Cavs vs. Pistons game four: Five things we learned

The Cleveland Cavaliers completed the sweep with a narrow 100-98 win in Detroit. The Pistons gave it everything that they had, but it wasn’t enough to overcome Kyrie Irving and company. Irving carried Cleveland to victory by making a critical three with under a minute to play and by forcing Reggie Jackson to take a tough three as time expired.

Here’s what we learned from the series clinching win.

1. Kyrie Irving can score 10 points in 79 seconds.

Kyrie stole the show in game four. He finished with a game high 31 points on 12-of-25 shooting and five assists. Irving started his takeover in the third quarter when he scored 10 straight points for the Cavs in only 79 seconds. Not many players in the league can take over the game like that, but Uncle Drew is one of them.

2. J.R. Smith continues to build off his record breaking season.

Smith had another great three point shooting night in game four. He finished with 15 points on 5-of-7 shooting from behind the arc. Smith is the perfect player to compliment LeBron James and Kyrie’s unique skillsets. His ability to knock down open looks and contested shots late in the shot clock have made him the perfect weapon during the playoffs.

Many were critical of Smith during last year’s Finals, but that criticism is unfair. During most of the Finals last year he was forced to be the second scoring option which is a role he isn’t comfortable in. Smith is the fourth scoring option on the floor right now with the Big Three playing as well as they are. Him being the fourth scoring option allows him to play within himself. While you can’t expect him to shoot 70% from three every night, you shouldn’t see cold stretches like you saw from him last year in the Finals.

3. The Cavs can complete a series sweep without LeBron James carrying the scoring load.

LeBron had a good series, but it was far from the best scoring series we’ve seen from him. He averaged 23 points per game this series which is five points per game less than his playoff average and four points per game less than Irving this series. James also averaged one less shot per game and five less free throw attempts per game in the playoffs.

While LeBron’s scoring numbers are down compared his lofty standards, that doesn’t mean that there’s a reason to panic. He is still making his presence felt. James once again led the team in plus/minus and finished with 22 points, 11 boards, and six assists. A player with as many skills as LeBron doesn’t need to score 30 points a game to be the most dominant player on the floor.

4. Kevin Love can grab nine rebounds in a quarter.

Love did not have a good game shooting (3-of-15), but he was still able to effect the game by asserting his dominance on the glass. His nine boards in the first quarter helped set the tone for the rest of the game. Love finished the game with 11 points and 13 boards including four on the offensive end.

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5. LeBron isn’t afraid to defer to Kyrie late in playoff games.

We’re accustomed to seeing LeBron call for an isolation during the end of playoff games, but that wasn’t the case in game four. Irving had the ball in his hand when the game was on the line. Kyrie attempted the Cavs last three shots and made a crucial three with less than a minute to play.

The fact Kyrie had the ball down the stretch shows me that he has completely gained the trust of Coach Tyronn Lue and LeBron. While Irving did very well in the postseason last year when he was healthy, we never saw him control the last two minutes of a playoff game like this. That was left to James.

This postseason LeBron seems willing to share the late-game closer role with Kyrie. The last two games Irving has shown he has the confidence to take and make big shots when the game is on the line. We’ll see how the Cavaliers handle late game situations as the playoffs progress, but if this series is any indicator of things to come, Kyrie could be the one with the ball when the game is on the line, not LeBron.

The Cavs will have about a week off to rest before they begin round two. Cleveland will take on the winner of the series between the Boston Celtics and Atlanta Hawks. That series is tied at two games a piece.