Nobody should be surprised that the top two seeds from their respective conferences are meeting in this year’s conference finals including a showdown between the Atlanta Hawks and the Cleveland Cavaliers in the East. LeBron James has helped will his team this far but even without Kevin Love he hasn’t done it alone. Kyrie Irving has been an absolute star this postseason averaging 19.8 points, 3.3 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.2 steals and 2.1 three-point shots per game.
However, Irving has been dealing with tendonitis in his left knee and he tweaked the injury in Game 6 against the Chicago Bulls, which forced him to sit out the entire second half of the series-clinching contest. The Cavaliers are expected to be cautious with the injury and Irving has missed recent practices. That could mean he sits out Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Hawks. If he does, here’s who benefits in terms of fantasy production:
SG: Matthew Dellavedova
The Australian-born shooting guard has had a bit of a coming out party in the playoffs, including a signature effort in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference semifinal after Irving left the game. Dellavedova played a postseason-high 34 minutes and contributed 19 points, three threes, a pair of rebounds and an assist. He’s in line for the biggest jump of anyone on the Cavs if Irving is in fact out or even if he’s not 100%.
SF: LeBron James
Nobody has shouldered a bigger load for the Cavaliers this postseason than LeBron and there is no reason to expect he won’t step up his game again if Irving is out for the series opener versus Atlanta. LeBron has averaged 26.5 points, 10.2 rebounds, 7.9 assists, 1.9 steals and 1.6 blocks per game in these playoffs and if Irving is sidelined, he will need to take on an even bigger role as a primary ball handler. That would both create for himself and for his teammates. LeBron has played at a very high level for Cleveland this postseason and if Irving is out, we can expect him at his very best again.
SG: J.R. Smith
Smith has quietly been a very good player for the Cavaliers this postseason, including a quality performance in Game 6 against Chicago in which he scored 12 points with eight rebounds, two assists, a block, a steal and three three-point shots. Cleveland has relied on Smith’s shooting ability – especially from the perimeter where he can stretch opposing defenses. With Irving potentially out and LeBron as the primary ball handler, we can count on plenty of drives to the net with the ball kicked out to an open Smith beyond the arc. LeBron will need a monster performance to win Game 1 without Irving but Smith will also have to be at his best in a bigger role.
SG: Iman Shumpert
Shumpert has already started a handful of games for the Cavaliers in these playoffs and if Irving can’t go, there is a good chance he will tag in as the team’s starting point guard for Game 1 against Atlanta. Shumpert has averaged 10.4 points, 4.9 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 1.2 steals and 1.6 three-point shots in 10 games for Cleveland this postseason. There is every reason to expect him to top those averages with increased minutes in Game 1 especially if Irving isn’t available to play.
C: Timofey Mozgov
Scoring is at a premium in the playoffs and without both Love and Irving that will mean more production will be needed from the bench and a player like Mozgov. Tristan Thompson has held his own in the starting five since Love went down but there will be more production needed from Mozgov if he comes off the bench to help with some secondary offense. Mike Miller and James Jones could also play bigger roles but it’s Mozgov that has averaged 8.5 points, 7.1 rebounds with 2.2 blocks and 0.6 assists so far this postseason. The Cavaliers will need him to be able to help them in the paint at both ends of the floor if Irving isn’t able to play.
