Shaking Free and Clamping Down

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My favorite play from Game 3 started with LeBron facing up near the left elbow, defended in isolation by Andre Iguodala. It had all the earmarks of another mano y mano, “screw it, I’m Driving” attempt by the 2013 Finals MVP against the ghastly underrated 2015 Finals MVP. Given LeBron’s horrendous efficiency in such situations during Game 2 –  Iguodala forced LeBron into 1-3 shooting with seven (oof!) turnovers – it was hard to know if LeBron actually wanted to try this dance again or if he was just defaulting to ol’ reliable since nothing much else presented itself.

On this play, with 1.) Iguodala checking LeBron, 2.) Andrew Bogut patrolling the right painted area, and 3.) Draymond Green ever ready to collapse and swipe left, LeBron soared in for an uncontested layup.  And there is really only one reason that the seed planted in LeBron’s head and buried in that barren soil was able to yield such a glorious bounty: J.R. Smith, pipelayer by day, traded his hard hat for some Dickies double barrel bib overalls and WENT TO WORK.

https://vine.co/v/i3wpeDjQHDj/

As is standard operating procedure when hangin’ round regular season MVP Stephen Curry, J.R. found himself arm-locked and finally hugged by the baby-faced assassin.  Curry, hell-bent on using every ounce of leverage to re-direct screens and shed defenders, was uprooted by farmer Smith, who proceeded to plow directly into AI2’s stump of a shoulder…WHAM.  With Curry’s leg still caught in the plow and Iguodala reeling from impact, LeBron managed three healthy dribbles before the shot blocking Bogut could even plant his feet.  As LeBron soared higher and higher towards the Sun, Bogut planted roots instead.

First, the setup:

Curry, with eyes on LeBron’s positioning, locks arms and tries to re-direct J.R. Smith to prevent a clean screen.

Then, the picture that should define Game 3:

Curry is stuck, Iggy is run over.

Contrast this with a sequence from game 2, that can be summed up in a single screenshot.

Getting chucked into your own dude.

LeBron, trying to set a screen, is actually shoved into KI by AI2 while Curry bear hugs his way over a screen

Instead of Curry getting stuck on LeBron, he sticks to Kyrie.  A few moments later, Kyrie tries setting a screen for LeBron.  LeBron doesn’t even try using it.  He simply backs up behind the line and Kyrie cuts sharply towards the free throw line, perhaps hoping to receive a bounce pass from Tristan.

His progress is impeded.

Curry and Iguodala play Red Rover with Kyrie.

Without any daylight to hit Kyrie on the run, Tristan kicks it back out to LeBron.  Curry gets down in the defensive stance and dares LeBron to fire away.  He does, and he misses.  Here’s the play in full.

The Cavs found lots of ways to shake free on offense and clamp down on defense in Game 3 that lead to the impressive 30-point margin of victory.  It wasn’t all gritty and workmanlike: Kyrie hit some tough contested shots in the first quarter and LeBron had the stanky-leg stepback (SLSB?) going in the 3rd.  Still, the Cavs were more physical in every facet of the game, and they finally started shedding defenders like the Warriors.  The Cavs struggled mightily in the 2nd quarter of Game 3, but they never stopped scrumming.  On this Tristan Thompson And-1, Richard Jefferson was a menace down low, which gave Tristan the freedom to hunt the rebound.  Kudos to the ABC crew for showing the replay and pointing out Richard Jefferson’s activity. It will take more than this to defeat the mighty Warriors, but the Cavs must be the tougher team to have a chance.  In Game 3, they were.