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This deficit that Cleveland Cavaliers are facing is not like last year

By Albert Dadson

May 23, 2017; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) watches the game from the bench after picking up his fourth foul in the second quarter against the Boston Celtics in game four of the Eastern conference finals of the NBA Playoffs at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports
May 23, 2017; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) watches the game from the bench after picking up his fourth foul in the second quarter against the Boston Celtics in game four of the Eastern conference finals of the NBA Playoffs at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports /
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After last game’s lost the Cleveland Cavaliers are looking for answers. They are down 0-2 and they are looking to build some momentum being home these next two games. They know last year’s deficit is not like this year.

The Cleveland Cavaliers lost Game 2 of the NBA finals on Sunday night 113-132 to the Golden State Warriors. Besides LeBron James the whole team has struggled. LeBron James had a triple double with 29 points, 11 rebounds and 14 assists. That was enough to tie Magic Johnson for the most triple doubles in NBA finals history.

This triple double was still not enough. The Cavaliers don’t have the defensive players to keep up with Golden State and their bench has been playing awful. The Cavs improved their turnover problem from Game 1 and they played a fast pace and put a defender like Iman Shumpert on Durant but that still could not snag a win on the Warriors home court.

Warriors head coach Steve Kerr knows that just because they won these first two game doesn’t mean anything. The Warriors have their guards up after what happened last year when they famously blew a 3-1 lead against the Cavaliers.

“We know, trust me, we know. It was 2-0 last year and we lost. So playing an unbelievably good, competitive team, dominant team. They have, what, two, three losses the whole playoffs. Now we got to go back there. This is where the series changed last year, so we’re just trying to think about the next game.”

The players on the Cavaliers don’t think that is true though. LeBron James and Kyrie Irving know that last year’s deficit is not like this one. Kyrie Irving has played bad and has shot 40 percent from the field in the finals. He has become stagnated because of no weak side movement and that means he has not been able to pass to open shooters. The Cavs have to get more movement on offense to help Kyrie get into a rhythm.

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Irving says that the Warriors team from last year is not the same as this year and the series is not the same series as last year.

“As much as the comparison wants to be drawn from last year to this year, this is a totally different team,” Irving said. “There is no comparison even though we’re down 0-2 going back home. It’s a different series our third time playing against each other. Going back home, we still have to stay the course.”

The Warriors have added Kevin Durant who has set himself apart from everybody else this series and is a big reason why the Cavaliers think the series is different.

“KD,” James said when asked what was the major difference between last year’s Warriors team and this year’s Warriors team.

In Game 2 KD scored 33 points, 13 rebounds and six assists. He has people talking about him as being the second greatest player in the world and he has the Warriors thinking ‘dynasty.’

LeBron knows that this team is different because of KD and he made that statement well known to the media.

“They’re a different team,” he said. “You guys asked me what’s the difference, and I told you. They’re a different team.”

With the Warriors adding Kevin Durant they have wore down the greatest player in the league in LeBron James because they have two of the top three players in the league in Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant. LeBron now seems that he is doubting the Cavaliers chances.

To be able to slow down Durant the Cavaliers have to be able to make him uncomfortable when he is gearing up to shoot and they have to put more bodies in the lane to stop him from driving.

Making the court seem smaller to the Warriors by contesting everything like driving lanes and making them not comfortable to shoot. Cavaliers will have to impose their will on the Warriors.

Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports
Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports /

“I thought for the most part with the game plan that we had we tried to execute it as close as possible,” LeBron James said. Much more physical today than we were in Game 1. And we forced them to 20 turnovers, and they still beat us pretty good, so we got to be much better, too.”

It wasn’t that being physical wasn’t enough, it was the fact that they were not physical enough. They have to make sure that they make shooting the ball uncomfortable to the Warriors at all times on defense.

LeBron said back on May 29th that this team that they are facing was dangerous but now they are even more dangerous with KD on the team.

“He’s one of the most dangerous guys we have in the world already,” James said. “So it makes it even more dangerous when you equip that talent, that skill with those guys.”

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The Warriors knew what they were doing when they acquired Durant and now they are two games away from winning the championship. LeBron will elevate his play when they are home and it will be worth it to watch to see if the Cavaliers can actually play with the Warriors when they are in Cleveland.