Ty Lue puts LeBron at point guard in revised starting lineup
Desperate times call for desperate measures.
Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Tyronn Lue will start LeBron James at point guard for Tuesday's game against the Chicago Bulls, according to ESPN's Dave McMenamin.
Lue said the presence of Chicago center Robin Lopez - one of the best offensive rebounders in the league - factored into his call.
The other factor is that injuries have decimated Cleveland's depth at point guard. Isaiah Thomas remains out indefinitely due to an ailing hip, while Derrick Rose is nursing a sprained ankle and will not play. The Cavs also traded seldom used Kay Felder in a salary cutting move earlier in the month.
The decision therefore came down to starting 36-year-old Jose Calderon, or turning to James, who already is the primary decision maker for Cleveland regardless of positional designation.
The other four members of Cleveland's starting lineup will also be noticeably different. Tristan Thompson and J.R. Smith return to the first unit, while Jae Crowder and Kevin Love each slid down a position to small and power forward.
The Cavaliers are 2-1 to start the season, although they're coming off a shocking 21-point loss to the Orlando Magic.