James, Cavs turn around their playoff narrative
CLEVELAND – Eight days ago, the Cleveland Cavaliers were on the verge of elimination in the first round of the playoffs. They were more vulnerable than ever, more likely to lose before the NBA Finals for the first time since 2014.
Today, the Cavaliers are playing like a team destined for a fourth consecutive trip to the NBA Finals and LeBron James’ eighth consecutive Finals appearance. James’ didhe-really-just-do-that buzzer-beating floater off the backboard in Game 3 Saturday night gave Cleveland a 105-103 victory and put the Cavaliers in position to sweep Toronto for the second consecutive season. Game 4 is Monday (8:30 p.m. ET, TNT). Playoff story lines change day-to-day — that’s the nature of a seven-game series — but the narrative surrounding this Cavaliers team oscillated from one extreme (they’re washed) to the other (with James, all things are possible) in a week.
“At the end of the day, you have to do whatever it takes to win, and we found a way to get another win, so it doesn’t matter how it happens. We’ve just got to be a little better,” James said. “That’s basically what I’m trying to say. We’ve got to be a lot better, especially coming into Game 4.”
A week ago, no one foresaw a 3-0 series lead over the top-seeded Raptors in the Eastern Conference semifinals; yet here we are with James and friends improving on both ends of the floor with each series. The results are frustrating for the Raptors, who have lost
“At the end of the day, you have to do whatever it takes to win, and we found a way to get another win.”
LeBron James On the Cavaliers facing a must-win in Game 7 in the first round to leading 3-0 in the Eastern Conference semifinals
nine playoff games in a row to the Cavs. Each loss in this series has been more deflating than the previous one.
James has been spectacular, no surprise there. In the playoffs, he is averaging 34.8 points, 9.5 rebounds, 8.8 assists and 1.5 steals and shooting 54.7% from the field. Against Toronto, he had a triple-double in Game 1, 43 points on 19for-28 shooting in Game 2 and 38 points and the game-winner in Game 3.
“Every time we come to the playoffs he has that edge,” Cavs coach Ty Lue said. “Starting in the second round, I could just see it. And he’s a special player, and we all know that. Just run out of things to say. What he does for us is big.”
James has crushed Indiana and Toronto in clutch situations, a period defined as when a game is within five points with five minutes or fewer to play. The Cavs are 6-1 in such games, and James is averaging 4.6 points and shooting 50% from the field and 37.5% on three-pointers with the game on the line. With a chance to tie the score or take the lead in the final minute of the fourth quarter or overtime in the playoffs, James has made three of his four shot attempts, according to NBA.com.
“Listen, tie game, down one, whatever the case may be, I live for those moments,” James said.
It hasn’t just been James. Kevin Love rediscovered his offense after struggling against Indiana and in Game 1 against Toronto. Love balked at playing center instead of power forward, his natural position. But Lue likes the mismatches the Cavs can create with Love at center.
Love had 31 points and 11 rebounds in Game 2 and 21 points and 16 rebounds in Game 3. When Love plays like an AllStar alongside James, it makes Cleveland difficult to beat. “More than anything, just seeing the ball go through the hoop has been big for me,” Love said. “Whether it’s been the pick-and-roll, whether it’s been that (screen) action with Kyle (Korver), whether it’s been LeBron finding me or us playing in the pick-and-roll, just staying in attack mode, miss or make on the offensive end, making the right decision playing hard and then on both ends on the glass just trying to clean up as best I can.”
Korver, Cleveland’s third-most im- portant player, is a knock-down threepoint shooter who continually moves without the ball to get his shot. Taxing for opponents to defend, Korver is 10for-20 on three-pointers against Toronto, but he’s also an underrated screener, which has helped James and Love.
George Hill’s return after missing three games against Indiana with back spasms provides Cleveland with a capable ballhandler who can relieve James of some offensive responsibility.
Jeff Green’s role as a defender and secondary scoring option and Tristan Thompson’s energy off the bench give Cleveland depth. J.R. Smith didn’t feel well in Game 3 and almost sat out. He wasn’t an offensive factor but helped force DeMar DeRozan into a miserable offensive night.
The Cavs are also shooting much better on three-pointers against Toronto than they did against Indiana, and when that happens, their offense rolls and their defense improves. Twentyone turnovers through three games has helped Cleveland, too.
Lue has made the right moves against the Raptors, from play calls to rotations, and that’s another reason it looks as though Cleveland will play Bos- ton, up 3-0 against Philadelphia, in the Eastern Conference finals for the second consecutive season.
“So all different fashions of how we’ve won,” Love said, “I think that gives us just a great mind-set going into every game.”