Long layoff tries Cleveland’s patience
INDEPENDENCE, Ohio — And now, back to that other 8-0 playoff team.
Just like the Warriors, the Cleveland Cavaliers have endured a long postseason break between rounds, but theirs will last a few days longer.
“We’re itching to play,” said point guard Kyrie Irving, who misses the sounds, the sights, the stress of the NBA playoffs.
With Washington and Boston headed to a Game 7 on Monday, Cleveland will take the floor for Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals Wednesday — 10 days after sweeping Toronto.
For Irving and his teammates, the break has grown boring and somewhat burdensome, testing their patience and willpower. Coach Tyronn Lue has resisted the temptation to let his players scrimmage 5 on 5, instead limiting their workouts to glorified walk-throughs.
Irving said the Cavaliers are ready to run.
“We’re not necessarily shooting the ball, we’re just running through plays,” Irving said. “Some guys get a little bit antsy and mad, and they want to go to the basket and finish plays.
“Just get everything firing again because you miss the contact, you miss getting hit and being able to be there for your teammate and get hype and go in transition. Just the little nuances that make this game so beautiful and competitive and you love it.”
Lue has been doing everything he can to keep his players focused and energized during the long layoff. On Saturday, the team worked on some defensive rotations in preparation for either the Wizards or Celtics, both of whom have star guards and high-scoring backcourts.
“You got to keep them engaged and show them new things,” Lue said. “I’ve got to trick them at times, but they’ve been pretty locked in and we’ve just got to continue to do what we do.”
Lue’s decision not to scrimmage was initially met with some resistance, but the players now understand his logic better after backup center Walter “Edy” Tavares broke his right hand during an organized pickup game between Cleveland’s reserves before Thursday’s practice.
While Tavares’ injury won’t tilt the balance of power in the East, his loss does deprive Lue of another big man for depth in case of injury or foul trouble. It’s also the latest setback for a Cleveland backup center. Earlier this season, Chris “Birdman” Anderson and Andrew Bogut suffered seasonending injuries, and Larry Sanders, signed after sitting out two seasons, was released on the eve of the playoffs.
The 7-foot-3 Tavares signed on the final day of the regular season and scored 10 points with six rebounds and six blocks in his debut. He may not have played in the postseason, but he was another body for practice and insurance in case Tristan Thompson or Channing Frye got hurt.