The apathy shown by the Cleveland Cavaliers during the regular season has manifested itself as another troublesome side effect — a slow start in the playoffs.
The Cleveland Cavaliers looked surprised on Sunday, shocked that Indiana would come out and try to win a basketball game to the best of their ability and efforts.
The shock wore off, eventually, and the Cavaliers found themselves in a battle. Even after the horrendous start, the Cavaliers found themselves within striking distance.
But for some reason, they just couldn’t make shots.
Most members of the media have portrayed it as an aberration. They tell us that Cleveland won’t shoot this poorly again.
I, too, believe Cleveland will shoot better as the series goes on. But I don’t believe the theory that Indiana just “got lucky” that Cavaliers not named Kevin Love and J.R. Smith shot 2 for 22 from three.
This poor shooting is a direct result of Cleveland mailing it in for 82 games. Yes, LeBron James’ heroics gave Cavaliers fans 50-wins to cover the stink, but the stink was there nonetheless.
Playoff basketball in the NBA comes with a tangible increase in effort. It shows clearly through the television.
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For 82 games, the Indiana Pacers prepared themselves for that intensity. They ensured they would be conditioned to make winning plays on both ends of the court. When the playoffs came, they were ready.
Cleveland, conversely, played like a team in malaise. Throughout the season they played one end of the court, saving their energy to outscore the opponent.
Playoff intensity forced the Cavaliers to defend. While they did so adequately — holding the Pacers to just 98 points — it had a dramatic effect on them offensively. They lacked the legs to confidently knock down jump shots.
That is the only reasonable explanation for the non-Love/Smith Cavaliers shooting just 9% from downtown.
Now, as the series drags on, the Cavaliers will gain their legs and start knocking down shots. So, Cleveland — who has the more talented team thanks to LeBron — will have the advantage later on in the series.
A similar phenomenon took place with the Cavaliers last year, struggling with Paul George’s Pacers more than they did with the superior Toronto Raptors. This was Cleveland’s first playoff game last year:
We’ve seen the Cavaliers struggle to adjust to playoff basketball before, and we are seeing more of the same now.
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Unfortunately, if the Pacers manage to steal Game 2, it may be too late.