Recap: Cleveland 118, L.A. Clippers 115 OT (Or, Any Time They Wanted)

I’m firmly convinced that before he went to bed Thursday, LeBron James plotted out every single possession of Friday night’s 53 minute victory over the Clippers. The Cavs never led in regulation, but managed to tie the game at halftime, and then forced overtime, before putting the Clippers away. Though they left themselves no margin for error, the game was never in doubt. James knew that he and the Cavs could take the Clips any time they wanted.

It was a game of runs and the Cavalier road legs ambled weary, especially early on. In fact, Cleveland didn’t score till 7:15 in the first, after the Clips had built a 12-0 league behind DeAndre Jordan (12 in the quarter) dominating the post and the sweet shooting of Wesley Johnson and Sindarius Thornwell (yes, that’s a real name). In a trend that continued throughout the game, the Cavs chose not to guard the left corner, and Johnson and Thornwell cashed in. Love got going around the basket, with a couple sneaky finishes on cuts, then LeBron started flexing the jumper that’s making him unguardable this year. Cleveland locked in a little more effectively and finished the first down 24-27

The second started with the kinds of runs we’ve become accustomed to as Cavs fans, as the Wine and Gold’s abysmal pick and roll defense and inability to control the boards let Montrezl Harrell get loose for a wide open layup and a couple tip-ins to centerpiece an 8-2 run to start the period for the Clips. Fortunately, time machine Dwyane Wade walked out onto the court and started attacking the basket relentlessly.

It’s interesting that in an age that is seeing increased pace, Wade and LeBron use their strength can feast on these vegan fed string beans like Austin Rivers. Wade attacked for buckets or free throws throughout the quarter, and also helped Kevin Love (nine in the period) do the same. Wade (23, 11 rebounds, five dimes on the night) finished with a whopping 17 in the quarter , (including 9-10 from the charity stripe). And it’s amazing that as good as his shot looks from the free throw line, Flash couldn’t throw it in Lake Eerie when jump shooting from the field (1-10 in the game).

L.A. paced Cleveland though, with their patented “take advantage of LeBron’s complete and total lack of defensive effort in the first three quarters” offense. James was content to stand to the right of the key and work on his Christmas shopping list.

In some ways I get tired of the Cavs’ announcers, especially Austin Carr, bemoaning the state they’re in, when it’s completely obvious the Cavs are doing this every game – what NBA teams have been doing since the 50s: screwing around till they know they need to play well. Unless they’re playing against elite teams, Cleveland isn’t playing their opponent. They’re playing against themselves.

Inevitably, the Cavs picked this moment, after a Ty Lue timeout to look up from scrolling through Instagram on their phones, and decide it’s time to go to work. Out of the T.O., they attacked the rack for four straight layups. Darth Sindarius hilariously blew a dunk, Cleveland started defending and fouling DeAndre Jordan, and Jeff Green got loose around the bucket for a couple free throws and a hook shot. A 12-0 run Cleveland, closed the third, put the score at 81-78, and affirmed the fact that they knew they could take the Clippers any time they wanted.

There’s a new wrinkle to the greatest player in the universe. LeBron James’ jumper, in its current form is now absolutely lethal. Even more devastating? The King doesn’t need any help getting  a shot off. He can just dribble around and psychically plant the suggestion he might drive some time in the next five seconds to two weeks, the defender backs off, and he can calmly raise up and go Draino. He opened the quarter with a 22 foot step-back on a right wing isolation.

It was too easy, so LeBron and Co. started talking about Oscar season movies and the state of Pacific Rim trade while Austin Rivers scored nine of the Clips’ first 11 on drives and a nice stepback three. The Clippers were back up 10 before James was gifted two in transition courtesy of a Montrezl goaltend, and Kyle Korver came off a screen to bury a trey from the top and add a free throw for a FOUR POINT PLAY, which made Doc River’s head explode.

Griffin bully balled his way for four, before The White Flame canned another trey. Rivers responded, LBJ put Rivers in the blender and flipped in a ridiculous finger roll, and after a Wade block, Korver threw it ahead to a cherry-pickin’-under-his-own-basket James who jammed it home to cut the Clipper lead to 101-99. James knew this was how the sequence would play out which is why he stayed under his own hoop.

After James purposely gave the ball back to the Clippers with a turnover, yet another layup by Doc Rivers’ kid was nothing as LBJ nailed a stepback trey. Twenty seconds later, LeBron missed a 32-foot heave because he knew the ball would bounce directly to the right elbow and then Love would rebound and give it to his Kingness with plenty of time to bend over, tie his LeBrons, bounce the ball, and calmly drain a left wing triple. James freaking planned this entire sequence (queued up below). You can’t tell me differently.

Oh yeah. Tie Ballgame. 47 seconds left.

Love defended a Blake hook beautifully. Cavs called a timeout and ran a gorgeous play in a two-for-one situation where LeBron drove from 80 feet out, and Wade executed a perfectly timed cut from the right corner, but just missed a layup over good defense from Blake Griffin. Blake clannked a left elbow turnaround short, and gave Cleveland a chance to win it in regulation, but James decided he wanted to play more so he missed the driving left hand shot.

The Clips were completely befuddled and demoralized in overtime and just collapsed offensively under the wilting glare of the Cleveland D. Then they decided to guard J.R. with no one, as Smith dribbled the length of the court and jogged in for a soft slam. Doc Rivers took a T.O. and tried not to strangle anyone.

James spoonfed Love (25, eight boards, two dimes, two steals, a block, 3-7 from deep) for a couple gorgeous treys, one from the left corner, and one from the top, before the Cavs realized they were winning by too much and gave a couple layups back to the Clips. Then James got Austin Rivers on a switch, backed him to the left mid-post and just buried a Joranesque turnaround over the helpess Rivers’ kid. The Cavs were up five and the game was done.

WHEW.

James (39 points, 14 rebounds, six assists, six tos, 17-26 from om the floor) is so brilliant and maddening at the same time. In one respect, if he just set the tone earlier, they wouldn’t need him to be a hero later. On the other hand, you wonder if he sets these situations up on purpose. Is he a drama king, or is he just honing his and his team’s ability to execute in close games? I never had any doubt the Cavs were winning. Well, unless James secretly didn’t want to win for some reason. He’s playing against himself, of course. Check out his grade from his kids in the opening interview.