If Cavs' coach Byron Scott is leaning toward changing his starting lineup, he's handling the move like Eric Mangini confirms quarterback decisions.
View full sizeJoey Graham (12, driving on Philadelphia's Andres Nocioni) is a candidate for the starting lineup this week with the Cavaliers, although it will be his defense that might earn him the chance, and not his offense. INDEPENDENCE, Ohio -- If Cavs' coach Byron Scott is leaning toward changing his starting lineup, he's handling the move like Eric Mangini confirms quarterback decisions.
Asked after practice Monday whether fans can expect to see a new face in the starting five Tuesday in Indiana, Scott kept his plans on the "QT."
"That I don't know. I'll let you know tomorrow," he said.
He was pressed. Thinking about it?
"Yes, I am."
At forward?
"I won't say which," he said with a smile that suggested a mind already made up. "I'm thinking about it."
The Cavs (5-7) head to Indianapolis fresh off a rude two-game road trip in which they allowed 108 points in New Orleans and 116 in San Antonio.
If Scott's mantra is "effort and intensity," that lack of defense won't fly. At least it didn't Monday. The team watched game film from the Spurs' loss, then focused on communicating better on defense -- calling out positioning and coverages, making sure teammates know where they're supposed to be.
"If we played like we played in practice today, teams would probably average about 90, 92 points against us instead of 100," said Scott, who was pleased with the result. "It's that big of a deal."
Heading into Monday night's game in Miami, Indiana (5-6) had averaged just over 100 points per game. The Pacers aren't among the Hornets-Spurs elite, but defense is defense.
"Like I told them," Scott said, "until they start getting upset with each other about guys not doing the things they're supposed to do -- and when they do start getting upset and really holding each other accountable -- then we will start growing as a basketball team."
At this point, he said, only 12-year pro Antawn Jamison, the team's most seasoned player, has been comfortable being that guy.
"And we probably need a couple of more guys to start doing that," Scott said.
Whether the need for stingier defense and more vocal leaders dictates a change in the starting lineup -- possibly Joey Graham for Jamario Moon at small forward -- remains to be seen.
Moon, averaging 6.3 points per game this season, hadn't been told of a pending switch, but said he was fine coming off the bench if that was the decision.
"If coach figures he needs to go with a different lineup to give us a better chance to win or whatever, it is what it is," he said. "It's not for me to think about it. I still have to do my job."
If the 6-7, 230-pound Graham, who adds a bit more bulk and sturdiness to the position, was told to be ready to start, he wasn't letting on entirely.
"A possibility," he said. "No telling right now."
If Graham does get the start, he'd have to face Pacers' 6-9 forward Danny Granger, who scorched the Cavs for 34 points in 39 minutes earlier this month. They entered the NBA together. Graham said he's very familiar with Granger's game -- and he's a man with a plan.
"A lot of guys in the league, no matter who it is, if they're a scorer, they don't like to be uncomfortable," he said. "I'm going to crowd him. I'm going to make sure he's very uncomfortable with shooting shots and make sure he just shoots a lot of tough shots. And we're going to throw numbers at him. It's not going to be me, per se, on him. It's going to be a group of guys."
Easy does it: Extra-large sheets of bubble wrap might help.
The Cavs aren't taking any chances with Anderson Varejao's tender ribs. The 6-11 center practiced Monday, with none of his trademark "Wild Thing"-type diving and banging allowed.
"We're keeping him out of all contact," Scott said. "So he got all the running done and all that, he got his free throws in. He got some of his post moves, some of his jump shots, but when we're going live, five-on-five contact, we're keeping him out of that right now."
Varejao suffered bruised ribs in a game against New Jersey on Nov. 10, which kept him out of the first Cavs-Pacers meeting this season.
No apologies: Ryan Hollins, the Cavs' 7-0, 240-pound center, isn't known necessarily as an enforcer, but his two recent flagrant fouls threaten to remake his reputation. Neither were intentional, he said, just a byproduct of the game. Not that he's backing off from setting the tone with physical play underneath.
"Definitely, as a five-man that's your job to protect the middle and not give up layups," he said. "I feel like I can definitely do a better job of that and, me being thin ... maybe my size surprises people, but I'm going to get down there and bang and hit with people."
Round two: When the Cavs and Pacers last met, on Nov. 13 at The Q, they went into halftime tied at 54. The Cavs were then outscored, 45-31, in a second-half collapse, losing, 99-85.