Given the nickname of J.R. Swish, J.R. Smith has never been afraid of putting the ball up, with Cavaliers’ head coach David Blatt encouraging him to shoot more often. Smith’s streaky nature makes that prospect a sketchy proposition.
In the 23 games Smith has played for the Cavs this season, he’s been in the starting lineup each time. On 12 of those occasions, he’s scored in double figures, including 14 against Golden State. However, something of a statistical oddity shows that Cleveland is better off when Smith doesn’t score 10 points or more. In those 12 games, the Cavaliers have a weak 5-7 mark, but when Smith scores less than 10, they’ve been virtually unbeatable at 14-1. That lone loss came in the season opener at Chicago.
Reducing Smith’s minutes would obviously address the issue, but the debate over whether Iman Shumpert is better in a starting role than coming off the bench is something the Cavs may end up having to consider.
Next: Cavs Need Consistent Shooting from Kevin Love
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