Cleveland Cavaliers could use LeBron, other all-time best players | Oller Second Thoughts
The Cleveland Cavaliers are on the verge of NBA playoff elimination, trailing the Boston Celtics 3-1 in the best-of-seven second-round series.
What the Cavs need is an influx of franchise-framing talent, including a healthy Donovan Mitchell, who sat out Monday’s Game 4 loss with an injured calf.
Think what the Cavs could do if they had these five players deemed the best at each position. (Note: a player must have spent at least two seasons in Cleveland to qualify)
Point guard: Kyrie Irving
A difficult choice between Irving and Mark Price was decided by one shot: Irving’s go-ahead 3-pointer over Steph Curry with 53 seconds left that lifted Cleveland over Golden State in Game 7 of the 2016 NBA Finals, giving the city its first team championship in a major sport since 1964.
Irving averaged 21.6 points, 5.5 assists and shot .457 in six seasons in Cleveland. (Price, who averaged 16.4, 7.2 and shot .479 in nine seasons with the Cavs, would make the “best five” list if eliminating positions).
Shooting guard: Donovan Mitchell
It took only two seasons for Mitchell to move onto the all-time list, bumping Austin Carr along the way. Mitchell is averaging 27.5 points for the Wine and Gold, tops in franchise history. He also averages 5.2 assists and 4.6 rebounds while shooting .378 from 3-point range.
Small/Point forward: LeBron James
The most impactful player to hit Cleveland since Jim Brown, King James ranks among the best in NBA history, his name mentioned in the same sentence with Michael Jordan, Bill Russell, Larry Bird and Kobe Bryant. After returning to Cleveland following his infamous “Decision,” James made amends by joining with Irving and Kevin Love to help bring the city its first major championship in 52 years. Combining his two different stints with the Cavs, James averaged 27.2 points, 7.3 rebounds and 7.3 assists, and twice was named league MVP.
Power forward: Larry Nance Sr.
As missing pieces go, Nance ranks up there with James, Irving and Love as essential parts that turned good teams into title contenders. Unfortunately for Nance and the Cavs, the road to an NBA championship went through Chicago, where Michael Jordan was always waiting. Still, when Nance went to Cleveland via trade with Phoenix during the 1987-88 season, he brought a needed spark. Teaming with Price, Brad Daugherty and John “Hot Rod” Williams, the Cavs became one of the best teams not named the Bulls. Nance averaged 16.8 points and 8.2 rebounds in seven seasons in Cleveland.
Center: Brad Daugherty
As Cleveland’s preeminent big man for a decade, the No. 1 pick of the 1986 draft averaged 19.0 points and 9.5 rebounds over eight seasons (he spent 10 years on the roster but did not play his final two seasons due to back problems). Daugherty was a five-time All-Star who averaged a double-double his last four seasons. Upon his retirement in 1997 he was the Cavs’ all-time leading scorer and rebounder.
Second team
Mark Price (PG), Austin Carr (SG), Kevin Love (PF), Campy Russell (SF) Zydrunas Ilgauskas (center).
Honorable mention
Darius Garland (PG), Bingo Smith (SG) Mike Mitchell (SF), Kenny Carr (PF), Jim Chones (C).
Scottie Scheffler vs. Rory McIlroy at PGA Championship
How to handicap this week’s PGA Championship best bets? I have two golfers who are on a roll – Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy – vying for the title, along with Wyndham Clark, Brooks Koepka and PGA Tour rookie Ludvig Aberg.
The most entertaining finish would be seeing Scheffler, who has won four of his past five starts and has to be the favorite, come down the stretch at Valhalla against McIlroy, who has won his past two starts.
Koepka is always a threat to win the PGA championship, having won three already. And he is coming off a win in his latest LIV start. Clark seems always in the mix of late, and Aberg is a fast-rising phenom.
Listening in
“Pat was a stitch. … running around like he was on recess in elementary school.” – Jim Tressel, explaining on his podcast, "All about the team," how during his one season with the Indianapolis Colts he enjoyed watching punter Pat McAfee, now a hotshot at ESPN, have fun on the job.
Off-topic
I don’t have grandchildren yet, but I have a granddog, and Nelson the Goldendoodle visited his extended family over the weekend. Dog behavior fascinates me. From sniffing every tree to barking at nothing in particular to looking at you with those sad eyes, man’s best friend provides free entertainment, not to mention an appreciated early-morning walking workout.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: LeBron James, other Cavaliers greats would give team NBA playoff spark
