Cavs may start Tristan Thompson to defend Celtics’ Al Horford in Game 2

The Cleveland Cavaliers suffered a disappointing blowout loss in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Boston Celtics that has pushed some questions about their chances for a fourth straight trip to the NBA Finals.

This has already led to Cavs head coach Tyronn Lue to consider possible lineup change for Game 2 with the insertion of big man Tristian Thompson as a starter to change things up, according to Dave McMenamin of ESPN.

“Looking at the statistics, over the last three years with at least 30 possessions [defending him], out of all the guys that have guarded Al Horford, Tristan is No. 1 in the league defending Al Horford,” Lue said. “So that’s a good thing, you know?”

Lue may put Thompson into the starting lineup to help provide more of a defensive matchup against All-Star Al Horford. Horford had a strong performance in Game 1 of the series with 20 points on 8-of-10 shooting from the field. He also had six assists, four rebounds, and two blocks. Beyond that, he has played a considerable part in helping set the tone for the Celtics in the series. The team has thrived behind his steady play on both ends of the floor.

Eastern Conference Finals – Futures

Thompson’s presence in the starting lineup would likely push guard Kyle Korver out of the starting lineup. As a result,  J.R. Smith could be moved back to the shooting guard spot. This would also mean LeBron James playing small forward and Kevin Love moving to power forward. This would be primarily a defensive purpose to best combat the collective offensive effort by Boston.

With the Cavs facing a potential 0-2 hole in the series, this could be a move that Lue looks to even it up before Game 3 and 4 back at the Quicken Loans Arena.