Tyronn Lue: Important for Cavaliers to Use 10-Man Rotation in Playoffs

Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Tyronn Lue plans on using 10 players during the 2018 NBA playoffs.

"You usually go nine," Lue said of a postseason rotation, per Dave McMenamin of ESPN.com. "I think we've been nine in the past, but I think it's going to be important to go 10 for us."

McMenamin noted the Cavaliers will be entirely healthy for the first time since the trade deadline when Sunday's game against the Indiana Pacers tips off. That will give Lue more lineup possibilities, and he apparently plans on keeping his team as fresh as possible with a number of legs.

According to McMenamin, LeBron James, Kevin Love, Jeff Green and George Hill will start with the fifth spot going to either Rodney Hood or Kyle Korver.

Hood is bouncing back from an Achilles injury, while Korver is dealing with a sore foot, and whichever player doesn't start will join a bench featuring JR Smith, Larry Nance Jr., Jordan Clarkson and Jose Calderon.

"It would appear, at least to open up the postseason, that Cedi Osman and Tristan Thompson—who played major roles at times this season—are on the outside looking in," McMenamin wrote.

An expanded rotation would figure to ensure the Cavaliers are rested as they attempt to reach their fourth straight NBA Finals. This year provides a difficult path, though, because they are the fourth-seeded team in the Eastern Conference and wouldn't have home-court advantage in a series against the Toronto Raptors, Boston Celtics or Philadelphia 76ers.

Regardless of how deep Lue's rotation is, the Cavaliers won't take home the Larry O'Brien Trophy if they don't shore up their defense in the postseason.

They were an abysmal 29th in the league in defensive rating, per NBA.com, and dealing with the likes of the Raptors, 76ers or a Western Conference team in the Finals would be a tall task even with James leading the way if the defense continues to struggle.