NBA scores 2016: The Cavaliers’ bench has to get better this season

Cleveland’s substitutes just aren’t deep enough.

Dec 30, 2016, 1:00 PM UTC

NBA: Boston Celtics at Cleveland Cavaliers

Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports

The Cavaliers were in the middle of blowing the 18-point lead with which they started the fourth quarter against the Celtics, and there was really no reason for it. After the game — a Cleveland win — LeBron James said he deserved a failing grade for his eight turnovers. Could you blame him if he was just tired, though?

James played 43 minutes on Thursday in a regular season game, and Kyrie Irving ended up with 41 himself. It came against an Eastern Conference rival with the Cavaliers wanting room to breathe in the standings, so Tyronn Lue had reasons for extending his stars. But you have to wonder about the effects of playing them so much this early — especially James, who is averaging 37 minutes after six straight runs to the Finals.

Cleveland’s bench is turning into a problem. The three players who come off of it — Iman Shumpert, Channing Frye and Richard Jefferson — all do fine work, but that’s not enough. DeAndre Liggins, a great story but a player who might not even be a rotation piece, is now starting for the team now that J.R. Smith went down with a thumb injury that will keep him out three months. There’s not really anyone else to turn to.

So that’s why James and Irving are racking up minute totals in the mid-40s despite the Cavaliers being a runaway to win the Eastern Conference, and that also might be why Cleveland is nearly losing 18-point leads in the fourth quarter. With about five minutes left, the Celtics had cut the lead to five, and with 2:15 in the game, Avery Bradley’s shot cut it to just one.

Give the Cavaliers credit for rallying back, with Cleveland scoring on the next six possessions (three layups followed by three trips to the free throw line) to close out the game. Boston had one chance to go ahead when Jae Crowder attempted an open triple with eight seconds left, but the shot clanked away and the Cavaliers’ lead held for the 124-118 victory.

The Cavaliers were squeaking by before the Smith injury, but now they have a real life bench problem. They need to make a move, and fortunately, that’s doable — they have a $9.6-million trade exception from when they dumped Anderson Varejao last season, and they can free up a roster spot by waiving Mo Williams, who’s in a weird limbo state right now. There are veterans out there who would join the Cavaliers in a heartbeat, and the only limit is how much Cleveland is willing to spend when they’re already deep in the luxury tax.

For now, Cleveland is still “scraping by” with a record of 24-7 on the season. They’ve rested their starters a couple times already this season, too. But getting James and Irving more rest during games is important, too. We know what the Cavaliers are really playing for this season, and it’s not anything happening in December.

Westbrook’s ejection prompts him questioning the referees

Russell Westbrook is piling up triple-doubles this season with the same speed he splits a double team, but Thursday was a small hiccup. After a subpar first half by his standards, Westbrook picked up two quick technical fouls through the third quarter and was ejected with his worst statline of the year: 21 points, five rebounds, zero assists and six turnovers.

“Honestly, it’s crazy to be ejected like that, especially when I didn’t do nothing,” Westbrook told reporters afterwards. “It’s just crazy, man. Especially for me, because I feel like I don’t get the benefit of the doubt most of the time, especially throughout the game with refs. I get so many techs just for talking.”

Westbrook’s two techs were his ninth and 10th of the year, meaning he’s six technical fouls away from an automatic one-game suspension. Naturally, that’s bad for the Thunder, who can’t survive without him. They were already losing on Thursday, but Westbrook’s departure quickly sunk them against the Grizzlies in a 114-80 blowout. Any game he misses will be a chore for Oklahoma City to even stay competitive.

Still, the Thunder do seem locked into a top-seven playoff spot in the Western Conference — right now, they’re in a three-way tie for No. 5 along with Memphis. With Memphis and Utah getting healthier, it’s an uphill climb to stay even with them. Either way, the Thunder still have a 5½-game lead over the eighth seed, which is shaping out to be one of the more pitiful playoff races we’ve had in recent memory.

Westbrook is still averaging a triple-double for the season, even with his goose egg in assists on Thursday, and the Thunder are 12-3 when he records one. As long as Westbrook can keep going, so can Oklahoma City. But he should mellow out a little with the technicals, because the Thunder can’t afford to lose him even for a game.