LeBron James' Cavs a Major Work in Progress and Other Takeaways from NBA Tuesday
The worst part isn't that the Cleveland Cavaliers have fallen to 1-2 on their young season. It's not that they came up short against a well-oiled Portland Trail Blazers machine that reached the conference semifinals last season in the ultra-competitive West.
The worst thing about Tuesday night's 101-82 loss is that everything seemed to go wrong for an offense that was supposed to be unstoppable.
In times like these, it's important to remember that three games don't count for very much in the grand scheme of things—particularly this early in an experiment joining new head coach David Blatt with superstars LeBron James, Kevin Love and incumbent point guard Kyrie Irving.
Still, one would think this roster could surpass 82 points on sheer talent alone.
Love did his part with five three-pointers en route to a 22-point evening, but the rest of Cleveland's esteemed core was unimpressive from the field. James, Irving and shooting guard Dion Waiters made a combined 10-of-40 field-goal attempts—the worst offenders for a team that made just 36.5 percent of its field-goal attempts.
ESPN Stats & Info and Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com shared some historical stats for LeBron based upon his performance:
An offense that was supposed to showcase a lot of movement has been beset by confusion and one-on-one play. The four-time MVP who was supposed to change everything was neither dominant nor particularly aggressive, attempting just one free-throw attempt for the game.
Perhaps we shouldn't be surprised that just a few days into November, these Cavaliers still have some work to do.
Blatt called an apparently frank team meeting after Cleveland lost its season opener to the New York Knicks last week.
"He just got on us," James told reporters of the exchange. "He got on us from the time we started our meeting to the time we left. And it's great. For a team like us, we need that. I love constructive criticism. I never took it personal. It's just an opportunity for us to get better, and it definitely put a fire into us."
The Cavs responded with a 114-108 overtime victory against the Chicago Bulls, temporarily restoring confidence in a club now permanently measured against the backdrop of extraordinary hype.
For one game anyway, James and Co. willed themselves to victory against the team that may become their principal rival in the East. The difference?
Northeast Ohio Media Group's Joe Vardon argued, "There was a noticeable aggression in getting into the lane for points and shots, perhaps none more so than from James."
Maybe Blatt's intervention worked, which sort of makes you wonder what he might have in store for the troops following Tuesday's demise.
"We wanted all the guys to be more aggressive, getting to the rim, getting to the foul line," he told reporters after the Bulls game. "LeBron and all the guys did a much better job of that."
Indeed, James attempted nine free throws against Chicago, looking more like himself than he did in an eight-turnover season debut or in his muted effort against Portland. So far, the Cavaliers are unsurprisingly going as James goes—which was a bad thing on Tuesday. Windhorst made a preseason comparison as it relates to LeBron's interest in the Tuesday night matchup:
We'll see how long that lasts.
Around the Association
Another Injury in OKC
This is starting to get a little ridiculous.
Already without superstars Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook, the Oklahoma City Thunder's 100-88 loss to the Toronto Raptors was compounded by another untimely injury. With just eight players in head coach Scott Brooks' rotation entering Tuesday's game, forward Perry Jones left early in the third quarter after banging his knee.
Ordinarily Jones' loss wouldn't sound many alarms, but he's become one of OKC's most reliable scoring options in the wake of its key absences. After scoring a career-high 32 points against the Los Angeles Clippers, the 23-year-old tallied 23 and 16 points, respectively, in the Thunder's next two games.
Reggie Jackson also left the game momentarily after a minor knee injury, but he returned with a noticeable limp. The combo guard missed OKC's first three games with a sprained right ankle.
It just got a little bit harder for this team to score points, and Oklahoma City's 1-4 record is poised to get worse before it gets better.
Houston Remains Undefeated, Miami Doesn't
The Houston Rockets remained perfect at 5-0 with a decisive 108-91 victory over the Miami Heat, who entered Tuesday's game with a 3-0 record of their own. Superstars were again the difference for head coach Kevin McHale, who lost small forward Chandler Parsons to the Dallas Mavericks via restricted free agency this summer.
Dwight Howard tallied 26 points and 10 rebounds, while James Harden nearly snagged a triple-double with a stellar line of 25 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds. Harden has been nothing short of unstoppable so far this season, and the Rockets seem primed to ride his heroics to a deeper playoff run after falling to the Portland Trail Blazers in the opening round a season ago.
For now, they're off to a historically dominant start, as confirmed by ESPN Stats & Info:
And Harden has been the reason why.
With Durant's season delayed and LeBron adjusting to life with the Cleveland Cavaliers, Harden just might generate some early MVP buzz.
At least if that defense holds up. Seven steals and five blocks through his first five contests isn't a bad start.
The Truth Is Setting Wizards Free
Coming off his ejection in a 108-97 win against the Milwaukee Bucks, Paul Pierce was on his best behavior Tuesday night in the Washington Wizards' 98-83 victory over the the New York Knicks. He also got back on track, scoring 17 points after similarly strong performances in Washington's first two games.
Head coach Randy Wittman's team advanced to 3-1, despite starting the season without emergent shooting guard Bradley Beal, who's recovering from a wrist injury.
The organization signed Pierce this summer in a bid to replace departed swingman Trevor Ariza. With 16 years of NBA experience on his resume, the 37-year-old's leadership could prove pivotal for a young team building upon last season's conference semifinals appearance.
His production is already contributing to Washington's hot start.
Bulls Hang on Without Rose, Noah
The Chicago Bulls showed off what may be the league's deepest rotation in a 98-90 victory over the still-winless Orlando Magic. With reigning Defensive Player of the Year Joakim Noah out sick and former MVP Derrick Rose missing his second straight game with an ankle injury, head coach Tom Thibodeau relied on his exceptional supporting cast to carry the load.
Swingman Jimmy Butler led the Bulls with 21 points on the heels of a 24-point outing against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Big men Pau Gasol and Taj Gibson added 16 points apiece, while reserves Aaron Brooks and Doug McDermott also scored in double figures.
Renewed health and offseason additions have assured this roster the kind of reinforcements it needs on nights like Tuesday. Even at less than full strength, this club is still pretty good.
Classic Kobe Not Enough for Sinking Lakers
Down by four points with under one minute remaining in the game, Kobe Bryant tried to squeeze a little more heroics out of a fantastic outing. But when his driving bank shot rolled off the rim, the Phoenix Suns responded with a three-point dagger and ultimately prevailed over the Los Angeles Lakers by a 112-106 margin.
That sends the Lakers to an 0-5 start, the very worst since the franchise moved to Los Angeles in 1960.
Bryant remained publicly optimistic after the game. NBATV's Jared Greenberg shared Kobe's comments about the Lakers' 0-5 start:
Appearing determined to avert the historic notoriety single-handedly, Bryant poured in 39 points on the evening—an impressive mark rivaled only by the 37 field-goal attempts it took him to get there. ESPN's Arash Markazi provided a comparison between Kobe's field-goal attempts and his teammates, while the Kobe Bryant Fans Twitter account provided Kobe's assessment of his performance:
The Lakers are starting to erase hopes that they'd return to the playoffs with Kobe back in the saddle. He's doing his part. The question is whether his supporting cast will ever catch up.
Anthony Davis Getting MVP Chants in New Orleans
That's what happens when you post lines of 24 points, 13 rebounds and three blocks. That's the damage Davis did in the New Orleans Pelicans' 100-91 victory over the Charlotte Hornets.
"It's crazy because I watched when I was younger. I watched LeBron [James], Kobe [Bryant], [Kevin Durant], all them guys, and you could hear through the TV the chanting," Davis told reporters after the game. "And then you're actually at the line; they're cheering for me."
Davis opened the season with 26 points, 17 rebounds and nine blocks against the Orlando Magic. He then posted 31 points against the Dallas Mavericks.
He's been getting help from Jrue Holiday and Tyreke Evans, who combined for 32 points, 14 assists and 11 rebounds Tuesday night. Sneaking into the playoffs won't be easy out West, but the Pelicans look awfully close to doing just that.
Wedding Bells?
He still hasn't suited up for the Lakers this season, but spark plug Nick Young may be trying on tuxedos in the near future. He recently told DuJour magazine's Lindsay Silberman that the marriage topic has "come up a couple of times" between him and girlfriend Iggy Azalea—a popular rapper in her own right.
"Me and Iggy just bought a house," he said. "We've been getting really close lately. I've never been with somebody like this. So, I'm taking it as a challenge."
A challenge that may be far less daunting than the one awaiting Young's Lakers.
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