Cleveland Cavaliers overcome huge misconception in dramatic Game 1 victory
Following their seven-game first round series, many thought the Cleveland Cavaliers were nothing more than LeBron James. Game 1 proved them wrong.
The Cleveland Cavaliers stole Game 1 from the Toronto Raptors 113-112, and this time, the team will be defined by more than just an out-of-this-world performance by LeBron James.
In the Cleveland Cavaliers opening game in their second-round series against the Toronto Raptors, LeBron James shot just 12-for-30 from the field, and somehow, someway the Cavs were able to win in overtime. This team is centered around LeBron, but they are also more than just LeBron.
In at least three of their first-round games against Indiana, the Cavaliers might have been sent home with their head hanging if their renown superstar LeBron James were to take more shots from the field than points he scored. However, in Game 1, enough of the Cavs role players stepped up to make James’ “off-night” not result in a 1-0 series deficit.
Two of those four players that decided to show up in Game 1 were Cavalier snipers Kyle Korver and JR Smith.
For Korver, he tied his playoff-high with 19 points while Smith, who scored 20, surpassed his playoff-high by 5 points.
A combined 39 points from these two along with a combined 10-18 from deep was what dealt the Raptors a more lethal blow than James and his production. This duo has only scored 30 or more points in a playoff game once, and it resulted in a Game 4 road victory for Cleveland.
As long as Toronto wants to focus all their efforts on James, I’d expect more of the same from these two proven sharpshooters. However, they aren’t the only two that stepped up in a dramatic Game 1 victory.
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Outside of the sharpshooters, Jeff Green and Tristan Thompson were the other Cavaliers that surprisingly helped lead the team in a crucial Game 1.
Thompson, who played 26 minutes after just six minutes in the first half, scored 14 points and hauled down 12 critical rebounds. Thompson’s Game 1 should be remembered by two stats.
For starters, Thompson shot just 54% from the free throw line during the regular season yet hit four huge free throws last night. On top of that, Thompson secured nine offensive rebounds, a huge reason Cleveland ended +11 in field goal attempts.
As for Green, he was the only perfect Cavalier, shooting 4-for-4 from the field and 1-for-1 from behind the arc. Green contributed 16 points, 3 assists, and 2 rebounds. He also had the team’s best +/- at +10.
Additionally, Green ended with two steals and one block. Green couldn’t have had a better performance.
This is exactly what the doctor ordered for the Cleveland Cavaliers. James, who was coming off a 43-minute performance in Game 7 against the Pacers, was asked to play just two days later. He should be allowed to show his human side and look gassed after that performance.
Luckily, his team answered the call. The Cavs role players won this game, and while James did record 26 points, 13 assists, and 11 rebounds, it was his teammates who were the real stars of the night.
The Cavaliers have the Raptors number, winning their last seven straight playoffs matchups. On top of that, you can almost lay a bet that the James-Love duo won’t be going 15-for-43 in Game 2, so it should get increasingly difficult for Toronto to find a way to beat the King’s team.
This was a game the Raptors needed to win, and they were one open Fred VanVleet three at the buzzer away from starting up 1-0. Oh well, maybe next time Toronto.
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Moving forward, the Cavs should be well-rested and prepared for Game 2 on Thursday night.