Cavs played ugly ball
It isn’t often that a team finds itself prevailing even after shooting much, much worse on less shots than — and being significantly outrebounded by — its opponent. Yet, that’s exactly what the Cavaliers got yesterday despite ending up with seven less caroms and a 35% clip off 80 field goal attempts. The reason: They were fouled five more times and given 13 more free throws, posting respective aggregates of 25 and 38 — yes, 38 — en route to a single-basket victory.
Considering how much ugly ball prevailed throughout the match, it’s fitting that the Cavaliers’ last three points came from the charity stripe. To argue that they bled for points would be an understatement; in the fourth quarter alone, they had three field- goal droughts that lasted 4: 14, 3:42, and the final 1:21 of the game clock. Not quite the output expected from a supposed offensive juggernaut starring Most Valuable Player candidate LeBron James.
Yet, if there’s anything the relief etched in the top vote getter for the 2018 AllStar Game underscored, it’s that the Cavaliers will take wins any which way they can. James has been nothing if not practical of late, viewing the season an outing at a time in acknowledgment as much of the grind all teams face as of their unique travails. They’re still searching for identity this late in their 2017-2018 campaign, and they would be foolhardy to look ahead to the playoffs when they’re either going backward or running in place.
Parenthetically, even James himself deserves some blame for the Cavaliers’ predicament. He did hit the ground running, putting up numbers not seen from him since the turn of the decade. In recent memory, however, he seems to have, well, slowed down, perhaps worn down by the intrigues and burdened by the load he appears to have little help carrying. To be sure, he’s used to the adversity; whether or not it will again serve as fuel as in years past remains to be seen. For now, he’ll take the triumph in the hope that simple pleasures will ultimately lead to success.
Yet, if there’s anything the relief etched in the top vote getter for the 2018 All-Star Game underscored, it’s that the Cavaliers will take wins any which way they can. James has been nothing if not practical of late, viewing the season an outing at a time in acknowledgment as much of the grind all teams face as of their unique travails. They’re still searching for identity this late in their 2017-2018 campaign, and they would be foolhardy to look ahead to the playoffs when they’re either going backward or running in place.