1. This was the plan all along, the way the players tell it. Except it was supposed to be Joe Johnson instead of Iman Shumpert. There was a time when Cavs players thought Johnson was coming to Cleveland and they were already discussing a devastating scoring lineup featuring Kyrie Irving, J.R. Smith, Johnson, LeBron James and Kevin Love.
2. “Who could guard that?” one player asked. It’s a moot point now, of course. Johnson is on South Beach and the Cavs didn’t get the extra wing they were seeking at the buyout. The coaches had been toying with the idea of using a small lineup for a while now.