Season Wrap-Up: IMAN SHUMPERT

var opponent = "playerfile"; //used in image formatting opponent-dateCode-page.jpg var dateCode = "150729"; var pageSelectorTag = "div" var pageSelectorClass = "article-section" var pageTitleTag = "h4"; var pageTitleClass = "key";

As the Knicks starting 2-guard, Iman Shumpert scored 12 points against the Cavaliers as New York spoiled the Wine and Gold’s eagerly-anticipated home opener. Following that win, Shumpert’s Knicks would proceed to drop 31 of their next 35 games before he and J.R. Smith were dealt to Cleveland – where both helped lead their new team to Game 6 of the NBA Finals.

Shumpert’s season saw several changes of fortune – from the deal that freed him from a rough Knicks campaign to the two-game suspension levied against J.R. Smith in the postseason that propelled him into the starting lineup. Those events culminated this offseason, when Shump inked a deal to remain with the Wine and Gold for the foreseeable future.

On January 5, Shumpert (along with Smith and a protected first round pick from Oklahoma City) came to Cleveland in a three-team deal that sent Dion Waiters to the Thunder and Lou Amundson, Alex Kirk and a 2019 second round pick to the Knicks. The Cavs would package that OKC pick with another first-rounder and snag Timofey Mozgov two days later – completing the team that closed the regular season 30-8 with Shump in the rotation.

Shump was the third of the three-man infusion to see action with Cleveland, spending his first two weeks recovering from a dislocated left shoulder. In all, the Chicago native played in 62 combined games with the Cavs and Knicks, averaging 8.0 points, 3.6 boards, 2.2 assists and 1.3 steals per contest.

The 6-5, 220-pound guard has developed a reputation as a defensive gem through his first four years in the league, and he didn’t disappoint on that end. He led the Cavaliers in steals ten times this year, blocks four times and on the boards twice.

”If the offensive player starts losing confidence that gets the defender’s confidence up – and I think the team can feel it,” said Shumpert. “And once my team can feel it – that their top scorer can’t get off, that’s when we get rolling.”

That was never more evident than against Boston during Cleveland’s First Round matchup.

After Celtics’ super-sub Isaiah Thomas went off against the Cavs in Games 1 and 2, Shump held him to 6-for-26 shooting over the next two contests. But the versatile Shumpert didn’t limit his focus to Thomas. He also chipped in against his childhood friend and teammate – Evan Turner – who shot just 36 percent from the floor in the series.

The former Georgia Tech standout also came up big offensively at that point. When J.R. Smith was ejected from the series-clinching Game 4, Shump stepped up to notch 15 points, going 3-of-4 from the floor and a perfect 8-of-8 from the stripe.

”Shump is underrated as an offensive player,” praised Coach Blatt following the victory. “In our system he gets not a whole lot of looks. He gets his chances but generally they’re the result of playing off the other guys. But I thought he made huge plays on offense, driving to the rim and getting fouled. He didn’t miss a foul shot, especially in crunch time, which we really needed. He defended everybody on the court, he played physically. He was without question the X-factor.”

Following that Sunday afternoon win in Beantown, Shumpert proceeded to start the Cavaliers next 16 playoff games as the franchise reached new postseason heights – falling two wins away from the NBA title.

As the Cavaliers locked down one playoff opponent after another – especially with two of their stars on the shelf – in that march to the Finals, Shumpert showed why he’ll be an invaluable piece of Cleveland’s championship puzzle moving forward.

Shumpert wasted no time when he was inserted into the starting lineup to start the Second Round of the 2015 playoffs.

After coming off the bench to drop 15 points on the Celtics, he notched 22 points on 8-for-17 shooting against the Bulls in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Semis. In Game 2, he was just as effective – going 4-for-7 from long-distance, finishing with 15 points and seven boards as the Cavs evened the series with Chicago at The Q.

Shumpert fought through a nagging groin injury throughout the series and still managed to close out strong – tallying 13 points and seven boards in the deciding Games 5 and 6 as the Wine and Gold advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since 2009. In Game 5, he led the Cavs with two steals; in Game 6, he (and LeBron) led the team with three blocked shots.

In six games, he averaged 12.7 points per contest, while cross-checking Derrick Rose and Jimmy Butler on the other end.

Shumpert was effective again when Cleveland took on the Hawks. After struggling from the floor in Game 1, he went 8-for-14 from home run range in Games 2 and 3.

The Cavaliers are blessed with stat-stuffing superstars. LeBron James, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love can pile up numbers with anyone in the Association. And in that respect, the Wine and Gold (usually) don’t need Iman Shumpert to blow up the offensive end.

But with two of that “Big 3” sidelined in this year’s Finals, the Cavaliers needed more production from some other sources. And like many of his teammates, Shumpert struggled to score against the league’s top defense – shooting just 26 percent from the floor and 32 percent from beyond the arc.

In six games, Shump averaged 6.5 points per contest.

It’s hard to know where to begin when it comes to the well-rounded and high-topped Iman Shumpert. He keeps a head-to-head hoops tally with childhood friend, Evan Turner. He rocks the team’s most recognizable hairdo and his brother has been cutting his hair since 7th grade. And he has, unquestionably, the most unique fashion sense on the squad.

But we’ll focus on his musical talents. This past season, Shumpert put together both a mix-tape earlier in the year and a rap song specifically written and record for Cleveland’s postseason run entitled “The Offs.”

Speaking about his mix tape, Shumpert said …

”If you knew me from being little, you know that (rapping) is all I did. I don’t like video games. Most kids played with their GI Joes and Power Rangers and their video games. Not me. I like Batman, I like basketball and I like to rap. I took an engineering class at Georgia Tech; I did an independent study, so I know how to mix my own stuff. But I had help from Artie Lloyd who’s in New York, Cash Clay who’s in Atlanta, DJ Set Free, also in New York. I worked with all them and they really helped me to mix it down and make it sound nice.”

11.4 … points Iman Shumpert averaged as a starter during Cleveland’s postseason run through the Eastern Conference – going 8-2 in those contests.

In those 10 games, Shump shot 38 percent from the floor and from long-distance – averaging 5.3 boards and 1.0 steal during the Wine and Gold’s run to the Finals.

Iman Shumpert ... on the difference between reading scouting reports and actually facing your opponent one-on-one …

“I’ll never know how to be able to guard somebody if you give me a chart and tell me these are his percentages. Those percentages mean absolutely nothing once the rim gets big for someone.

Once a guy like LeBron comes down and hits three straight threes – your scouting report is out the window. If he does that, his confidence is now to the point that there’s nothing you can do. But if you watch enough film and enough games, you’ll know – after he did get that hot – what knocked him off, what happened? Did people try the ‘let’s-foul-him-hard’ thing and it pissed him off to the point where he locked in too hard? You have to pay attention to all that stuff.

The emotion of the game plays a big part in trying to stop somebody. It’s the human element. It can’t be written down and read about. If you haven’t played it and you haven’t been in it, you’re never going to understand. I can tell when somebody’s confidence is rising and I can tell when it’s gone. You have to be able to feel the game.”

After joining the Cavaliers in early January (despite not seeing the floor until later that month), Shumpert fit in with his new club immediately – both coming off the bench and in a starter’s role.

The Wine and Gold were one of the stingiest defensive teams down the season’s stretch and into the playoffs – and the versatile Shumpert was one of the biggest reasons. He can guard at least three positions, gets his hands on everything, clogs passing lanes and is simply an instinctual defender. Shump also shows offensive flashes when the situation dictates.

With unfinished business in mind, the Cavaliers’ main focus this summer was “getting the band back together.” And bringing back their musically-inclined shooting guard was, no pun intended, instrumental in that process.