Cup of Cavs

Cup of Cavs: News and Links for Friday, November 19

The Cavs have a much-needed weekend off.

By Nick Trizzino@trizweino Nov 19, 2021, 5:00am CST

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It’s Friday, the week is ending, and the Cavaliers have the weekend off. Let’s get to it!

The first sip

I was out for my morning doomscroll yesterday when this tweet caught my attention:

Ricky Rubio is shooting 60% on step-backs this season lol

He’s shooting 37% on the rest of his shot attempts pic.twitter.com/SmUAiWfex9
— Brayden Todd (@BraydenBallin) November 18, 2021

At the considerable risk of restating the obvious, Ricky Rubio has been incredible this season, and that number is the best illustration of just how ludicrous a tear he’s on.

It also highlights a concern I have moving forward: how long can this continue? How long should it? Right now, Rubio is inarguably the Cavs’ most effective late-game ball handler. But he won’t shoot a million percent forever. For a team with a pair of ascendant guards under-22 guards, it’s odd to have a 31-year-old on an expiring contract leading the team in fourth-quarter usage rate.

Granted, with Collin Sexton injured, there’s no reason to take Rubio off the floor late. And Darius Garland’s shooting makes him a more useful off-ball option than Rubio. And, again, Rubio is a savant with the ball in his hands; he’s more than earned crunch-time pilot privileges.

It’s just... a weird spot to be in. Then again, the Cavs are a weird team. And if it keeps working, well, cool! Wins are great! Just consider this something to monitor as the season progresses (and the Cavs slide back toward .500).