King James Gospel
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NBA Finals: 5 Reasons To BELIEVE After Game 1

By Quenton S. Albertie

May 17, 2016; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) reacts prior to game one of the Eastern conference finals of the NBA Playoffs at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports
May 17, 2016; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) reacts prior to game one of the Eastern conference finals of the NBA Playoffs at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports /
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Not all is doom and gloom after Game 1 of the NBA Finals for the Cleveland Cavaliers.

After missing Game 1 originally, while at work, and just catching glimpses. I wasn’t panicking even though the team was down. LeBron James‘ play was again inspiring, and the Golden State Warriors’ bench was the real story. Despite the loss I came home satisfied. Why? I still believed. Why?:

  • LeBron has never won a Game 1 on the road in the playoffs.This story goes all the way back to 2014. Call it what you will, like making it harder for yourself. But in terms of if this gives him a better or worse chance to win than before, it’s sort of par the course. LeBron James clearly prefers the best of five series feel. He’s won a fair share of them too, like against the Detroit Pistons in 2007 and the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2012 for instance.
  • The Cleveland Cavaliers didn’t play their brand of basketball.From the jump, Kyrie Irving hijacked the offense. LeBron wasn’t nearly the playmaker we’re used to seeing and that comes easy for him. We didn’t see LeBron connect with J.R. Smith, Channing Frye, or Richard Jefferson like usual because Kyrie hijacked the offense, got guys stagnant, and was jacking up shots letting others get cold like food on the dinner table and Tyronn Lue let him. That’s how Kyrie finished 7-22 and the team only had 17 assists. In addition, Kevin Love wasn’t inside nearly enough, because of Kyrie’s play and not allowing Love to set himself up on the block because he either shot early in the shot clock or held it for all of the shot clock.
  • Kyrie and Kevin played pretty well defensively.As a surprise to many, Love and Irving played well defensively. Kyrie more so off the ball and by contesting shots and Love by guarding Stephen Curry well on the perimeter early. LeBron though effective defensively with a block and two steals, didn’t communicate like he usually does. Love will have to challenge more shots by being alert, as will Thompson, but they’re aided by LeBron telling them where to go, as are J.R. and Iman Shumpert. The defense also wasn’t as physical as we know they can be and could be a reason Golden State scored 54 points in the paint.
    • Shaun Livingston

    .Cleveland should explore options like

    Dahntay Jones

    , who is a reputable defender and will fight over and thru screen to get to Livingston, from off of their bench to guard the tall point guard. Even

    Jordan McRae

    could be of interest with his height and length.

    Shumpert should play Barbosa.

    Tristan Thompson might be better suited off of the bench, with Channing Frye starting, to give the Cavaliers ultimate spacing and more length at center with the starters and more energy and rebounding from off the bench. Frye being in Love’s ear also might boost the power forwards confidence.

    While you can play D. Jones, McRae or Richard Jefferson on Livingston for defense, James Jones can come in when LeBron sits. Often Kyrie Irving is in at this point, controlling the flow of the game and James Jones can keep the floor spread.

    In short, there are solutions to the bench of the Warriors, for the bench of Cavaliers, on the Cavaliers bench. To this point, the “James Gang” lineup was nowhere in sight. I’m referring to the bench lineup that decimated the Raptors with one set of plays. The lineup of James, Matthew Dellavedova, Shumpert, Jefferson, and Frye was never on the court tonight.

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    Only one player on the court looks like the best player

    .

    But what could have been a momentum-changing play LeBron was racing towards the rim and fumbled the ball and Curry came down and made his last three. That was followed by Kyrie doing another ill-advised thing in racing the shot clock for the millionth time, missing, and Klay coming down and making his last three. Tyronn Lue needs to call plays for LeBron to score in clutch situations, taking the ball out of his hand some and forcing his hand into scoring himself.

    The Cleveland Cavaliers had an end score and deficits that made the game look more out of reach and them outmatched. In reality, the team beat themselves by not playing the style of basketball they know how to play. The one that got them to this point.

    What reasons do you have for hope in for the Cavs in the NBA Finals?