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Key: Defender from Down Under
Delly is going to get – rightfully so – a ton of credit on keeping Curry in check on Sunday night, but the Cavs also did some groundwork – (literally) – early on with the reigning MVP, throwing two guys at him at almost all times.
Delly and the Cavs came up huge defensively against Curry, holding him to 5-for-23 shooting, including 2-for-15 from three-point range. Delly did just enough offensively to give the Cavaliers a lift – including a pair of back-to-back rainbows early in the fourth quarter. (That shot falling for Delly is huge in that it opens up the alley-oop option to Tristan or Timo if the big comes over to help.)
But the Cavaliers can’t get complacent after Sunday’s performance. Curry is the MVP for a reason and the odds are great that he’s going to bounce back with his usual fireworks display at some point. He led the Warriors with 26 points in Game 1 and can score in bunches like (almost) nobody in the NBA.
Curry was quiet in his one appearance in Cleveland this season – going 5-for-17 from the floor for 18 points in Golden State’s February loss. The regular season and June basketball are two different things.
One thing June basketball is about is making game-to-game adjustments. Steve Kerr and his staff will have designs on springing Curry on Tuesday night in Cleveland. Can Delly and the Cavs continue to flummox the MVP?
Key: X-Men, Finals Chapter
When the 2015 NBA Playoffs began against the Celtics at The Q on April 19 – 52 days ago – the Cavaliers were at full health. They beat Boston by 13 points with Kyrie Irving finishing his playoff debut with 30 points and Kevin Love doing the same with 19 points and a dozen boards.
That seems like a long time ago, and in playoff-years, it is. Throughout the postseason, we’ve written about the X-Men – the necessary, and usually unexpected guy to give you something extra. At one time, that was Matthew Dellavedova – but the crushing injury to Kyrie has thrust the sophomore guard in the spotlight. Delly averaged 20.6 minutes per contest in the regular season; as a playoff starter – three of the last five games – he’s at 41.4.
James Jones got off only one shot in Game 1, but he drilled a pair of big first-half threes, finishing with eight points and two steals in Game 2. Whether he’s shooting well or not, Jones continues to be the Cavs most cerebral defender. Mike Miller went scoreless in six minutes and Shawn Marion didn’t see action in either game.
We’re only at Game 3, and a few days from now – (a long time in playoff-years) – someone’s going to step out of the shadows. The postseason is about important single possessions. One steal, one board, one defensive stop.
Key: Post: Office
It’s one of – if not the most telling stats of the postseason: the Cavaliers are now 13-0 when they outrebound their opponent. On Sunday night, Timofey Mozgov, LeBron James and Tristan Thompson accounted for 41 of Cleveland’s 55 boards and the Cavs outrebounded Golden State by 10.
Thompson had 14 of those rebounds, exactly half off the offensive glass. The Cavs don’t need Tristan to blow up the scoring column, but he’s 1-for-9 from the floor in the series -- missing some easy shots he normally makes – and he knows he’ll have to produce a little more offensively if the Cavs have a chance in the seven-game set.
Timofey Mozgov has had no such problems on the offensive end, finishing with 17 points and 11 boards for his third double-double of the postseason. He’s 10-for-16 from the floor in the series and is averaging 16.5 ppg.
Andrew Bogut attempted just one shot and is 2-of-6 from the floor in the series. Draymond Green had another nice game, doubling-up with 10 points, 10 boards and a pretty boisterous block of LeBron.
The shorthanded Cavaliers are trying to turn these Finals into an Eastern Conference playoff series – lower scoring, longer possessions, stingier defense.
Key: Looking for Home Cooking
One of the Cavaliers strengths throughout the season’s second half and into the playoffs was their interchangeable off-guard tandem of Iman Shumpert and J.R. Smith. They’ve both played their normally excellent game on the defensive end – especially Shumpert, whose two steals in overtime sealed the first Finals win in Cavaliers franchise history.
Shumpert struggled from the floor, going just 2-for-11. But one of those two field goals was also the Cavaliers’ only field goal in overtime – a three-pointer 1:17 into the extra-session.
J.R. Smith was the only Cavalier reserve to score last Thursday and led the bench with 13 points on Sunday before fouling out in overtime.
It’s going to be a pretty common theme as we wind down to the season’s final five games: Where are the Cavs going to get their point production from with Kevin Love and Kyrie out of commission? J.R. Smith is poised for an outburst after a pair of frustrating games to start the series – going 5-for-15 from long-distance. A frenzied Quicken Loans Arena might help. To Golden State’s credit, they haven’t given him much room to work.
The Cavaliers love this duo’s toughness on both ends. But they’re going to need more offensive production to stick with a Warriors team that can blow up the scoreboard at any time.
Key: The Kingdom Awaits
Think about it this way: It’s been 47 days since LeBron James turned in his first triple-double of the playoffs. His game-winning shot over Chicago to even that series at two games apiece was 30 days ago (followed by a 38-point, 12-rebound game two nights later). Even his 38-point, 18-rebound, 13-assist masterpiece in an overtime win against Atlanta was over two weeks ago.
With Kyrie and Kevin Love gone, LeBron’s put the team on his back against the 67-win Warriors. After the Cavaliers clinched against Chicago, LeBron said a team he was on would never be the underdog, but the national media still doesn’t see it that way. James is putting up legendary, historic numbers against Golden State – averaging 41.5 points, 12.0 rebounds and 8.5 assists in the series. But it’s more than just the numbers. He’s willing this team towards the title.
LeBron’s laughed off the fact that Golden State’s letting him score. “You don't let me have 40,” said James before Saturday’s practice. I go get 40. It's not like they're just getting out of the way. So those guys aren't saying we're okay with letting him have 40. You don't let me have 40; I'm making those shots.”
With their All-Star point guard and the team’s double-double leader out for the playoffs, the Cavaliers are going to need the four-time MVP to make more of those shots the rest of the way. He’s on the verge of all-time sports history, and he knows it. And he’ll have The Q frothing when game-time rolls around at 9 p.m. ET.