King James Gospel Roundtable Discussion: Week 7
Dec 25, 2016; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (32) celebrates with guard Kyrie Irving (2) after dunking against the Golden State Warriors at Quicken Loans Arena. Cleveland defeats Golden State 109-108. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports
Did you love the Christmas Day game or did you love the Christmas Day game?
Dan Galinsky: I LOVED that Christmas Day game. For the Cavs to be able to take the hearts out of the Warriors again, that is just too great. With the new Star Wars movie out and us being the good guys, it was just too sweet. You can’t say enough about the progression of Uncle Drew (Kyrie Irving) enough as far as him becoming one of the best point guards in the game. I’m personally a massive CP3 fan, but if Kyrie keeps improving his passing/defensive consistency, the sky’s the limit. Iman Shumpert and DeAndre Liggins are going to need to keep being the defensive stoppers with J.R. Smith out. If this team gets one more piece, watch out Steph.Simon Hannig: I loved every minute of that game. Warriors fans should be worried their two time MVP had to be benched where Irving scored the game winner. Not even James Harden gets benched for that.Jackson Flickinger: I LOVED the Christmas Day game. Everything that the Warriors didn’t want to happen occurred in that game. Golden State didn’t want to blow another lead to the Cavs, that happened. They didn’t want their two-time MVP to disappear again while on the same court as LeBron. They didn’t want Kevin Durant to dominate for 40 minutes then disappear in crunch time. And they definitely did not want to see Irving make another game winning shot against them.The Cavs bullied the Warriors once again.The unsung hero for Cleveland once again was Tristan Thompson. Golden State still doesn’t have an answer for him on the glass. The Cavs were able to overcome a terrible day shooting by grabbing so many extra possessions.The Cavs are still in the Warriors’ heads. Golden State outplayed the Cavs once again but they couldn’t get the win. That is certainly a cause for concern if you’re the Warriors.Daniel Opacich: I was pleasantly surprised that the Cavs not only kept up with the Warriors but played tougher than them on many levels. A great showcase that gives the team confidence when we play them in the Finals.Next: What Do The Cavs Miss The Most When LeBron Sits
Dec 21, 2016; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward Richard Jefferson (24) argues with referee David Guthrie (16) during the second half at Quicken Loans Arena. The Cavs won 113-102. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports
What is the team’s biggest weakness when LeBron rests?
Dan Galinsky: When LeBron is out of the game, you’re missing your EVERYTHING. How does one quantify what the best player in the league can do on the floor? Man I’m stumped here, still. The plus-minus statistics throughout LBJ’s career when he’s not on the floor are staggering. You saw it last night; the ball sticks when James isn’t out there. There are tangible losses to point production, fastbreak production, and defensive efficiency when LBJ is not playing. That said, Kyrie needs to demonstrate ability to galvanize his unit when LBJ is on the bench. He’s a great player but if he wants to cement his legacy as an All-Timer, Irving needs to get his other guys involved when he penetrates.Simon Hannig: Offensive flow.Jackson Flickinger: The team’s biggest weakness is that LeBron isn’t on the floor. That sounds obvious but it’s true. The Cavs entire team operates around James. When he isn’t out there, they can’t play the same way at all. You can’t change the entire way that the team plays for just a couple of throw away games.Daniel Opacich: It seems that with Kylie as the only penetrating threat, teams can camp out at the perimeter and keep our strength (three-pointers) at bay. This shows that the team needs another dominant slasher, whether that be a backup point guard or ball-handling wing.Next: Who Is Your Top Trade Target?
Feb 8, 2016; Cleveland, OH, USA; Sacramento Kings center Kosta Koufos (41) rebounds in the fourth quarter against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports
Give me a name, who do you want on this team the most?
Dan Galinsky: Santa’s belated wishlist: I would definitely go with Nerlens Noel here (I guess pun-intended). Noel is one of the best pure defenders in the league. He is just what we needed in that he’s a fantastic rim-protector and solid rebounder. For whatever reason, Philadelphia has three of the more promising young big men in the Association on their roster. Noel is the least developed of the three, which is not ideal. However, that makes the trade possibility more realistic, and with so much natural athleticism, he would be dynamite for the Cavs second unit. In the playoffs, teams actually play defense on a consistent basis. I’d be interested to see what it would take to get him, obviously, but the upside is there.Simon Hannig: I’ve got two: Rudy Gay and P.J. Tucker.Jackson Flickinger: I’ve always been intrigued with the idea of making a trade for Ben McLemore and Kosta Koufos from the Sacramento Kings. The Cavs need another shooter and they have no depth at center. This helps with both. McLemore hasn’t been great this season but I believe a change of scenery could really help him. Koufos wouldn’t be brought to Cleveland to play big minutes, he would essentially act as insurance in case of an injury similar to what Mo Williams did for the team last year.Daniel Opacich: Ricky Rubio, but we don’t have the ammunition.Next: Iman Buckets?
Nov 1, 2016; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Iman Shumpert (4) defended by Houston Rockets guard Tyler Ennis (6) in the second half at Quicken Loans Arena. Cleveland won 128-120. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports
Is Iman Shumpert capable of being the Jimmy Butler-like player that LeBron thinks he can be?
Dan Galinsky: I love Shump and all he brings to the table when he’s healthy. It’s clear that he is one of those “glue guys” that you need in your locker room if you want to win a championship. It takes both team and on-ball defense to win titles (especially titles plural). Shump is also having a career year in terms of his shooting, and I really like that he’s been taking more of that mid-range pull up J. As far as Jimmy Butler-esque, though, that’s a stretch. I know what we have in Shump, but why the need for such lofty expectations when he’s a steady two-way bench player. With all the injuries he’s had, I wouldn’t want him to push it, and comparisons aren’t always the healthiest things. Sorry Bron, I don’t see it. Regardless, Shump has been YUUUGGEEE for us, and he can start when needed. I don’t see All-Star, though.Simon Hannig: If healthy, absolutely. The problem for Shumpert is that he isn’t really healthy at all.Jackson Flickinger: I would love to think he could be, but I’m not convinced. Shumpert is a great defender, but his offensive game is still lacking. He does so many things right offensively but it feels like he can never actually complete the play. I’ve always thought that he would eventually turn the corner offensively, but I’m starting to lose patience. I hope LeBron is right but I’m not exactly convinced that he is.Daniel Opacich: Shumpert has made exceptional progress this year. Can he be a Butler? Maybe. But his shot selection and ball handling will have to be better. (Can someone mentor him?)Next: Changing Of The Guard
Dec 25, 2016; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Kyrie Irving (2) takes a shot against Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) at Quicken Loans Arena. Cleveland defeats Golden State 109-108. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports
How long before this is Kyrie Irving’s team?
Dan Galinsky: The best part of Kyrie being exposed to Bron is what we don’t see as fans. The team dinners, the one-on-one discussions on the plane between road games and these unseen acts are what is going to help Kyrie as he proceeds into the prime of his career. LeBron has been through it all, so Kyrie needs to soak up as much as he can, while he still has LBJ around. I can’t put an exact timetable on it, because I don’t know if LBJ can ever really not have his hometown team as HIS team. I’d say in an ideal world, LBJ needs to give Kyrie the keys after next season. I don’t want to ruin a good thing, but the discussion definitely needs to happen between Uncle Drew, Bron, and T. Lue. Sooner than later would be ideal, probably before next season, just to get the conversation started.Jackson Flickinger: I believe it has always been Kyrie and LeBron’s team. I think that’s how it was last year, and I think that’s how it will always be. Dispute what “basketball experts” at major networks say, Irving is one of the premier point guards in the league. You don’t need to look at advanced stats to know that. If it was only LeBron’s team now, then he wouldn’t have let Kyrie take the biggest shot in Game 7 of the Finals and he wouldn’t have let him take the game winning shot against Golden State on Christmas.Kyrie is a unique and talented player and LeBron knows that. LeBron knows it’s important for his longevity to let Kyrie Irving take on a bigger role as time goes on, however I believe it has always been partly his team.Simon Hannig: In 2-4 years.Daniel Opacich: I think we are watching the changing of the guard as we speak. Irving and Love have both become better this year. LeBron will always be the face, but Irving will be the guy soon.Related Story: Kay Felder Comes Up Big In First Game With Canton ChargeDo you have any questions for the KJG team? Let us know in the comments section or Twitter @KJG_NBA.
More from King James Gospel
This article originally appeared on 
