Tyrese Proctor may not be the loudest name in the Cavaliers’ backcourt, but he’s giving Kenny Atkinson a pretty good reason to keep calling his number.
Meleek Thomas has drawn plenty of the attention, and that’s understandable. Still, Proctor is carving out his own lane, and it’s one that matters for a Cleveland team that needs to finish more defensive possessions with a rebound.
The second-year guard grabbed four boards in Monday’s loss to the Thunder, adding 10 points and two assists. That came on the heels of six rebounds against the Hawks and four more against the Bucks. None of those totals jump off the page by themselves, but from a reserve guard, that kind of steady help starts to add up.
Proctor sees the rebound work as more than just extra hustle. It gives him a chance to speed things up the moment possession changes hands.
“And I feel like if I’m getting rebounds defensively, offensively, but mainly defensively, I can just push the pace in transition, get better shots,” Proctor said, via Grant Afseth of Cavs Roundtable. “And then I think defensively as well, just being able to bully screens, early hits, early bumps, and just enforcing my will.”
That’s the kind of impact Atkinson wants, and it’s the sort of contribution that can matter on a roster with Donovan Mitchell and James Harden. Proctor doesn’t have to soak up a bunch of shots to stay relevant. He can influence the game by rebounding, moving the ball and staying in the right spots.
Against Oklahoma City, he did exactly that. Proctor scored his 10 points on only four field-goal attempts in 18 minutes, knocked down two 3-pointers, hit both free throws and finished with the Cavs outscoring the Thunder by five while he was on the floor.
One plus-minus in one game doesn’t lock in a rotation spot. But efficient scoring, active work on the glass and a clean understanding of where to be can go a long way for a young guard trying to stick.
“I feel real comfortable out there, obviously, with a whole bunch of different lineups,” Proctor said, via Afseth. “So just trying to pick and choose my spots and get everyone involved at the same time.”
Mario Hezonja has taken notice of that approach.
“Tyrese just being that smart, constantly pushing, constantly being in a good positioning and playing off the ball as well, understanding the flow of the game, understanding his spot,” Hezonja said. “So that’s huge for us.”
The Cavaliers still have work to do before Wednesday’s rematch in Oklahoma City, but Proctor’s recent stretch gives Atkinson something useful to lean on. He doesn’t need to dominate the ball to earn minutes.
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