LeBeasts of East could end drought
STEPHEN CURRY, son of Akron, will be named NBA Most Valuable Player this week for the second time in as many seasons while LeBron James, self-anointed King of Akron, will have to settle for being the undisputed Best Player in the World. Again. Until further notice, LeBron is still the most dominant force in the league and maybe this June there’ll be no stopping him, no matter which team comes out of the Western Conference. LeBron and the rest of the Cleveland Cavaliers are playing their best basketball since James decided to return to his home state and try to bring the city its first major sports championship since 1964.
After eight playoff games, the Cavs remain undefeated and have earned another week off before their next series. Only Phil Jackson gets more vacation time at this time of year. But it’s not just that Cleveland has outclassed both Detroit and Atlanta and should have no problem with either Toronto or Miami in the Eastern Conference finals. It’s the way the Cavs are doing it.
They’re impersonating the Golden State Warriors, with LeBron playing the role of a stronger, more skillful Draymond Green. With LeBron and Kyrie Irving, the Cavs have two players who can break down a defense. Coach Tyronn Lue then spreads the floor with shooters, featuring Kevin Love and a couple of former Knicks, J.R. Smith and Channing Frye.
The Cavaliers made 77 3-pointers in their second-round sweep of the Hawks. That’s an NBA record for a four-game series. In fact, it’s two shy of the NBA record set by Atlanta last year in a seven-game series.
“Really, the last three or four weeks of the regular season we started playing really good basketball on both ends,” Lue said. “And it just carried over. Guys are trusting the offense and trusting the defense. And when you can lock into a game for a seven-game series, it’s easier to pick up a team’s tendencies and understand what they like to do and things like that. I just think we hit our stride at the right time and the team is playing really well right now.”
Lue replaced David Blatt in January and went about altering the way the Cavs played. The new coach began by ordering his players to get in better shape because he wanted to play quicker. He replaced Timofey Mozgov in the starting lineup with Tristan Thompson, a rebounding machine who outworks everyone and doesn’t need plays run for him to be successful. Love, who took 25 shots in Sunday’s clinching game, is now more involved and Cleveland’s chemistry seems as good as it’s ever been.
The Cavs are 12-0 when their big three — LeBron, Kyrie and Love — start a playoff game. They might have the East locked up for the next three to five years.
“I know the guys have been waiting for this opportunity, being a part of the postseason again after what happened last year with their injuries,” LeBron said Sunday.
“So they’ve been building up toward this, both mentally and physically. Obviously I can’t say that I haven’t waited for them as well, to get them back to this moment so I can be out there with them because it’s something that we all envisioned when I came back here and (Love) was traded here. And obviously (Irving) was already here.
“We’re in a great rhythm right now as far as us three. We know exactly where we want to be on the floor. We know exactly where we are on the floor. It’s benefited all of us individually and obviously it’s trickled down to the team.”
Over the last two postseasons, the Cavs are 20-2 against the Eastern Conference, losing both games to the Chicago Bulls. LeBron managed to carry Cleveland to Game 6 of the NBA Finals against Golden State last year despite not having Irving or Love available. Maybe this year, luck will be on their side. Curry has been out two weeks with a knee injury and the Spurs are in a dog fight with the Thunder, while LeBron gets more time to recharge for two more playoff series. Halfway there to finally giving Cleveland that championship. Good luck stopping him.