Jeff Green had a horrible Game 1 for the Cavaliers. Not only was he completely mismatched as a small-ball 4 against Thaddeus Young, but he shot a horrendous 0-for-7 from the field. The Pacers ran wild over the Cavaliers on the way to a 98-80 victory, and while nobody on the Cavs played well, it was Green's poor game that stuck out from the rest.

Why was Green starting? That was a question going through many fans' heads before, during and especially after the game. This wasn't the role anybody expected him to have at the beginning of the season. Lue named Green a starter well before the playoffs and the coach seems entrenched in the idea that Green is their best option to win games. Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com said that Lue considers Green to be a part of his best lineup.

If Lue feels that the Cavs' best lineup is LeBron James, Kevin Love, George Hill, Kyle Korver and Green, then he's going to need to find a strong way to convince people of that. Statistically, that lineup has been fine this season. It has played 30 minutes together and has a net rating of 5.4. However, another lineup with a similar concept yet does not feature Green has succeeded extremely well, but in a much smaller sample size.

In 13 minutes, a lineup featuring Hill, Rodney Hood, James, Love and Larry Nance Jr. has a net rating of 28.6. The few moments the Cavs have brought that lineup out this season they've blown teams completely out of the water. It's like their own version of the Warriors "death lineup" -- a smallball group that offensively dominates teams. However, Lue and the Cavs opt to use Green far more often than Nance.

This feels very classic Green. In his last four stops, he's been a player that statistically didn't help his teams win games. His teams were always better with him off the floor instead of on the court -- sometimes by a small margin, sometimes by a clear difference.

*Years involving Green trade were chosen by team with most games played  

Year

Games Played

Team

Net Rating

2013-14

78

Celtics

-7.3

2014-15

45*

Grizzlies

-1.0

2015-16

53*

Grizzlies

-0.9

2016-17

69

Magic

-9.1

(Stats from NBA.com)

This isn't to say that Green isn't a legit NBA player and shouldn't have a role somewhere. That's a ridiculous statement, but he somehow is always thrown into a larger role than what he should have. That's what befuddles everybody the most about him. Coaches clearly have a belief in him that analytics don't agree with.

If that's the case, and Jeff Green is really going to be a starter for the Cavs for the entire postseason, then let's look into the positives he brings when he is starting.

The case for starting Jeff Green

  • The biggest reason for at least starting Green is that he pairs really well with James. The Cavs have a net rating of 7.8 when the two share the floor together. What's really interesting is what happens when the two are separated. When James is on the floor without Green, his net rating actually plummets to a -2.0. What's odd is that when Green is on the floor without James, the Cavs' net rating is again a -2.0. Part of this is that James rarely ever plays without Green, but the numbers speak for themselves. James is more productive when he's on the floor with Green this season.
  • The bigger issue with Green is that he's still a negative without James sharing the floor with him. Knowing his past history and James' past history it appears that his on-floor analytics are being raised by a greater star. This isn't to take credit away from Green, but it points out that he's more successful with talent next to him. This helps Green's case as a starter because Lue can avoid having to stagger Green into certain lineups by simply starting him next to James. He doesn't have to finish games, because there are better lineups without him, but the Cavs should avoid Green playing without James. They can do that by starting them together.
  • Green also provides a presence as a defender that the Cavs really don't have. He shouldn't be guarding bigger and stronger forwards, but when they run small-ball lineups he can go harass wing players. If Green is going to start then he should be on ball against Victor Oladipo and attempt to give him fits. The Cavs have had a horrendous defense this season, and Green doesn't change that, but he can find success when put into the right role.

The case for benching Jeff Green

  • If the Cavs aren't going to have Green attack the ball handler, or opposing wings, then there isn't much value to having him on the floor as a defender. Cleveland likes to run Green out as a small-ball 4, but the size of Indiana makes him unable to guard the opposing 4. The solution here is to simply switch James on to the opposing 4, but he's been reluctant all season to play that kind of role on defense. In Game 1, James was still playing the same free safety-style defense he's played all season. This hurts Green as a starter.
  • Offensively, Green has never been much of a shooter, and shockingly that was one of the Cavs' bigger issues in Game 1. The Cavs win games by outscoring their opponent, but they only mustered up 80 points against the Pacers. Part of this is the Pacers have an underappreciated defense, but they also just didn't take Green seriously as an offensive threat. He doesn't space the floor and he didn't make a single shot in Game 1. His lack of versatility on offense makes him more difficult to use as a weapon when he's struggling. Green isn't someone that, if he's having an off-shooting night, can take over as a ball handler and distribute.
  • It's the playoffs and teams' schematics change by each series. The biggest weakness Cleveland has on the floor from a talent standpoint is Green's awkward fit. Yes, he pairs well with James and the Cavs should try to have Green on the floor next to him if he's going to be on the floor at all. However, would it not be easier to avoid that headache altogether and just go with a stronger starting lineup? 

Conclusion: Start Green, but stagger lineups way sooner

The fact is that Lue believes in Green. He's going to continue to force this square block into a round hole as much as he can even if there are statistically better options. This isn't a disaster by any means, because Green hasn't been horrendous this season. He's had his moments and the Cavs have been positive with him on the floor. That's not something that can be said about Green often.

If Lue is going to play Green then he should be next to James, and the easiest way to reach that destination is by starting him. However, the Cavs need to stagger in some of their stronger lineups way sooner. Get Nance out there with Love and LeBron. Play Kyle Korver and Hill together more often and quicker. Green starting is fine, but the Cavs have so many stronger and more effective weapons that aren't being used together enough. At the moment it appears to be hurting them.