Recap: Cavs 120, Celtics 103 (or, nuCLEar testing area)

If I was recapping the Wizards game I would have titled it Trinity. Not for the only bearable plot line of the insanely overrated series Dexter, or concerning the Cavs three stars, but rather for the first testing of the atomic bomb. Could it be a match for the Warriors Death Squad in a Finals matchup? Maybe. That’s how deadly the Cavs small ball lineup looked against the Wizards. Perhaps like their Death Squad, it will be only used for special situations. Coach Tyronn Lue promised that he wouldn’t be going with a small ball starting lineup tonight, and he kept his word as Kevin Love returned to the four, and he was flanked by Kyrie Irving, J.R. Smith, LeBron James, and Timofey Mozgov.

First Quarter

Mozgov won the opening tip over Amir Johnson, and converted on a 15-footer after the Celtics front court doubled Love on the block. Two possessions later, LeBron found a cutting Mozgov for a jam. Moz has now strung together multiple good games, and if he can consistently play like he did last season, it’s a more meaningful addition to the Cavs title hopes than anyone they could have obtained at the deadline.

When Jared Sullinger came into the league in 2012, many used Kevin Love as his ceiling comp for his low post game, his penchant for anticipating where the rebound would fall, and his basketball IQ. We were treated to a Love/Sullinger jump ball in the first and it was like watching a sloth tip it off with a slow loris. Love won the battle of the hop challenged big men, and it led to a fade away by Mozgov.

LeBron can still bring the D when he feels like it. On an early Celtics fast break, he gave up an alley-oop because Amir Johnson out ran him in transition. A few minutes later, the Celtics were on the run again, and LeBron swatted a Jae Crowder layup away from the weak side. After the rejection, LeBron blew by Avery Bradley on the wing for a tomahawk jam. Maybe he’s just pacing himself.

LeBron’s dunk closed the gap to a deuce, 15-13, but the next seven minutes was arguably the worst effort from the Cavs this season. The Celtics stretched the Diff to 18 as the Cavaliers offensive execution ground to a halt, converting just 4 for 14 from the field. Isaiah Thomas abused Kyrie Irving at the other end, and Evan Turner easily scored over J.R. Smith on the block. After the first, the Celtics led 35-22.

Second Quarter

From time to time, I scold myself for being jealous of other teams when I have so much as a Cavs fan to be grateful for. I should feel blessed that the Cavs field one of the most talented rosters in the league, and boast an owner who is willing to spend well into the luxury tax. I couldn’t help but feel jealous of the Celtics during that first quarter run. The Celitcs best player (Crowder) would probably be the fourth most talented Cavalier if he was in a wine and gold uniform, and yet they are third in the East. They play to their strengths, and accept their weaknesses. They’ve completely bought in. I question whether or not this Cavs team will ever be able to do that. I’ll catch myself day dreaming at work of what the Cavs could be if they all played together and left their branding and egos for the offseason. They could be the Warriors, but it seems like they consciously choose not to be. After the mess that was the first quarter, I resigned myself to the fact that they just don’t care. They proved me wrong, and I’m thankful for that.

Love to Kyrie to Thompson! #CavsNation #Cavs #Celtics #NBA https://t.co/m0iGanH4Oq

— Cavs Nation (@CavsNationCP) March 6, 2016

Kyrie got the crowd back into the game by picking Marcus Smart’s pocket and drilling a three from the left wing before the defense could set. On the following possession, a Kyrie to Love give and go led to a Tristan Thompson buddy ball jam. The effort was a  complete 180 from just minutes earlier. One play in particular stood out to me. Kyrie drew Love’s defender on a pick and pop, and Kyrie swung the ball to Love at the top of the key. Love then kicked the rock to Delly in the corner for a three. Before Delly could even get the shot off, Love ran frantically towards the hoop to grab an offensive rebound that was never there, as Delly canned a deep two. More of that please.

Drew ➡ Shump#CavsCeltics on @FOXSportsOHhttps://t.co/NHkuHI23ze

— Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) March 6, 2016

To their credit, the Celtics didn’t concede the lead willingly. They maintained a double digit advantage until the seven minute mark in the quarter when Kyrie hit a transition three off of a Shumpert steal to cut the deficit to eight. The Cavs whittled the lead down to six off of Kyrie pump-faking Smart into a foul, and converting both free throws. On the next Celtics possession, Shumpert’s stellar defense on Evan Turner led to a short shot fielded by Kyrie. Shump then ran a go route the other way, and converted on the cross court TD pass from Kyrie. The Cavs cut a 13 point deficit to four, with LeBron resting on the bench.

J.R. Smith shot 1-6 during the first quarter, and his poor defense on Evan Turner was a large part of the Cavs’ opening frame deficit. On what appeared to be a LeBron pound-the-air-out-of-the-ball possession, he kicked to Smith in the corner, and J.R. pump-faked Bradley off his feet, collected himself, and nailed the corner trey to cut the Celtics lead to one.

On a broken play, Delly found Shump in the corner for the game-tying three. (The corner is where Shump belongs. Just stand there until the defense collapses to double one of the stars and await the wide open three.)

Shump’s defensive effort on the other end, put the Cavs on top for the first time since the early first as he drew a loose ball foul on a rebound attempt, and hit both of his freebies. The Cavs hustle during the second outweighed their lack thereof during the first, and they went into the half with a 55-54 lead.

Third Quarter

It's so beautiful. pic.twitter.com/77YMepySmo

— Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) March 6, 2016

The Cavs struggled out of the gate in the third, due to their own lackadaisical execution, along with a blatant flop by Crowder on a LeBron drive and dish. The Cavs tangled the game at 59 on a fast break off of a Love steal in which LeBron found a trailing Mozgov on a bounce pass for the two-handed jam. Mozzy is running the court again, and being rewarded for his effort. On the opposite end of the court, Timo caught an elbow to the adam’s apple from Amir Johnson, which drew a flagrant one foul. Moz made the most of his misfortune, hitting the two free throws.

After the flagrant the game grew chippier. The courtside mics were picking up the bickering amongst the players. To their credit, the Cavs didn’t cave to the physical play.  In fact, they performed to pulverizing perfection. Love went to set a screen for LeBron, but LBJ waved him off. Love noticed that Crowder focused his attention for a moment on LeBron, and went backdoor for an uncontested dunk. On the next Celtics possession, Love drew an offensive foul on Avery Bradley. LeBron then scored after catching an air balled 3-point attempt from J.R. Smith (and Iverson assist).

At the midway point in the quarter, the teams were tied at 70. LeBron then made a play that only he could make. Off of a deep Thomas miss, LeBron tapped the board from his left hand to his right as he was falling out of bounds, and in one continuous motion fired a perfect outlet pass to Kyrie to start the fast break. Kyrie hit a layup through a Crowder foul on the other end.

With four minutes remaining in the quarter, LeBron passed Tim Duncan for 14th on the all-time scoring list with a put back. He got two points closer to John Havlicek’s number 13 ranking, off of a give and go with Delly. He’ll probably pass Hondo during Monday’s game against the Grizzlies.

The Cavs closed the quarter strong as Love drew a foul from beyond the arc by pump-faking Marcus Smart and then converted all three freebies. A Delly floater and a Shump corner three extended the Cavs lead to 91-83.

Fourth Quarter

The opening minute of the fourth quarter was a chaotic brilliance that would have fit perfectly with The Benny Hill theme as Delly’s pass to Jefferson was deflected by Jonas Jerebko, who fumbled the ball himself. Jefferson swung and missed at grabbing he rock, and Delly finally gained possession. A moment later, Delly lost his footing on a spin move, and flung the ball behind his head into the hands of Thompson who flushed home two. A possession later, Kyrie was laid out on a Eurostep no call foul on Crowder, but cherry picked his way to two points off of a Jefferson TD pass.

Nearing the midway point in the quarter, LeBron returned to playing in the post. Celtics coach Brad Stevens countered by switching to a 2-3 zone, which LeBron easily exploited by finding a gap in the D and putting in a soft left-handed layup. A moment later, LeBron found former Cavalier Tyler Zeller guarding him on the wing. There’s a time and a place for Iso-ball, and this was, as LBJ blew by Zeller with ease for the layup.

The LeBron assault continued as he shook Sullinger off the dribble, and drew a foul on a made jumper, as an off-balanced Sully plowed into him during his shooting motion. Sully picked up a technical during the sponsored break, and Delly hit the penalty point. LeBron followed suit by hitting his free throw as well. Fred McLeod noted that it was a 34-point turnaround in 34 minutes.

J.R. with another triple! #CavsNation #Cavs #Celtics #NBA https://t.co/fSCvitEkwm

— Cavs Nation (@CavsNationCP) March 6, 2016

LeBron is deadly from the post for a number of reasons. Firstly, most power forwards lack the agility to defend him from the perimeter. When he’s in the paint, the chore is defending his ambidextrous ability to score with either hand from the block, or if the defense collapses on him, kicking it out to an open man in the corner. As the Celtics defense surrounded James in the paint, he caught the ball in a fluid motion, spun, and kicked it to Smith for a corner three to extend the Cavs Diff to +13. The final bucket of the night came from human victory cigar Sasha Kaun as the Cavs cruised to a 120-103 victory.

Boo

If there was ever a team to experiment the Cavs new small ball nuCLEar lineup against, it was the Celtics, as they lack a traditional rim protector with roster of point guards and power forwards. I would have liked to have seen the Cavs start the game with Love at center and LeBron at the four. I get that they have an overabundance of big men. I’m not against them tiering off LeBron and Love to capitalize on the Cavs small ball lineup.

Yay

Other than getting burned by Thomas in the first quarter, Kyrie was legit. He put up 20 points on just 13 shots, and was 3 for 6 from downtown.

After the game Tyronn Lue stated, “if you don’t like Delly, you don’t like basketball.” Delly is the only player on the roster where effort is never an issue. He posted 10 points, 4 dimes, and was tied with Shump for a game high plus/minus of +26.

Speaking of Shumpert, this was perhaps his best game as a Cavalier. He filled the stat sheet and then some with 12 points, a Rodman-esque 16 rebounds, a pair of steals, and defensive intensity that led to points at the other end. The Cavs didn’t need to add talent to this roster at the deadline. Getting Shumpert and Mozgov back to where they were last year can close the gap between the Cavs and the elite teams out West.

The Cavs had eight players scoring in double figures tonight. The last time it happened was during the dark ages of December of 2012.

LeBron was seriously a treat tonight. He posted 20-7-5 in his 18 minutes of play during the second half. When he wants to be the best player in the league, he still is.

The Cavs are off today, and take on the Grizzlies Monday night. Until then.