The Cleveland Cavs Are Down 2-1

Having feasted on the weaker teams of the Eastern Conference in the first two rounds, the Cavs now face their toughest test of the season.

The versatile forwards of the Orlando Magic have been a matchup nightmare for the Cavs. They have actually elected to use their smallish guards, Delonte West and Mo Williams, on those forwards and it has led to them extending energy on the defensive end which has made their offensive thrust go into decline.

If West and Williams are not offensive forces then they have to sit, that is all there is to it. They are defensive liabilities that you can live with if they are making their shots. When they aren't making their shots then the Magic are winning the matchups and that has taken them to a 2-1 lead in the Eastern Conference Finals.

I do realize that the Cavs were close to winning the first two games at home if they could have held on to a big lead in the first game, but there are no moral victories in the playoffs.

It is the first team to four wins and after their amazing regular season, the Magic are half way there while the Cavs still have three games to go.

I don't like to push the panic button and scrap what has worked for the whole season. I can even ride out the current gameplan for another game. I can wait and see if West and Williams will step up on the offensive end through the first half of Game 4.

I can hope for the best.

The time is near, however, for a new plan to be formed. Perhaps a zone defense with taller guards like Pavlovic and Szyberiak could keep the Magic from taking advantage of their three-point abilities.

That is the core of the problem—the Magic are a good three-point shooting team so the Cavs are forced to find a way to stop a great team's strength.

The inside match-up of Z versus Howard has also been a bad one for the Cavs. They do have youth on their bench with Darnell Jackson and JJ Hickson, but it would be a panic move to play them instead of Z. The problem is that the Cavs are nearing the time for panic.

Game 4 is the biggest game of their season. If they stay the course and win it then all of this speculation is just that. They will be heading home at 2-2 and that is where they should be.

Heading home down 3-1 means they have to scrap a whole season and find a way to win three straight games.

Even if the Cavs do play well in the first half of Game 4, what is to stop them from allowing the Magic to come back on them like they did in games one and two?

It is time to start playing to their strength and at this time that is LeBron. He needs to be matched up with Lewis. James needs to take out the X factor in Lewis that has been the difference in this series so far. West and Williams need to be tough scorers on offense or it is time to go with height and defense.

Both of these teams can win a game in the 80's but, at this point, the Cavs no longer can afford to rest on their success of the regular season.

Cleveland needs to win a game and if that takes them out of their comfort zone then it is best to find the new style in Game 4 where a loss is not the end of the season.

It would be nice to say that the Cavs will play their "A" game on Tuesday and everything will work itself out, but it is good coaching to plan for the alternative and be prepared to win Game 4 in a new way.

Use your height, play your defense, and get the guys in there that will put the biscuit in the basket. LeBron is averaging over 40 points a game this series and they are looking at a 2-1 deficit. The Cavs might address their need for a No. 2 guy in the offseason but they need to find that No. 2 guy right now.