Nothing incites panic around the sports city of Cleveland more than a Cavs regular season loss to the Golden State Warriors.
After Monday night’s defeat, the town was filled with talk ranging from the wine and gold having no chance to win a second title in three years to folks talking about how the Cavaliers should deal LeBron James before he can leave in free agency this summer.
Our belief from watching the two games, which were played within three weeks, is right now Cleveland is a little short, but both games were decided late. The Christmas Day matchup was tied with a couple minutes remaining, while the Martin Luther King Day game was even into the fourth quarter.
It would be surprising if Koby Altman didn’t make a deal before the trading deadline, but everyone assumes such a transaction would involve a fourth star player to add to James, Isaiah Thomas, and Kevin Love.
That may not necessarily be the case.
We believe the team needs an upgrade on the wing, where JR Smith has declined from the title team of 2015-16. Getting a player like Kent Bazemore from Atlanta (12.5 points, 39% from three, a very good defender) would be an upgrade.
Maybe you could swing a deal to bring Bazemore and C Dewayne Dedmon (10.8 points, 7.8 rebounds, 41% from three) to the team, upgrading the team at both the wing and getting a rim protector.
Or you good get Nerlens Noel and Wesley Matthews from Dallas, a duo that would accomplish the same task.
Getting players such as these would give Cleveland a better chance against the Warriors because it would improve them, or at least should improve them defensively.
Of course, improving the team’s defensive scheme would be a step in the right direction as well. If you don’t think the philosophy is an issue, just check the performance of Jae Crowder last year in Boston, and Kyrie Irving’s defense a year ago in Cleveland.
As for the organization’s biggest prize, the first round pick from Brooklyn, we would consider giving up that pick for a young player who is under contract for two or three more years, or at least isn’t an unrestricted free agent during that span.
After all, a player who is already good is better than one who might be good, because the latter describes most draft picks.
While we understand that Tyronn Lue likes to play with pace, we would rather see a different tact against the Warriors.
We would slow the game down on offense, and try to establish an inside power game vs. Golden State, being very physical with them. Let James operate the offense out of the post, and whoever is being guarded by Stephen Curry needs to take him to the basket at all costs.
Why not take a page out of the 80’s Celtics playbook vs. the Showtime Lakers?
Playing fast is what Golden State does, and if you try to match them, we feel you will lose more often than not, because they are better at it than you are.
Because the games were close late, we feel some creative minor tinkering would be enough to make a possible fourth straight Finals’ matchup competitive and one the Cavaliers could win.
We refuse to think any team is unbeatable. No doubt, the Warriors are good, in fact, they are a great team. They aren’t perfect, though.
It’s up to Lue, James, and the wine and gold organization to put together the plan and the talent to knock them off.
JK
Cleveland Sports Perspective 