NBA Finals 2015: Cavs vs. Warriors Game 2 TV Schedule, Live Stream and Odds
It seems that the mood surrounding the NBA Finals has taken a steep drop.
With Cleveland Cavaliers point guard Kyrie Irving now ruled out for the rest of the series with a fractured kneecap, it feels like the entire world is shrugging and waiting for the Golden State Warriors to hoist up the Larry O’Brien trophy.
But can we really count out the Cavilers, the team with the world’s premier basketball player?
Of course not. Following an exciting overtime loss for Cleveland in Game 1, Golden State enters Game 2 on Sunday as an eight-point favorite, per Odds Shark. The Dubs lost a whopping total of two home contests in the regular season and one in the playoffs, so the odds make sense.
As far as the series goes, though, don’t lose total faith in LeBron James, even if he’s a one-man gang.
How to Watch
| Cavaliers at Warriors | Sunday, June 7 | 8 p.m. | ABC | Tuesday, June 9 |
All games this series can be viewed through WatchESPN.
Cavaliers’ X-Factor: J.R. Smith
At one of the craziest arenas in sports and against the NBA’s clear-cut top dog, Cleveland didn’t play well outside of LBJ.
And the Cavaliers still had their foot on the Warriors’ throat late in the contest. The game came down to a last-second shot from James. If that jumper, which was well-defended by Golden State wing Andre Iguodala, fell, we could be looking at this series in a completely different light.
If not for Irving’s injury, the Cavs might have reason to feel pretty confident heading into Sunday night’s showdown.
But now they don't have that luxury, and certain players need to step up.
Chief among them is J.R. Smith, a rare breed of player with the ability to either shoot his team out of a game or get hot enough to win it on his own. He either throws gasoline on Cleveland’s fire or pours a jug of water on it.
In the first half of Game 1, Smith provided a whole lot of lighter fluid. He sunk a trio of triples, including a buzzer-beating bomb from well beyond the arc. But after halftime, Smith cooled.
Rather, he froze.
The shooting guard wound up sinking just three of his 13 shot attempts and failed to score a point in the second half or overtime.
“I was trying to find a rhythm, it was hard to find and they started staying attached to me and clinging to my jumper,’’ Smith said after his poor performance, per Marc Berman of the New York Post. “I have to do a better job mixing it up and taking it to the basket, creating plays for others.”
With Irving out, Smith is now expected to take a greater role in Cleveland’s offense. James will find him, for sure, but the former New York Knick needs to shoot better than 3-of-10 from downtown.
As NBA.com’s David Aldridge points out, championship teams often need a bit of a wildman like the enigmatic 2-guard:
Maybe it’s because Rihanna was there. Perhaps he was simply off. Whatever the reason, Smith was dreadful in Game 1.
For Cleveland to have a shot at pulling off an upset and winning this series, he’ll need to play better in Game 2 and beyond.
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