Going into the Cavaliers’ first round series against the Indiana Pacers, our main thought was the unknown. We had no idea if the Cavs would come out and play great, or if the moment would be too much for those players without a significant amount of playoff minutes.
It turns out the latter was more the truth than anything else.
Does this mean we think the Cavaliers are doomed to be eliminated in the first round this season? No. However, it does mean that they better win Wednesday night, because you can’t lose the first two and then go on the road.
First, the Cavs have to come out with a more aggressive mind set. They were far too passive in the first quarter, and that stage was set by Tyronn Lue, and the team’s two best players, LeBron James and Kevin Love.
Love took just eight shots for the game, the same total as Rodney Hood, and just one more than Jeff Green, George Hill, and Larry Nance Jr.
And James didn’t attempt his first shot until the first quarter was almost over.
The coaching staff has to establish both of these guys right from the get go. They are the primary scorers for the Cavaliers.
Prior to game one, we figured the Pacers would leave Green open and if he made open threes, it was something they would live with to slow down James driving to the basket.
Green wound up 0 for 7 from the floor, three of those misses from behind the arc, and the wine and gold didn’t seem to have a Plan B. Of course, no one was shooting well from distance as Cleveland made just 8 of 34 attempts.
Which is another rub, quite frankly.
The Cavs like to shoot threes. They attempted the 5th highest total in the NBA this season. They are usually pretty proficient as well, ranking 6th in the league in three point percentage.
However, when the long distance shots aren’t falling, they don’t do anything to adjust, they just keep letting them fly. In a game like Sunday’s, why not attack the basket more often?
No team in the NBA is more reliant on their offense for their defense than the Cavaliers. And when they are missing threes, that leads to long rebounds, and in turn, that leads to fast break opportunities.
As we have seen over the last two seasons, the Cavs strength is NOT defending in transition.
A problem for Lue is reflected in this question: Who is the Cavs’ third best player?
The fact there is no definite answer to this question makes it difficult in determining substitution patterns. Is it Jeff Green, Jordan Clarkson, Larry Nance Jr, George Hill?
When the trade were made in February, we are sure GM Koby Altman thought it would be Rodney Hood, but he has been hurt a lot, and has had a problem playing with a LeBron James led team when he has been available.
Who can Lue count on behind James and Love? It makes it a problem in deciding the starters as well, because so many of the players very been inconsistent this season.
So, Lue usually makes his decision based on offense, which is why Green got the nod, presumably because he’s a better three point shooter than Nance or Tristan Thompson, and they want the floor spread for James.
As the old saying goes, defense is a constant. Unfortunately, that’s not a good thing for Cleveland. It also explains games like Sundays, though.
It’s not time for panic, but it is okay to be concerned. The game one loss means Wednesday is as close to a must win game as an elimination contest.
That’s something we aren’t used to over the last four seasons.
JK
Cleveland Sports Perspective 