Cavs Big 3 Completed by ‘The Others’
When the Cleveland Cavaliers were able to bring LeBron James and Kevin Love to join Kyrie Irving as the Cavs Big 3, they were seen as a perfect fit. Irving could shoot better than Dwyane Wade and Love was already a better shooter than Chris Bosh had to become in 4 years in Miami. There would obviously be some struggles learning to play together but as a whole the hopes were high.
The season was a bit of a rocky one, only stabilized by the New 3 of Iman Shumpert, J.R. Smith and Timofey Mozgov in mid-January. The Big 3 had spurts of time when they looked unstoppable together. Time where Irving’s shooting and ball handling, Love’s inside/outside game and LeBron’s overall dominance put the Cavs offense into another stratosphere.
It wasn’t all sunshine and roses, though the Big 3 played much better together than most of the national narrative suggests. Love still seemed uncomfortable with his role as the NBA Playoffs started. Then came the terrible shoulder injury that ended his season. The Big 3 was now a Big 2.
Irving, for his part, expanded his game this season and was set for a breakout post-season in his first time in the NBA’s second season. His defense was markedly improved, his overall effort was impressive and his transcendent offensive abilities continued to shoot skyward. Injuries have been a career long issue for Irving and they have beset him again with foot and knee issues limiting him. The Big 3 was now the Big 1.5.
Yet here we are, with the Cleveland Cavaliers up a game on the #1 seed Atlanta Hawks in the Eastern Conference Finals. A 4 game sweep of the Boston Celtics and a 6 game series win over the Chicago Bulls were completed even with Love’s injury late in the opening series and Irving’s early in the Bulls. How has that happened?
‘The Others’ have stepped up at different times to fill in as a part of the Big 3. In Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals it was J.R. Smith. J.R. Swish piped in 28 points with 8 three pointers and included 8 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal and 1 block. Some have wondered if he can repeat that performance. That is the beauty of the Cavs ‘Others:’ He may not have to.
It hasn’t been just JR but throughout the Bulls series a different player stepped up to serve as an unofficial member of the Cavs Big 3:
- Game 1: Iman Shumpert had 22 points.
- Game 2: James Jones had 17 points.
- Game 3: Smith with 14 points.
- Game 4: Timofey Mozgov with 15 points.
- Game 5: Tristan Thompson with 12 and Shumpert with 13 points.
- Game 6: Matthew Dellavedova with a huge 19 points.
So while we are not sure whether JR will shoot great again in Game 2, or for the rest of the NBA Playoffs, we are confident in the Cavs ‘Others’ to step up game to game. Maybe tonight it is Shumpert. Maybe Delly hits those shots that wouldn’t fall in Game 1. Maybe Timo is the recipient of a few alley oops and hits a couple mid-range shots.
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Either way the Cavs Big 3 is completed each night by a different player. Thompson is consistent on the boards while the scoring load is carried by LeBron, a bit by Kyrie and whatever member of the Cavs ‘Others’ that steps up that night.
The Cavs seem to be proving something LeBron said in October before the season started:
"“We’re not a Big Three, we’re a team,” James said afterwards. “We’re a Big Fifteen.”"
While the Big Fifteen that he was speaking of at that time included Alex Kirk and Lou Amundson, this team he has around him has truly proved him accurate. The Cavs are a team and are playing their roles perfectly.
Who will step up tonight to complete the Cavs Big 3?