In their Game 1 demolition job of the Toronto Raptors, the Cleveland Cavaliers showed that they don’t just rely on the long-ball.
As impressive as the Cavs’ 4-0 romp of Atlanta in the second round of the Eastern Conference was, there remained one question on people’s minds: are the Cavaliers transitioning to be a jump-shooting team?
The numbers certainly suggested so.
In the four-game series which included a record 25 made three-point shots in Game 2, the Cavaliers made 77 three-point baskets. They had four consecutive games of over 15 made three-point shots, simply obliterating the Hawks’ defensive scheme.
However, despite the Cavs’ proficiency from behind the arc against Atlanta, they struggled on their two-point shots.
During their four-game sweep of Atlanta, the Cavaliers shot 47.8 two-point shots and 38.0 three-point shots per game. Comparatively, in the regular season, the Cavaliers averaged 54.2 two-pointer attempts and just 29.5 three-point attempts per game.
The concern for the Cavaliers was not the volume of the three-point shots, because generally a majority of the shots came as a result of the way the Hawks guarded the Cavs. It was the Cavs’ shooting percentage on two-point shots that was potentially problematic.
After shooting 51.4 percent on two-point shots throughout the regular season, the Cavs shot just 42.4 percent against Atlanta, prompting many to wonder whether the Cavs had become an outside-shooting team.
With the Cavs coming off a series where they averaged 19.3 three-point makes per game, the Toronto Raptors’ defensive game plan clearly emphasised running Cleveland’s shooters off the three-point line.
Prior to Game 1, Raptors coach, Dwane Casey, discussed the Raptors’ defensive plan against the Cavs.
“Our philosophy has been all year to take away the paint first and then get out to 3-point shooters,” Casey said. “We may have to adjust that schematically.”
While the plan seemed decent on paper, the Cavaliers adjusted accordingly and proceeded to eviscerate the Raptors, getting open layup after open layup in the absence of Toronto’s rim-protector, Jonas Valanciunas.
Following the three-point barrage against Atlanta, the Cavs made just seven three-pointers in their Game 1 win over the Raptors.
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Adjusting to the Raptors’ defensive scheme, 73 percent of Cleveland’s shots in Game 1 were inside the three-point line, and they duly converted 63 percent of those looks.
One reason the Raptors’ strategy was flawed from the outset was because it allowed two of the league’s best 1-on-1 players, Kyrie Irving and LeBron James, to break down their man and get to the basket at will.
Following the game, Cavs’ forward, Kevin Love, touched on the impact that James and Irving were able to have.
“When Kyrie’s playing like that we’ve said all year long he’s so hard to stop, ‘Bron’s the same way,” Love told reporters.
“I think they ended up 22-for-30 and that’s just a product of them playing downhill, getting to the basket and getting great shots so we’re hoping to see that for the rest of the series.”
James also touched on the way the Cavs were able to capitalise on the Raptors’ defensive plan.
“Tonight they wanted us to be in the paint and we just tried to take advantage of that,” said James who finished with 24 points on 11-for-13 shooting on the night.
“As I keep telling you guys every single day, we’re not a jump shooting team. We’re a balanced team, and whatever the game dictates, we’re able to adjust to that.”
As a result of playing downhill, the Cavaliers were able to have a 20-point advantage in points in the paint, outscoring Toronto 56-36.
Toronto, a team who’s defense is normally predicated on packing the paint, adjusted their scheme as a result of the Cavs’ onslaught against the Hawks. However, like great teams do, the Cavs adjusted and still punished them.
Despite the Cavaliers’ continuing to be impressive, there are still naysayers who say the results are more a product of the Cavs’ weaker opponents rather than the Cavs’ play.
Frankly, East or West, the way the Cavaliers are playing right now, there aren’t many teams in the league that would be able to stop them.
The Cavaliers are showing that they are not just a driving team, or a jump-shooting team, but just a great basketball team.
Were you surprised Cavs showed more than just jump shooters?