Cavs’ Smith embraces chance to outrun past
FRESH START: Misunderstood guard providing a playoff boost
INDEPENDENCE, Ohio — J.R. Smith barely has as an inch of skin not covered by tattoos, offering a colourful timeline of the enigmatic Cleveland shooting guard’s life.
Some of the markings are personal: portraits on his chest of his mom and Jesus, an NBA logo on his ring finger and an interlocking NY on his neck. The tattoos help define him, but he’s also been tagged with some labels he didn’t seek.
Almost from the moment he broke in with New Orleans in 2004, Smith has been branded as selfish, difficult and moody.
Not the guy you want on your team. Several off-the-court issues, including suspensions, arrests and a tragic auto accident in 2007 that killed his friend only heightened Smith’s profile as a troublemaker.
The Cavs, though, have experienced a very different Smith.
Since arriving in a trade from New York in January along with Iman Shumpert, Smith has been everything Cleveland could have hoped for — one of the league’s best 3-point shooters and a consummate pro.
“He’s sacrificed for the good of the team. He’s as well-liked as any player on the team,” coach David Blatt said before the Cavs’ 97-89 win over Atlanta in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals. “He’s been a godsend for us.” Smith’s in a good place, one which has given him a rebirth of sorts.
He knows the outside perception of him isn’t good, but he’s only worried about what he means to those in his inner circle — family, friends and teammates.
He says he didn’t change when he got to Ohio, even though his reputation beat him to Cleveland.
He easily adapted to an area much more like his suburban New Jersey roots than Manhattan.
“I’m generally a good person, that’s what the people who know me tell me anyway,” said Smith, who replaced his obsession of illustrating his body a few years ago with a golf addiction.
“I’m just being me in a better situation. Unfortunately, this picture of me got painted early in my career, so it’s pretty much taken me nine to 10 years to get over it.”
Smith said he and Shumpert frequently talk about their Knicks days.
“To leave after having as much success as we had, it’s a mixed feeling,” he said. “We’re excited and happy to be part of this here.”
Smith’s lone misstep so far in Cleveland came during a rough series finale in Boston. Caught in a shoving match under the basket, he threw a backhanded fist that connected with Jae Crowder’s face. Smith drew a twogame suspension, and sat Games 1 and 2 against the Chicago Bulls.
Nonetheless, Smith has embraced playing with LeBron James — the two have known each other since high school — and this chance, maybe his best one to win an NBA title.
“To be in this situation with these guys, going this far and to be playing this well,” he said, “it’s a dream come true.”