The Cavs’ quandary

There is very little one can add by way of description to the phenomenal (you could even say otherworldly) performance of the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 4 of the NBA Finals. Their superhuman output obliterated three league records for a finals game in the first half alone, four if you include the combined output by both teams. Along the way, they also set a new mark for three-point shooting, erasing the record set by the Golden State Warriors themselves. In other words, it was a once in a lifetime event.

In the first three games of the series, the Cavs did play well, but still fell short, most painfully in Game Three on their home floor. Kyrie Irving had a monster first half in Game Four, and LeBron James continuously repelled all the advances made by the Warriors in the second half. Overall, despite (some would say with the aid of) horrible officiating (the no-call on Irving’s backing violation in the first half, for starters) Cleveland kept its composure and consistency, even with all the lulls in the game. Most significantly, their defense held, forcing Golden State into uncharacteristic turnovers, and keeping the Warriors from getting more than six unanswered points at a time. There would be no repeat of Game Three. And there would be no sweep.

But there lies the problem. It appears that the Cavs have to play superlative, flawless basketball just to beat the Warriors, a slightly younger, slightly quicker, slightly more athletic opponent. There are still big questions Cleveland has to answer to extend the series and live to fight another day. These are questions they have gotten by without answering because the Eastern Conference is significantly weaker than its past editions, which were already weaker than the West to start with.

Firstly, will they be able to shoot like that in Golden State? Highly unlikely. Not to say that Game Four was a fluke, since the Cavs are a very, very good team. But outside shooting is still Golden State’s forté, and one excellent performance may spell survival, but Cleveland still needs three more to call themselves back-to-back champions. When put in that perspective, it looks doubtful that the Cavs will be able pull out the series, objectively speaking. It just seems improbable to break newly forged records 48 hours later. The odds and circumstance weigh against it.

Secondly, the Cavs still face a scoring deficit whenever James sits down. Perhaps they can take a page from the San Antonio Spurs book, and break down the possessions over the minutes that LeBron is resting. Over a span of more than a decade, as Tim Duncan’s numbers gradually went down, the decline was imperceptible, until you looked at the stat sheet and saw three or four other players pick up the slack in minute numbers. An extra shot here, an added point there, and the gap between playing with LeBron and without will be minimal. As of Game Four, the few minutes of respite he got meant an eight-point difference in scoring. That’s a gaping, voracious maw that needs to be filled, today.

There’s still another problem with regards LeBron’s human limitations. He is also their best option in defending against Kevin Durant, the overly blessed anomaly of a player who has scored more than 30 points a game throughout the entire series. James has both the size and the quickness to curtail Durant’s offense. But will Cleveland sacrifice his offense and risk having to rest their best player more, now of all times? Damned if you do, dead if you don’t. Would Ty Lue risk having James play flat-out through the entire Game Five just to stay alive, and have nothing left for a potential Game Six? Such a double-edged sword.

Consider also two other players who have not been consistent. Klay Thompson finally had a great game in Game Three, while Kevin Love has a tendency to submerge in stretches. Either of these players can make the difference between losing a close game and winning by a mile. All things being equal, if one plays well and the other doesn’t, that could well be the barometer of the game. Love’s absences have been more obvious, since Cleveland has less to fill in the scoring void than Golden State does. Not that Thompson likes to be left out of the conversation. Cleveland has to stretch its material a bit more.

Cleveland has to slow the game down, and extend their defense. One on one, it may be a difficult option, but the trend-setting outside shooting of the Warriors doesn’t leave much choice. The Cavs can’t sit back on D and let Steph Curry and Durant and Thompson bomb away. Not this team, not at home, and not now. And expect the officiating to tighten up after the fiasco of the last game. There were too many missed calls, too many delays in the game, and too much indecision. For better or worse, the refs are going to be making more calls on both teams.

And Cleveland is going to hope for two miracle games in a row.