SH Blog: Cavaliers’ veterans want rotation expanded, Nick U’ren’s idea leads to Warriors’ victory

“Tonight was the third game in five days, including the trip back from the West Coast, and it seemed to have an impact on us, yes,” Coach David Blatt responded to a question on whether the team was fatigued following a 21-point loss Thursday to the Golden State Warriors.

With forward LeBron James averaging 45-plus minutes a game and guard Matthew Dellavedova playing just north of 38 minutes per contest since Game 2, many of the Cavaliers players looked tired and  veterans on the team believe Blatt should expand the rotation. From ESPN’s Brian Windhorst:

Blatt played only seven players in Game 4 before clearing the bench in the fourth quarter when the game turned into a blowout. He played eight in the first three games with Mike Miller getting a few minutes in Games 2 and 3. With several players, James and Dellavedova especially, looking worn down from the demands in the playoffs, players have begun to privately grumble that Blatt needs to use his whole roster.

With Warriors coach Steve Kerr going to a perimeter-heavy offense with Andre Iguodala in for Andrew Bogut, the feel is Blatt could take another look at Miller and perhaps give veteran Shawn Marion, who has yet to play in the series, a look. With the Warriors’ depth on the wing, the Cavs ended up being stretched exceedingly thin.

Several sources said Marion, who already has announced he’ll retire following the season, is especially itching to get a chance. He’s recently been bothered by a calf injury and also dealt with a hip injury in the regular season but is healthy and able to go.

Dellavedova, who stayed overnight at a hospital following Game 3’s win due to dehydration, looked like he hadn’t fully recovered Thursday night. The Cavaliers guard shot 3-of-14 in Game 4 and didn’t seem to have the legs to keep up defensively with Warrior’s guard Stephen Curry.

James, who received stitches to his head due to a cut he suffered from a camera in the second quarter, said “it would help some of the guys that are playing some high minutes,” if the Cavaliers’ rotation was expanded. James did say it would be Blatt’s decision to make:

That’s the coach’s decision if he decides he wants to go deeper in the bench. We haven’t played many guys throughout this playoff run. Just give guys a couple minutes here, a couple minutes there. But I think the coaching staff will try to do what’s best to help us be physically and mentally prepared for Sunday.

Nick U’ren’s idea leads to Warriors’ Victory

Many noticed forward Andre Iguodala making his first start of the season for Golden State in Game 4’s victory, an adjustment coach Steve Kerr is giving Nick U’ren recognition for.

U’ren is a special assistant to Kerr and according to the head coach, the 28-year-old is responsible for coming up with the idea of replacing Bogut with Iguodala. According to Yahoo Sports Marc J. Spears, Kerr wanted to make sure U’ren got credit for the line-up alteration and has more of the story:

U’Ren suggested the drastic lineup change for the Warriors – starting Andre Iguodala in place of center Andrew Bogut – that helped them beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 103-82 and even the NBA Finals at two games apiece Thursday night, Kerr felt it was only right to give U’Ren a shout-out.

“He’s behind the bench, he’s 28 years old, he’s a kid,” Kerr said. “We have a staff that is very cooperative. Whoever has the idea, it doesn’t matter. And he brought me the idea.”

Curry seemed to not have a problem with Kerr making a change with the starting line-up. “It made sense when he told us because we’ve been getting off to such slow starts,” the 2015 MVP said.

Iguodala had quite the game for his first start of the season. The Olympic-gold medalist and one-time All-Star played 39 minutes and scored 22 points, including four 3-pointers made and grabbed eight rebounds.

Iguodala is credited for slowing James down in Game 4. James entered Thursday night on an incredible Finals pace, averaging 41 points, 12 rebounds and 8.3 assists through three contests. However, Iguodala, who was responsible for guarding James for a majority of the night, held James to 20 points on 7-of-22 shooting:

“Coach Kerr did a great job of mixing the lineup up,” James said. “They have so many different interchangeable players where he can decide how he wants to go with his lineups in that nature, and to start Andre tonight gave them that boost.”

Kerr said Iguodala has been the best player for the Warriors this series and had continually praised him throughout the season for accepting the sixth-man role.

With Golden State’s 102-83 victory Thursday night, the Warriors and Cavaliers are headed back to Oakland Sunday with the series tied at two apiece. Who would have thought Golden State would have a 28 year-old special assistant to thank for that.

Other News From Around the League:

• The Milwaukee Bucks traded forward Ersan Ilyasova to the Detriot Pistons Thursday for Caron Butler and Shawne Williams, according to Yahoo Sports Adrian Wojnarowski: “The acquisition of Ilyasova will give the Pistons a strong complement to center Andre Drummond, largely because of his ability to stretch out onto the perimeter and make jump shots. The Pistons are preparing for the fact that they could well lose Greg Monroe as an unrestricted free agent this summer.”

• It doesn’t seem like the Milwaukee Bucks are done making moves this off season. According to ESPN’s Marc Stein the Bucks are targeting centers Brooke Lopez and Tyson Chandler.
  

  Two free agents Milwaukee intends to pursue in July according to ESPN sources: Big men Tyson Chandler and Brook Lopez

  — Marc Stein (@ESPNSteinLine) June 12, 2015

• Seven-time NBA champion Robert Horry is known for his ability to come up clutch in the most pressurized situations, earning him the nick name “Big Shot Bob.” Horry is also known for his candor and telling it how it really is. In a very telling piece he wrote for The Player’s Tribune, Horry opens up about playing with the Houston Rockets, a young Kobe Bryant and why he left the Lakers hating them so bad. The former Laker doesn’t hold any punches. Read more: I said, “I know I make too much money and I know you’ve got a hard-on for Karl Malone.” They had been wanting him for five years, ever since Phil got there. I’m a realist. Tell me like it is and I will respect you more, just don’t go behind my back. I told them I’d stay for $2 million, but they weren’t interested. All I asked them was to allow me to find a team before the money dried up and not to wait until the last day to release me. They told me, “We won’t do you like that.” […] Well, they didn’t do me like that. They waited until the next to last day to release me. This is what athletes mean when they say, “It’s a business.” Hell yes, we make a ton of money to play a silly-ass kid’s game. But even if you’re the hero, even if you hit one of the biggest shots in franchise history and win multiple titles, your ass can be out the door the next day. […] I actually have five NBA titles thanks to the Lakers. Three from playing with the team, and two from them showing me the door.”

• Mavericks forward Chandler Parsons is expected to carry more of the offensive load in the 2015-2016, Earl K. Sneed reported for Mavs.com: “His game has grown a lot,” Mavs coach Rick Carlisle said while praising Parsons’ versatility in his first season with the team. “He’s not only a shooter and a scorer, but he’s a playmaker. He’s a defender and a rebounder. He’s one of our best all-around players. As the season went on, his responsibilities grew. And they will continue to grow going forward. This period where he’s going to have surgery and recover, there are going to be plenty of things that he can do to refine his game, even if he’s not on the court going 100 percent. I’ve had long discussions with him about that. There will be no time wasted, and he will continue to get better and be one of the best young players in the game.”

• The Utah Jazz will pursue free agent Paul Millsap this off-season, Andy Larsen of KSL.com reports: “Maybe Paul Millsap’s time in a Jazz uniform hasn’t come to an end. Spencer Checketts, son of former Jazz president Dave Checketts and radio show host for team-owned radio station 1280 AM The Zone, reported on Twitter on Friday that the Jazz “will actively pursue” the former Jazzman in free agency.”

Odus Evbagharu is a blogger for Sheridan Hoops and you can follow him on Twitter: @iamodus_