NBA Finals 2015: Breaking Down the Cavaliers' Performance in Game 5 Loss

LeBron James has made legendary performances look routine in the 2015 NBA Finals. But in Game 5, James' heroics once again weren't enough as the Cleveland Cavaliers fell in a 104-91 loss to the Golden State Warriors. 

With the loss, Cleveland falls to a 3-2 deficit in the series and will have one last chance at home to extend the series to a seventh game. 

For that to happen, the Cavaliers will have to correct some of their mishaps from Game 5 and regain the momentum that Golden State has stolen from them the last two games. 

After Golden State's "small-ball" lineup decimated the Cavs in Game 4, Cleveland tried to respond by playing some small ball of its own, playing center Timofey Mozgov for only nine minutes. 

While playing small kept Cleveland in the game, it also limited one of its greatest advantages in the series: rebounding. 

Eric Risberg/Associated Press/Associated Press

The Cavs were out-rebounded by Golden State and unlike past games, it was the Warriors coming up with key offensive rebounds and getting second-chance points. 

Harrison Barnes and Draymond Green were especially active on the glass, taking advantage of the smaller Cleveland lineup. 

The Big Lead's Jason McIntyre also questioned the decision to bench Mozgov.

But the biggest takeaway from Game 5, as it has been for most of the series, is the unfathomable load that LeBron James has had to carry. 

Early on, it seemed like he might not have to do it himself, as J.R. Smith came out firing from three in the first half. 

But Smith wasn't able to sustain his hot start, and the Cavalier offense quickly turned back into The LeBron Show in the second half. 

	Points	Rebounds	Assists
James	40	14	11
Rest of Team	51	23	6

The burden that James has had to take on to keep Cleveland afloat has been unfair to expect out of any player, and just to have Cleveland competitive in this series is a testament to how great he has been.

Even if Cleveland loses the series, James should get serious consideration for Finals MVP. Every time the Cavs need a play, James continues to come up with moments like this one to keep them alive. 

It's been said over and over again, but the Cavaliers' other guards, primarily Smith and Iman Shumpert, have to find a way to produce for a full 48 minutes. 

No offense to Matthew Dellavedova, but his scrappy performances won't do the trick anymore against a Warrior team that has found its groove in Games 4 and 5. 

Cleveland also struggled to contain Stephen Curry late in the game. Although, that had more to do with Curry's incredible shot-making ability than poor defense from Cleveland. 

Even though Cleveland didn't give Curry open looks, when the MVP is making shots like this, there isn't much you can do.  

When Cleveland has been successful in this series, it's been because of its energy and effort. 

That same level of energy was absent in Game 5 as the fatigue of a team with a seven-man rotation started to show. 

Despite being one loss from elimination, Cleveland has to believe that it can still win this series. 

In this soundbite from his postgame press conference, James made it clear that he has no doubt in himself. 

If the Cavs want to force a Game 7, they'll have to play with utter desperation and find the same energy they had in Games 2 and 3. 

Without it, they'll be watching the Warriors lift the Larry O'Brien Trophy on their home floor.