Cavaliers keep Lester Hudson

By Jason Lloyd

Akron Beacon Journal

INDEPENDENCE

The Cavaliers’ situation at guard has grown so dire, it has forced a rigid, old-school coach like Byron Scott to loosen up and get a bit more flexible in his principles.

Lester Hudson struggled at times defensively during his first 10 days with the Cavaliers, but he has quickly become an integral part of the Cavs’ rotation because of his explosive scoring ability. The team signed Hudson to a second 10-day contract on Monday after he scored 49 points in the past two games.

Scott has maintained the only way for players to get on the court is if they defend, but injuries have forced him to look the other way with Hudson.

“Sometimes you have to say, ‘OK, you don’t defend as well, but you can score, so we’re going to have to play you a little bit more,’” Scott said. “Still, in my heart, I know if we can defend on a night-to-night basis, it gives us such a better chance of winning games, especially when we’re at home. But, yeah, I’ve had to change a little bit of my thinking as far as that’s concerned.”

With Kyrie Irving still unavailable for tonight’s game against the Bobcats because of a sprained right shoulder, Daniel Gibson out for the season with a torn tendon in his foot and Anthony Parker nursing a bruised sternum, the Cavs have few perimeter options on offense outside of Hudson.

Scott said Hudson gambles too much defensively. “The one thing I do like about him on the defensive end is he’s a competitor,” Scott said. “He just doesn’t allow people to post him up or go around him. He takes it personally. But that’s the part of his game he knows he has to get better at if he wants to stay on this level.”