The Cleveland Cavaliers were absolutely demolished on Friday night in Game 6. Their 34-point loss left fans dumbfounded and scared for Game 7.
From the very tip, there seemed something off about the Cleveland Cavaliers. They started out the game completely unstoppable from behind the arc yet only seemed to gain a five to an eight-point lead.
Following a 12-2 run by Indiana, Cleveland saw their last lead of the night dwindle away as they’d later go into the locker room down just 10. The second half is when the Pacers really put it on. They outscored the Cavs by 15, ending the third quarter up 25.
This type of self-destruction is unusual of a LeBron-led team.
That’s what happens when James has more than 3x as many points as the next Cavalier. That’s what you can expect when your second “all-star” only put up seven points.
Yet again, the Pacers showed us why playing as a team will usually outperform the solo show, even when the solo show is being put on by LeBron James.
The Pacers put seven players in double figures with Victor Oladipo leading the way with a huge 28 points. Sabonis finished with 19, Lance 12, and Collision 15 to round out the Pacers balanced attack.
However, like we saw in Game 2 when LeBron dropped 46 points and the Cavs escaped with just a three-point victory, the solo show can win, especially in the first round, but what should frighten Cavs fans is Game 7.
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Albeit Game 7 is just a stepping stone in their quest to the NBA Finals, the Cavaliers have to find a way to put away a very polished Pacers team that has seemingly figured them out.
Game 7 could also be the start of the end. James has a few months following the season to figure out what he wants to do in free agency, but unless some team-altering moves are made, Game 7 might be the last time James is in the Wine & Gold.
To be fair, this was the case entering the playoffs. Fans knew the very real possibility that, in a series like this, the Cavaliers needed heroic performances from James just to win by a slim margin. That said, even if they win Game 7, the damage is already done. Cleveland has already played their best hand, and teams should know how to defend James and Korver, the 36-year-old sniper that is playing Robin to James’ Batman.
On top of that, the next few series are jam-packed with talented teams such as Toronto and then possible Philadelphia.
The Cavaliers organization is fatigued, and it’s obvious.
Lue’s struggled health-wise, the Cavs can’t seem to find proper chemistry, and the rotation has been a mess, but what more can you expect?
This team was assembled around a player that could ultimately be finding a new home in a few months, and with that reality in mind, it’s difficult to think James can continue to carry the burden of an entire team for that much longer. It’s even harder to expect James to want to continue to carry that burden moving forward and into the next season.
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That’s why even a Game 7 win could mean the end of the Cavaliers most beloved era, the LeBron James era.