Here we go. Game four. We know that each of these teams are capable of blowing out the other one. Cavs can’t wait to attack in this game — like they did in game three, they have to come out of the locker room aggressive. They should also be ready for Boston to do the same.
Continue to play off of Rondo, give token full-court pressure, and pack the paint on him. Hope Paul Pierce doesn’t return to the land of the living. Chase Ray Allen wherever he goes.
If LeBron has it going from outside early and Shaq is working in the post, that’s great. If not, the Cavs have to be patient and not allow themselves to get discouraged. As we all know, no lead is secure in this series — every single possession counts.
Alright, it’s gametime. Check back here for the recap later.
I still think every game and every series is different, but these playoffs so far have been a real letdown. The Lebron Cavs, even with a much crappier roster, used to be a focused, intense team in the playoffs, especially on defense. There was a noticeable change from the regular season. This team, I really don’t know.
I’m not sure whether Shaq should be playing in the 4th but I’m glad he cares.
Let’s just remember sometimes focus doesn’t win titles, exhibit A is last years Lakers, who never should have went to 7 with a very undermanned Rockets team.
Ben Tej, That will be a failed stategy, if it’s the case, which I think it is. I mean even if he’s right, it is so smug that he has to fall on his face.
Rich: Are you being positive or negative? Do you mean the Lakers won despite playing half-assed for much of that series or that Houston still lost despite playing with total focus? I think you mean the former, and I definitely think of the Lakers when I am trying to find reasons to remain hopeful. They are a championship team and they seem to turn it on when they need to. I hope this team has the same ability, but not that confident.
I really hate that we lost the fourth quarter to a team that has blown fourth quarters all year.
In this series, every facet of the game of basketball seems to compound on another facet.
For example, the Celtics were content to pack the paint on every possession and dare the Cavs to shoot outside shots. The Cavs responded by going 4-21 on 3s, (mostly wide open) and LeBron decided early on he wasn’t going to settle for jumpers. That’s great, except by packing the paint they made it very difficult to score at the hoop. LeBron, undeterred, took a lot of forays to the rim. The fact that he MISSED most of them played right into the Celtics hands as they now had the best transition defender in the NBA underneath his own basket the the layup lines commenced.
Every time there were foul shots, or the Cavs actually made a basket, their defense was subperb. With Rondo having to bring the ball up against full court pressure, the Cavs communicating and switching/rotating well, and some great individual defense, the Celtics could do NOTHING in the half court. Problem is, the Cavs didn’t score enough for their Offense to be their Defense.
The fourth quarter starts and it was like the perfect example of what I am talking about. The Cavs actually tried to force it in the paint and score at the basket over and over – and whether a pass was deflected, or someone just missed a layup because of a contest, or contact but no whistle, or whatever, the Celtics just ran down the other way and made layup after layup. The few times they got out and LeBron contested the layup, there were trailers for the Celtics. I’m fairly certain that in the Cavs 5 minute scoring drought, the Celtics did not score ONCE in a half court set, and took a twelve point lead anyway on layups.
Last year people used to say the Magic, “Live and Die” by the 3 ball. No one says that anymore since they never seem to die by it and they have the suffocating defense to win anyway even if they can’t make threes. This Cavs team LIVES AND DIES by it’s offensive execution, which is a 180 degree shift from 2 years ago. This Cavs team can be a juggernaut offensively and can just devastate opponents with an inside out attack of LeBron going to the rim, and some pretty solid 3 point shooters bombing away from outside. The problem is, their best offensive players are poor defensive players (especially in transition). So basically, in 2 games, the Cavs may have LOOKED like they lost both games because they couldn’t contain Rondo. But really, the REASON they couldn’t contain Rondo is mostly because he was leading a layup line off every Cavs miss.
None of this describes the poor “effort” that everyone is talking about. I agree that watching the Cavs get outworked for 48 minutes was incredibly frustrating. But it seems like this Cavs teams is not built to be scrappy and keep the game close for 44 minutes with defense and rebounding and then let LeBron take over late. At least not against these Celtics. Definitely not when Varejao refuses to jump. The Cavs have guys that can make outside shots. The Celtics have Ray Allen and Zombie Paul Pierce. That is the reality of this series. The team that can execute their offense is going to win, because neither team can really stop the other superstar in transition, and the Celtics cannot score in the half-court, while the Cavs cannot score if LeBron isn’t on his game.
It’s so weird because after 4 games I’ve noticed no trends other that the above – that one thing leads to the next which creates a snowball effect for one team or the other. Nothing would surprise me. A blowout for either side, nor a close game would surprise me in game 5, 6, and/or 7. The only thing I know is the Cavs will not win if they can’t make shots, because their transition defense cannot stop Fleet Rondo. Their offense is their defense now, as much as Mike Brown might hate to admit that.
To me, it comes down to a very simple thing. LeBron James, the best player in the world, needs to be the best player on the court. If Rondo continues to have these nights and LeBron doesn’t match, then we lose. I love how we try to defend LeBron and say that is to much to ask of him, but it is EXACTLY what Rondo is doing. Rondo has to be superhuman for he Celts to win..so why is it bad for me to ask the same of LeBron? I don’t get it.
On point, Rich. Rondo was superhuman. The fact that a 6-1 point guard (tied for shortest player on court) had close to 20 rebounds in a game (which was close to 1.5 times his assist total) was mindboggling. And did I read somewhere that he had more offensive rebounds than the entire Cavs team? He has the Big Three, but he did not defer to them on the court. He took matters into his hands. He brought his team through. That’s leadership. Maybe we’re so used to expecting this from LeBron every single game, that when he seemingly falls short, we criticize.
I still expect the Cavs to win this series, but my faith in their ability to win the championship (going through the Magic and the Lakers) has diminished. Maybe its because i see those other teams coasting, and the Cavs seem to be struggling; whereas for the most part in the regular season, those guys were struggling, and the Cavs were dominant.
It is what it is. Lakers (last year) and Boston (the year before that) hit a lot of speed bumps and road blocks on the way to the championship. So I still have hope that the Cavs can make it. However, I’ll just like the Cavs to show more effort… And if just one more person from the Cavs can consistently step up his game… Game over.
I agree with Rich to a large degree. IT seems Lebron needs to wake up and realize that He is the man. From the tip to horn hes the guy who will be the celts and the other teams. If he does that, the other guys feed off of him. Its not selfish to do what he did in q1 of game 3, its leadership.
Other than that, the only other thing I’d like to see is more creativity at the point guard position. Mo just really seems to struggle getting the offense going, running the show, for extended periods. Even if he could, Rondo (next nelson) are simply too quick and can stop him. And he absolutely cannot guard Rondo to save his life.
Thats why I like Bron at the point and Moon/parker on Rondo. Perhaps even Lebron could guard Rondo… Pierce sure cant do anything right now.
Rondo’s effort and focus just seem to be over and above everyone else right now.