JaVale McGee to Start for Warriors in 2018 NBA Finals Game 2 vs. Cavaliers
The Golden State Warriors will start JaVale McGee at center for Game 2 of the 2018 NBA Finals against the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Mercury News' Mark Medina reported Sunday.
The move comes after the Warriors confirmed Andre Iguodala will miss Game 2 as he nurses a bone bruise, while Klay Thompson is available to play despite battling a left lateral leg contusion. With Thompson maintaining his place in the starting lineup, McGee takes over for third-year forward Kevon Looney.
Warriors head coach Steve Kerr may prefer to have a more traditional center close to the basket to try to disrupt LeBron James inside. The Cavaliers star scored 51 points on 19-of-32 shooting in Game 1.
The 7-foot McGee averaged 4.5 blocks per 100 possessions during the regular season, per Basketball Reference. He also held opponents to 53.7 percent shooting inside six feet and 52.8 percent inside 10 feet, according to NBA.com.
Looney only played 25 minutes in Golden State's 124-114 overtime win in Game 1. By comparison, the Warriors' other four starters were all on the floor for at least 45 minutes.
Relative to Thompson, Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and Kevin Durant, McGee is unlikely to play a major role in Game 2. But his ascendance to the starting five indicates Kerr will make a tactical shift as he looks for his team to take a 2-0 series lead.
