The Cavs lost their first two games of the NBA Finals by a combined 48 points. Neither Klay Thompson nor Stephen Curry had monumental games for the Warriors. Instead, it was the team’s depth that mechanically wore down Cleveland. Perhaps there are some adjustments that coach Tyronn Lue can make, but it seems unlikely that this team can compete with all the talent that Golden State has.
So that brings us to tonight’s topic: Is there any way the Cavs can wins this series?
Could they decide to dust off Timofey Mozgov and attempt to recapture some of the success they had during last year’s finals where they went big and governed the paint? Kevin Love is talented, but he’s hasn’t played like a traditional big man since he was in Minnesota. Is it time to reduce his minutes? Love has the ability to be a major force and perhaps the Cavs can make adjustments in order to benefit from their $110MM big man without sending him to the bench. Perhaps there are better solutions to make this series more competitive.
Should Richard Jefferson being playing meaningful minutes at this point in his career? That’s where I’d begin if I were tasked with mustering up a comeback performance for Cleveland during these finals. Tell us what you would do. What adjustments would you make if you were in control of the Cavs?
Take to the comments section below to share your thoughts and opinions on the topic. We look forward to what you have to say.
Hell no they can’t win the series.
Agreed. It’s over and they can’t do anything about it.
Hope Green, Curry, and Thompson all get really really sick. But they still probably lose in 7. With Iggy coming away with his second finales MVP.
The Cav totally need to outrebound the Warriors. Once that’s established the must contiously score and play D. LebronJames must stop forcing shots and attempting to go 3pter for 3pter with GSW. get fouls early especially on Curry, Thompson. Also move the ball a hell of a lot more !
It is more about will than skill. They look as if they thought the refs were going to bail them out. Until they grow up, it is going to be a no win situation.
LeBron has to be more aggressive and Kyrie and JR need to hit their shots. Love also has to be aggressive and hit his shots if he comes back. I don’t think the Cavs win this series, but that’s really their only hope. Richard Jefferson getting significant minutes is fine as long as he isn’t being a liability defensively and doesn’t try to do too much on offense.
So your saying if the Cavs ‘hit shots’ they can win, that’s deep man
What about strategy? Lue has gone two games without finding an effective lineup. Leaving Draymond open isn’t working, they do need to keep Jefferson off the floor, I agree with that
Maybe play Thompson or Love at the 5 Lebron @ the 4
Then smith, shump and kyrie
From that lineup switch every screen like OKC did and at least your contesting every shot that way.
They seem to like posting up Lebron which hasn’t been all that effective
Spread the floor with some shooters and put Lebron and love in some pick and roll/pick and pop situations
Just a thought but I don’t think it matters, Cavs will be lucky to get to game 6 and not because they are horrible, GS is just that deep and talented.
Maybe he said that because he didn’t have time to write an essay defending a team that’s going to lose to one of the best teams the NBA has ever seen.
My point was that the other guys have to start hitting their shots at a better %. You can strategize all you want, but if the team is shooting terribly, strategy doesn’t mean squat. JR, Kyrie, and Love (if he comes back) have to hit at least 40% of their shots. The three of them, plus LeBron, have to be more aggressive with finding their shot but also can’t be trying to match three pointer-for-three pointer, even if that’s their strength. You want strategy? If the Cavs make their shots, that prevents the fast break and allows them to set up their defense.
I honestly think if they played a perfect series they could’ve won this but no way will they win it now. Think they are realizing they are in a way weaker conference and are actually playing a great team finally and that’s not to take anything away from the teams they played but the East just can’t compete with the West. I think Lebron better start looking at building a different super star team if he wants another ring
What the Cavs could try is to foul far more frequently but have them be smarter fouls i.e. when tempo favors GS, a player who’s a poor free throw shooter has the ball, etc. Basically max-out on the number of fouls you commit without having your own players foul out too early in the game or allowing those fouls to bail GS on relatively poor possessions (almost nonexistent but still). This will hopefully make the pace painfully slow and would give the games a different dynamic, which is all the Cavs can really hope for in terms of finding solutions.
With that, the Cavs will just have to hit their shots and hit a good many lucky 3’s in the process. The game would be really ugly on both ends for them, especially since this an extremely high-risk tactic. It could cause them to lose games by 40 instead of 20, but at least it gives them some kind of chance to mix up the way they lose these games.
The only problems with that is that Kerr has been quick to pull guys who can’t hit their free throws when teams start to employ the Hack-a-Shaq and that most of GS can hit their free throws at a respectable rate (with Ezeli and Bogut being the exceptions).
Lebron needs to lead by example,and show his guys what it takes get a win
They need to fix their defensive strategy. Golden State is expert at finding the open man so always doubling Steph and Klay isn’t going to work. I wouldn’t completely abandon that but only do it when one of them catches fire. Always leaving someone wide open (often under the basket) is not really going well for the Cavs.
Maybe next year? Just kidding, they still won’t win next year. They’re from Cleveland.
They need to play more physical d and stop over reacting on curry and Thompson they need to start shumpert and mozgov and give jefferson more min cavs cant hang with that small ball lineup im a cavs fan but i believe the cavs bench isnt deep enough or skilled enough to compete with golden state
I agree, start Mosgov for a defensive on the baseline. Hopefully that will alter alot of the shots GSW get off the free releases from backcuts.
Start Shumpert for better defense initially, and hopefully JR Smith off the bench will allow him more free reign to get up shots & get off.
If Kevin Love is healthy start him & hope for the best, if not start Lebron at the 4 and navigate the wings with any combination of Jefferson, Shumpert, or JR.
Going Big & staying Big is important, becuz eventually Steve Kerr will respond by putting the lineup of death on the court with 5 perimeter plyrs, Draymond at the 5. That’s when the real coaching begins, but for now if you’re Cleveland you have to figure out a lineup that will force GS to adjust to you for a change.
They need to get some Golden State players in foul trouble. Mainly Green. Pound the inside and actually work on having him commit fouls (Ala bird). If that’s done through Lebron, Mosgov, Love it doesn’t matter.
Then they need to make shots and get spacing. Regardless of all the GS fans, Curry and Thompson don’t seem to beat the cavs. It’s everyone else on there rooster that does. Everyone.
It’s these types of performances that will always separate LeBron from Jordan, Russell, Bird, Magic and Kareem: when things get tough, LeBron reacts with dismay and disdain for his teammates. Imagine what that feels like to consistently have your leader shooting you dirty looks or giving off body language to express his disappointment in you? It’s demoralising.
It’s robbing them of their confidence and creating hesitation. You can feel it through the tv that guys are in their own heads worried about making mistakes instead of giving 100 effort.
It’s a scene we’ve seen before — he stops believing in his teammates and they quit.
He is an awfully brilliant player and and awful leader.
If you’ve watched the two games so far (and I’m not claiming you didn’t just trying to make a point) LeBron has seemed a bit passive and looking to pass to his teammates too much. However, he keeps looking for them even though they are struggling with their shot (although I’ll admit that’s a result of him realizing he needs other guys to step up to win but also because he’s trying to get them some confidence if they start hitting their shots). He never seemed to have this problem in Miami, so its only in Cleveland. He’s a bad leader in the sense that he’s going about it wrong. But I also feel that the rest of the team is playing poorly because their intensity level is not at the same level as LeBron’s, as in they may not be taking the series as serious as they should be.
Yes. Imjuries, acts of God. LeBron decides to play like last year. Gamblers threaten Curry or Thompsons families and they sit out.
Otherwise, nope.
Honestly, what theyre doing defensively, is FINE. They do need a little more passion and aggression on that end, but thats about it; playing more on some players than others. Its the offense thats just killing them. Iso-ball by Kyrie, uncalled for 3s by Lebron, lue is not playing Mozgoc when he should when Bogut is on the floor. They need ball movement, that’s what they were doing when they were beating other teams. Yes, they were facing easier teams of the East. But, you could see they believed they could win and wanted it more than the other team. All that collective conscience is gone against GSW.
Lebron nerds to go hero mode to ramp up the belief in this squad, needs to be a little more selfish and I guarantee that’ll get everyone going. Then, they’ll start winning the 50-50 balls, rebounds, and more importantly, the game.
Insert some Dahntay Jones elbow magic to a few faces or groins… oh you wanted non flagrant options?
LOL