Kyrie Irving: To rest or not to rest
Cleveland Cavaliers fans have been going crazy this past week, over the fact that the organization is planning on resting star point guard Kyrie Irving until January, after suffering a fractured kneecap in last year’s finals. Isn’t this a good thing though? Kyrie Irving has been in the league since 2011 and every year he has to sit out a number
of games due to injury. Let’s face it - this guy needs to give his body a break. The Cavs allowing him to rest an extra few months is exactly what he needs.
With more time to recover, a healthy Kyrie Irving in the playoffs should be a dream come true for the Cavs. It’s not like the team really needs him in the early part of the season. In case you forgot they have a guy named Lebron, some would say he’s pretty good. Not to mention last year in January they were a dismal 19-20, yet finished second in the East. Holding out Kyrie is actually one of the smarter decisions this organization has made in a few years.
Lebron and Kevin Love will have to carry most of the workload at first. During this time Lebron will grow to trust Love more than he did last year, also it will give Love a chance to regain his confidence. As the second scoring option on the team, Love’s offensive game will finally re-emerge, and this will open new doors for the Cavs.
Also, in the absence of Irving, the Cavs can utilize Mo Williams, a key addition in the off-season. Last year Williams averaged 14 points a game along with 6 assists for the Timberwolves. If Kyrie unfortunately ends up getting hurt yet again towards the end of the season, it will be important to have a point guard with as much experience as Williams has. Mo Williams actually played for the Cavs a few years back and helped lead them to one of the most successful seasons in team history. Unlike when Kyrie went down last year in the Finals and the Cavs had to start a unit that was unfamiliar with playing with each other, they will now have a chance to practice for a worst case scenario.
This will also give backup point guards Matthew Dellavedova and Joe Harris an opportunity to get some playing time. More playing time for them is great because it gives them a chance to get better and become used to the game. With depth on the bench at the point position, the Cavs will be able to rest Kyrie even more when he comes back.
The only downside to this is the fatigue it will put on Lebron. After playing in the Finals for 5 straight years, Lebron has put so many extra miles on his body that it’s beginning to show. With Kyrie sitting out, Lebron will have to put even more stress on his body. Hopefully for Cavs fans that this doesn’t wear him down so much that he begins to develop injuries. Playing in the East is such an advantage though that maybe Lebron doesn’t have to increase his workload.
In the end, holding out on Kyrie is a great idea. Once he does come back the team will be stronger than ever. It will be easy for Kyrie to reassert himself into the team and the Cavs will be a dominant force.