National Basketball Association

Major Key Alert: The four-pronged key to the Big Three's ultimate success

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

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The Cleveland Cavaliers will go as far as the Big Three can take them but how far can the Big Three go?

The Cleveland Cavaliers are officially embarking on their quest to defend their NBA throne. Tonight will be a special moment in Cleveland history as the Cleveland Cavaliers raise their first NBA Finals banner. A Finals series that the Cavs won in historic fashion.

The Big Three has come back looking revitalized and healthier than ever. Kevin Love looks like he’s continued to slim down but has added muscle that will help him be more efficient when he’s down low with the big men. LeBron James looks good in general. He’s flying around the court making plays like he’s in his early 20s again. Kyrie Irving hasn’t had the best production on the preseason courts but he won the starting point guard spot for Team USA this summer in the 2016 Rio Olympics. He also won a gold medal while showing the offensive moves that have captivated the Cleveland hopeful since his NBA induction and an increased intent on passing the ball.

The team has added important pieces. A shooter in Mike Dunleavy Jr., a speedy point guard in Kay Felder, and a rim-protecting center in Chris Andersen. However, the Cavs will only go as far as the Big Three takes them. The question is how far they can go after two seasons of questions about whether or not they all fit together. Yet, the question isn’t if they fit. The question is will they score enough points individually to stay content as a unit. For the last two years, that hasn’t seemed to be the case.

However, with a focus on four basic tenets of basketball, the Cavs Big Three won’t have to question if everyone has scored enough anymore.

May 6, 2015; Cleveland, OH, USA; Chicago Bulls forward Taj Gibson (22) fights for position with Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) and center Tristan Thompson (13) during the second quarter in game two of the second round of the NBA Playoffs at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports

Rebound

For the Cleveland Cavaliers to get the most shot opportunities possible, they’ll need to control the glass and rebound the ball. This shouldn’t be an issue at all.

In the starting lineup, the Cleveland Cavaliers have the best offensive rebounder in the league in Tristan Thompson. Thompson averaged 3.3 offensive rebounds and 9.0 total rebounds per game last season. This season, Thompson should have an increased role and play more than 27.7 minutes per game. Per 36 minutes, Thompson averaged 4.3 offensive rebounds and 11.7 total rebounds last year. Per 36 numbers aren’t an exact science but it’s a fair illustration of what to expect from Thompson if he sees more time on the floor. Love is also an exceptional rebounder and pulled down 9.9 rebounds per game last season. However, Love has averaged as many as 15.1 rebounds per season.

When looking at the teams that had the most field goal attempts, they also had some of the best rebounding numbers. For instance, the Boston Celtics were sixth in the league in total rebounds last year with 44.9 and led the league in field goal attempts with 89.2. The Oklahoma City Thunder were first in the league in total rebounds with 48.6 and seventh in the league in field goal attempts with 86.4. The correlation between rebounds and field goal attempts is there. If the Cavs want to feed all of the mouth (or hot hands) on their team the first step is to clean the glass.

Make Quick Decisions

The Cleveland Cavaliers can also get more shots up by making quicker decisions with the ball in their hands. Furthermore, attacking before the defense can get their feet set increases the chances that the Cavs will score efficiently. Players like Irving and James will have the ball in their hands the most because they’re the primary playmakers. Last year, when they ran downhill right at defenses they couldn’t be stopped. Especially James. However, every player should be ready to shoot, pass, or drive within their first couple of seconds as the Cavs work the ball around the court.

Last year, the Sacramento Kings played at the fastest pace in the league. This is important because the Kings starting lineup last year was similar to the Cleveland Cavaliers, with the exception of Rajon Rondo. In contrast, the San Antonio Spurs played at one of the slowest paces in the league. This is important because the Cleveland Cavaliers are mimicking the ball-movement made popular by the Spurs’ offensive system. If the Cleveland Cavaliers move the ball like the Spurs but get out and run like the Sacramento Kings, there is one other team that they could resemble. The Golden State Warriors. The Warriors scored 114.9 points per game last year compared to 104.3 points per game from the Cavaliers.

Those extra ten points spread out evenly between the Big Three would put the trio near or above their career-averages.

Create Turnovers

For the Cleveland Cavaliers, defense will be key as they try to repeat as NBA champions. One of the oldest adages is that defense wins championships. Indeed, the Cavs beat the Golden State Warriors in the NBA Finals in what is one of the most memorable Game 7’s ever. The game came down to three plays for the Cavaliers. Two of them were defensive stops. Playing exceptional defense not only insulates the Cleveland Cavaliers from what may end up being a bad shooting night, it creates points for them as well. As the Cleveland Cavaliers get extra possessions to try to score, the Big Three will thrive as they each increase their scoring averages from last year.

The Cleveland Cavaliers are a team that doesn’t have a bevy of exceptional man-to-man defenders. However, they have a plethora of players with length, positional versatility, veteran experience, and intelligence. That will allow the Cavs to be one of the best defensive teams in the league if they work like a hand in a glove. For his part, James prefers to roam and play free safety in order to take advantage of errant passes. Irving has become proficient at poking the ball away from ball-handlers when they have their back turned. Love has become an expert at sliding in front of the rim and taking the charge.

The players around them must be aware of the Big Three’s defensive strengths and try to suffocate their man as much as possible to cause mistakes that the team can take advantage of.

Run, Run, Run

The Cleveland Cavaliers most efficient scoring this season could come in transition.

Within the Big Three, the Cavs have three of the best fast break players in the NBA. James is devastating in transition and can seemingly finish from any angle above-the-rim. Irving is “The Ankletaker” and that nickname shouldn’t be taken lightly. Neither should his less-flashy nickname, “the Layup King”. Love can throw outlet passes that would make Tom Brady blush. Then he can pull-up from behind the line for a barrage of threes in transition.

Anytime the Cleveland Cavaliers can get out and run, they should. While they’re an incredible offensive team in the halfcourt, they’re nearly unstoppable on the fast break. The Cavs ability to thrive in transition opportunities extends far past the Big Three. The team has an array of long-distance snipers who can function as trailers. To this point, Dunleavy Jr., J.R. Smith, Channing Frye, and Richard Jefferson are especially important. Young legs like those of Felder, Jordan McRae and Iman Shumpert will be important as well as the team attacks the rim on the fast break.

June 2, 2016; Oakland, CA, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) speaks to media following the 110-77 loss against Golden State Warriors in game two of the NBA Finals at Oracle Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

The Cleveland Cavaliers start their first game of the season in a few hours.

Their performance against the New York Knicks will be meaningful. Not only are they playing a team who has built itself into a “win-now” squad in order to compete with them in the Eastern Conference, they get to see how their team looks in a game where Lue will use a regular rotation.

Smith will get to prove that he’s worthy every cent of his $57 million contract. Thompson begins this season as the starter after starting last season on the bench in favor of Timofey Mozgov. Felder is out. However, Shumpert is being put in a position to showcase his value for the Cleveland Cavaliers and 29 other teams.

Still, in this contest, the performance of the Big Three is of the utmost importance. Like all games for the Cleveland Cavaliers, James, Irving and Love will be the focal point. If they focus on these four keys to their success, they’ll take the team right back to the NBA Finals.