “We know what he’s capable of. We know how good he is and how he can impact the game.”
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