Realize This Before Betting On Andre Drummond's Cavaliers Debut
Cleveland hosts the Clippers in the center's debut on Sunday
Clippers (36-16) at Cavaliers (13-39)
Sunday 2/9/20, 7:35pm EST
TREND: The Cavaliers have gone 1-6 (1-6 ATS) in their last seven home games.
STORYLINE: “When asked where he can have the greatest impact now that’s he in Cleveland, Drummond didn’t start with his rebounding -- despite leading the league in that category once again. He didn’t start with paint protection -- the area that a few coaches have excitedly pointed to since the acquisition. He didn’t start with initiating offense from the elbow or free-throw line -- something Beilein plans to explore over the last few months. Drummond pointed to Cleveland’s youngsters. ‘Definitely with the guards, the young guards, I’m definitely looking forward to working with them and shedding some insight both on offense and defense,’ he said. ‘I think I can really help them out. As a back line of defense, definitely communication is going to be huge with them. I know they’re young and they’re still learning, but if I can help them get past that curve a little bit early, I think we’ll be very good.’ The Cavs are hoping the same. Sexton, Darius Garland and Kevin Porter Jr. were front of mind when making Thursday’s trade.
The Cavs have singled out Drummond’s pick-and-roll ability, screen assists (12th in the NBA) and great hands. They’ve expressed excitement over having his big, athletic body around him, allowing him to hold off defenders in the post or finish lobs on the offensive end while providing some resistance at the rim on defense, perhaps erasing some of the guards’ mistakes at the point of attack. Drummond even asked the coaches for film on the youngsters so he could sit down Saturday, watch how they play and get a feel for how he can best support them, perhaps even fast-track their development. … ‘The record doesn’t faze me because I see a bright future here in Cleveland,’ Drummond said. ‘The young guys here are really, really good. Just with the addition of myself and Kevin being healthy, we can do special things here.’”
- Chris Fedor, Cleveland.com (2/8/20)
QUICK-HITTER: Drummond is set to make his Cavaliers debut and will fit into a crowded frontcourt that includes Love, Tristan Thompson and Larry Nance Jr. While Cleveland’s backcourt is very young, their frontcourt is now one of the more solid units in the Eastern Conference. It remains to be seen whether or not Drummond will make a gigantic difference in terms of wins and losses, but it seems relatively clear that Cleveland should pose more of a threat for the rest of the year. Click the button below to unlock the best moneyline and spread bets!
