Cleveland Cavaliers superstar LeBron James put up a gargantuan stat line in a game dominated by skilled forwards, notching a rarefied 40-point triple-double.
LeBron James did this through a diverse portfolio of shots: per NBA.com, LeBron netted 14 of his 40 points from lay-ups, 9 from three-pointers, 8 from dunks, 5 from free throws, and 4 from jump shots or fadeaways. Like usual, he was the go-to option for the Cleveland Cavaliers.
If I were the NBA commissioner, I would mandate that every Cavs-Bucks game be played in a half-court, three-on-three format, and only players 6-foot-8 or taller would be allowed to participate.
(Give me a starting trio of LeBron James, Kevin Love and Jeff Green facing off against Giannis Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton and Jabari Parker.)
It would be the purest rendition of the match-up we saw Monday night, in which multi-tool forwards won the day.
In a league frequented with high-scoring guard play, this game felt like a throwback, albeit a revisionist one, where a big man does everything except post up and where poor point guard play is tolerable, even charming.
This was the type of game that the Cavs knew they can win. Their strength lies in the LeBron-Love duo and the dynamism of that 1-2 punch was on full display.
This sequence from 3:38 to 2:49 in the second quarter is particularly nice. Love blocks Henson near the rim, leading to a LeBron lay-up at the other end. On the Cavs’ next possession, LeBron in-bounds the ball from the baseline. Love sets a screen for Korver and then drifts out to the 3 point line, where LeBron hits him for the open shot:
It’s worth watching the whole highlight reel, just to catch more of the versatile forward play that characterized this game.
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The box score is similarly filled with frontcourt gems.
The Cavs’ frontcourt poured in support behind LeBron: Kevin Love hit 4 three-pointers to go along with 7 boards, 4 assists, and 2 blocks; Jeff Green put up 14 points in 40 minutes on 62.5% shooting, and Ante Žižić put up 13 points in 16 minutes off the bench.
For the Bucks, Giannis was resourceful as well, scoring 14 points from lay-ups, 11 from free throws, 6 from dunks, and 6 from jump shots on his way to 37 points; Khris Middleton notched 30 points, shooting 5 for 8 from beyond the arc, while sixth-man Jabari Parker posted a jack-of-all-trades stat line of 12 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block.
Amidst the dominating play of the game’s elite forward play, it felt like the point guards were relegated to the oft-missed tropes of earlier times. When everything moves through the frontcourt, it’s OK if Jose Calderon, George Hill and Eric Bledsoe combined to shoot 7-for 24 from the field (a cool 29%).
Calderon and Hill are the graying vets that LeBron needs, while Bledsoe, the human embodiment of an arm-wrestling competition, is the right kind of player to bring the ball up court and play defense for his team of giants.
Jordan Clarkson filled the role of combo guard spark plug for the Cavs, but his contributions at times felt ancillary. Of his 17 points, only 2 came when the game was within 5 points: a jumper in the second quarter to tie the game at 44. 11 of his points came when the Cavs were already up by at least 8.
Looking ahead to the playoff gauntlet that lies in wait, the Cavaliers may be wishing for an alternate reality where guards are forbidden from competing. We’ll see what they can do against more formidable backcourts when the stakes are at their highest.
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Perhaps some combination of opponent cold streaks, a mucked up style of play, or a rare, last-minute format change from the NBA Commissioner can swing the odds in their favor.